Leah F's (only) recommendation for Preschoolers

Okay, so my recommendation isn't profound, though the title of my post might make it sound like there is only one possible thing to recommend :-) I like what Leah P and Meg have already said, I agree with them, and I cannot add much to their list at all. Also, though I have a four year old, I don't do any kind of structured preschool time with her yet, so I don't have much to suggest.

Disclaimers aside, here is my recommendation: LeapFrog Scribble and Write. I am generally opposed to electronic toys, but I like this one. It was given to Georgia about a year ago, and frankly I hid it away because I thought she was too young. I am glad I did, because when I brought out late fall, she understood and enjoyed it and was able to use it easily. The concept is like an electronic Magna-Doodle--children trace the lights with the stylus, drawing simple shapes and evolving to writing upper and lower case letters. This toy helps with alphabet and shape recognition, and also helps children learn to draw and write. The stylus is the perfect size for my little girl's hand, and the 'eraser' works just like her beloved Magna-Doodle, so she figured it out quickly. I have been greatly impressed with how much time she has spent playing with this toy! It is perfectly at her level (while some other computerized toys are a little above her skill set right now). So again, though it is "electronic", I find it to be a useful, fun, educational tool/toy for my preschooler. You should check it out! ($21.99 at Amazon)