Come on, come on, do the VMotion ...

When the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review VTech's V-Motion Active Learning System, I said "It's like a baby Wii! Send it over right now!"

Well, not so much, it turns out. The gaming system, while definitely cute and age-appropriate, isn't as active as I had hoped it would be. It does have a motion-activated controller (just like the Wii) but the motion required to play the game is pretty subtle. To bounce a ball, for example, you simply tilt the controller to the left or right a few inches. You won't exactly work up a sweat doing that. (The controller also has a joystick, if you prefer to skip the motion altogether.)

But let me back up a bit, because maybe I was expecting too much. The V-Motion is a new video game system for kids ages 3 to 7, and its aim is to engage both minds and bodies. Its games ("smartridges," $25 each) teach and reinforce early learning concepts such as counting, shapes, colors, matching, and classifying. All of them (except the starter game that comes with the console) feature kiddie crack characters--Wonder Pets, Dora, Thomas, et al.

I always hyperventilate at the idea of dealing with TV accessories. My husband has a Playstation and I refuse to even touch it. I have no idea how to plug everything in and more importantly, how to get back to regular TV when we're finished. Not so the V-Motion. Feed the console and the controller their batteries, then plug the console into the TV using three color-coded plugs. Very easy.

It's also very easy to select your game and start playing--certainly easy enough for little ones. My kids were able to master it quickly. The games in the starter cartridge, however, failed to really grab their interest. The graphics are primitive and the play is not that exciting. My 6-and-a-half-year-old felt the games were too babyish. I'd bet, though, that the Wall-E or Scooby Doo cartridges might hold more appeal for her.

I was impressed by the dual-player options on the cartridge we had (which work only if you have two controllers; a spare sells for $20). In the two tennis-style games, if there are two players, they work together instead of competing.

The system also features an online component, called V.Link. It's like a little jump drive that you can use to download high scores from the unit. Plug it into your computer's USB port and you can then unlock bonus games from the VTech website. The V.Link is included in the gaming system package also works with other VTech games such as the V.Smile Cyber Pocket and V.Smile PC Pal.

So: Starter Wii? Not exactly. But a fun, quasi-educational video game system for preschoolers? Definitely.

***

Check out "Giving It Away For Free" in the sidebar to enter our great current giveaways. Subscribe to The Full Mommy in a reader or follow us on Twitter and never miss another one of our reviews.