ADVISORY/LeapFrog Sends Celebrity Frogs Hopping into FAO Schwarz; Launch of First Web-Enabled, Portable Devices Bring High-Tech Solution to Helping Children Master the Basics.

News/Assignment Editors & Education Writers

ADVISORY...for Wednesday (Oct. 4)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

    When/Where: Wednesday, October 4, 11 a.m.
                FAO Schwarz 58th Street & Fifth Avenue
                (Clock Tower Lobby)

    What: FAO Schwarz gets overrun by frogs as part of New
    York City's first frog jumping contest designed to
    celebrate the arrival of LeapZone, a new venture by
    educational toy leader LeapFrog. LeapFrog is
    pioneering a whole new breed of "brain-training"
    learning toys that use the Internet to personalize
    hands-on learning for children ages 3-14. The portable
    devices help parents track a child's academic skills
    as they grow in math, spelling, science, history and
    music, while children have fun playing.

    Powered by a new education technology, LeapZone
    learning tools connect to an online service at
    LeapFrog.com where parents upload their child's play
    results to view progress reports. Parents download
    fresh, customized curriculum, learning games and music
    into LeapZone toys. A child resumes play, away from
    the computer.

    Photo Ops:

    --  LeapZone demo

    --  5th graders compete in "brain-training" relays

    --  LIVE frog jumping contests with celebrated frogs(1) of
        Calaveras County made famous by the Mark Twain short story.

    Interview Ops:

    --  Matt Brown, vice president of LeapFrog.com

    --  Educators and 5th-grade students from PS 191

    --  Guinness Book world-record holder for the frog jump


    (1) Frogs to be returned to their natural habitat.