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“Twenty-five years ago, we launched the LeapFrog LeapPad to help reduce screen time and nurture reading, and helped 4-7 year old kids in 77% of U.S. households improve their literacy skills,” said Jim Marggraff, CEO and Founder of Kibeam and inventor of the LeapFrog LeapPad.
“Against a similar environment of concerns over too much childhood screen time and low reading proficiency, we want to replicate and increase our impact to create a new generation of engaged, enthusiastic readers.”
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. children struggle to read proficiently. Kibeam aims to ensure children are ready for two crucial landmarks of early development: first, that they are ready to learn entering kindergarten and second, that they become proficient readers by grade four. Kibeam helps children hit these goals by enhancing their exposure to more vocabulary and improving their engagement with physical books. This mission is already providing dividends: in a 2024/25 pilot with the University of Florida’s Lastinger Center of Education of 60,000 families, the Kibeam Wand demonstrated up to 5-7x more engagement time with books.
The Kibeam Wand seamlessly integrates into existing classroom routines—like circle time, small group instruction and learning centers—making it easy for educators to enhance instructional time. In addition, the Kibeam Wand equips educators with access to real-time data to monitor progress, tailor support and obtain embedded assessments. To ensure ease of adoption, Kibeam provides comprehensive implementation support, including virtual coaching, office hours, training and ongoing weekly communication.
“I’m impressed with how the Kibeam Wand promotes children’s early reading development and engagement. Its capacity to generate detailed student-level data—while captivating learners through screen-free, play-based learning—is a breakthrough in research and classroom practice,” said Dr. Anne Cunningham, Professor of Learning Sciences and Human Development, U.C. Berkeley School of Education.
Visit Kibeam Learning at Booth #1960.
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
