iLounge

On originality alone, Tadpole from ifrogz scores big: made in currently popular kids’ colors (orange or purple with accents in the other color), each case has two big, thick handles that turn an iPod into a handheld video player for younger children. Paired with earphones safely set up with the iPod’s Volume Limit feature, Tadpole renders your 5G easier to hold, harder to break, and simple to use: a one-year-old figured out the controls within seconds of being shown how the iPod worked. A sticker-style screen and Click Wheel guard is included in each package.

Would we advise letting your child use an iPod with Tadpole as a protective sleeve? That’s your choice to make, but if so, please consider ear safety a top priority with young children, and aggressively set and lock Volume Limit before turning the iPod over.