Like most preschool-aged kids, my guy has been practicing his letters and numbers. There’s so many great toys and tools that promote reading and writing-readiness, and Aquadoodle‘s mess-free mat is one that’s become a mainstay in our lesson enrichment stash.
This toy has been around for a few years, but it just recently found its way into our inbox. There’s so many reasons to like this educational toy, but I especially like the fact that it promotes kid-powered creativity and brain power. With just water and the included pen and mat, the Aquadoodle Draw ‘n’ Doodle Mat is both fun and educational, while remaining virtually mess-free. The kid loves the pen; it’s ergonomic shape for littler hands and cool water “ink” were quite the novelty for my 4 year old. He loved seeing the different colors appear within the various sections of the mat.
Not too many complaints with Aquadoodle, although, I will warn that the pen will leak water if you don’t twist it tightly. The water filling, too, can become a preschooler “I can do it myself” nightmare, as I’ve learned. No really, kid, you don’t need a refill after writing one letter!
Here’s a little video where I try to get the kid to draw an “A” on the Aquadoodle. Ten requests later, he finally complied. Sheesh!
In the $20 range, the pricepoint of the Aquadoodle classic Draw ‘n’ Doodle Mat is very reasonable and a great pick for toddler and preschooler birthday presents. In addition to the Aquadoodle Draw ‘n’ Doodle Mat, Aquadoodle has several products in their line, such as the Travel Doodle, Plush Doodle Pet and the Doodle Wall Mat.
You can find Aquadoodle products as retailers such as Target, Toys R Us and Amazon.
Full disclosure: I was provided with product samples for purposes of this review. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.
