Drawing and coloring are two of the most basic ways to entertain a small child, but they can also be among the messiest. Marks on children, clothes, furniture and walls can become a thing of the past thanks to some super-cool innovations in the world of coloring.
The AquaDoodle system uses an innovative surface that responds to the water in the included pens and brushes, so there’s no ink, paint or dust to create a mess. The mat is large, so multiple children can play at the same time, and the drawings disappear in about a minute, so there’s always plenty of space. The water is contained within the marking devices, so there’s nothing to knock over. Recommended for children ages 2 and older (which most marker sets are not!).
[AquaDoodle Draw N Doodle; $27.54 at Arsa Toys]
If you want to create lasting drawings without the mess, Crayola’s amazing Color Wonder system is the perfect solution. The markers contain special inks that will only appear on their special paper, so there’s no risk of inky hands, clothes or walls. The pictured set includes six markers and an animal-theme coloring book; additional coloring books, markers and paper are available. I’ve heard of parents making their own coloring books with the magic paper by running it through their printers, and other parents cut the paper into smaller sheets to make it last longer. It’s definitely important to teach kids how to color properly with typical markers, but this system is a great teaching tool.
[Color Wonder Coloring Book & Markers; $7.99 at Arsa Toys]
