AquaDoodle - Draw N Doodle - Classic Mat with Bonus Pen and Cap

Both my 1-year-old and my preschooler are loving this! Just unscrew the cap, fill it with water, screw the cap back on, and you're ready to go. I estimate you would have to be doing a serious drawing session to have to refill the pen. We haven't used it up in one sitting yet (obviously I dump it and allow it to dry at night).It's nice that I don't have to worry about my rambunctious little guy eating markers, and it's great that he can jump up and go whenever he pleases and I don't have to worry that the "marker" is still in his clutches.My preschooler and I still use paper and books for serious learning, but this is great for practicing math, writing, and grammar-- we can do a few things, then when those disappear we can do a few more. I am no longer wasting up to 5 pieces of paper a day on informal practice of these things.I saw a review talk about there being a stain on the mat due to one of the markers leaking. While neither of the markers I received leak, the baby has left huge drool spots on the mat, and there has been absolutely no staining from them. My preschooler has also obsessively colored the purple area over and over and over (it was soaked!) and that did not make a stain either.One thing I looked for, is a choking warning for the marker caps. I cannot find one anywhere-- not in the product description on Amazon, not on the box, not on the individual bag the markers come in, and not on the markers themselves. While I know to keep the cap away, someone not so experienced or not so conscious may not do this. I hope the company adds this warning for the future.

I'm glad I got the extra pen set because the hardest thing about this is finding where my 20-month-old has left the pen. He has A LOT of art supplies and goes through paper really fast so we wanted to find an alternative to that because he loves his Imaginarium Magnetic Drawing Board. This came highly recommended by a friend after I mentioned how much my son loved his Melissa & Doug On the Go Water Wow! Water-Reveal Activity Pad - Under the Sea.I originally started out with the AquaDoodle - Accessories - Travel Doodle - Neon which has a nice harder surface so I didn't know what to expect from the mat and so I found the mat to be a bit flimsy. The Travel Doodle, however, was confusing for my toddler and he ended up using pen all over it. He seems to understand that the mat should only be used with his "water pens."I think the price is kind of high for something like this. It's very cute, it's certainly reusable but it doesn't feel like a nearly $40 toy. Most magnetic drawing boards don't cost as much as this, even with "a bonus pen." The cap is useless by the way, that will be gone very quickly unless you keep really good track of it.I would look at the dimensions as well and make sure your kid has somewhere to set it down. My son will either play on the floor or use it on his little desk. I don't think it's big enough for two kids honestly. The extra "mini mat" is ridiculous. It's basically a glorified index card.

I really like this. There are things I wish were a little better. I keep it folded when not using, and some of the fabric that you 'color on is wearing in the creases and I haven't had that long. The size is ok. I wish they had more options, or incorporated a paint by number type thing, or character related ones...etc... because it is a great concept. It is a little pricey for what it is...but you don't risk markers or paint all over the place!I use the 'marker's supplied, they work. But I also let my toddler use water dipped paint brushes and she love that much better.

The Aquadoodle mat itself is nice. Works as it should. However, the "bonus" pen included does not seem like an authentic product. And the fact that a strange pen is included in the box makes me even question whether the mat is authentic!Most things with screws screw on clockwise. This one, for some unexplainable reason, the head of the pen screws on counter-clockwise. The pen itself is thinner and harder for my very young child to hold. (This is just a preference thing. The amount of water it holds is adequate and for most children using this mat, the size should be fine.) It has a label covering the whole body so I can't check the water levels (like the other pen). Overall the whole design of the bonus pen is completely different from the other pen included (the one without the cap).Everything still functions so I'm still giving it 3 stars, but I'm still suspicious...

Our two year old granddaughter loves this mat. She can scribble all she wants and 10 minutes later she can draw a brand new picture. We copy the pictures around the edge and then color their names in the alphabet around the edge. Then repeat the letters on the mat. Love the fact that no "coloring" accidents occur. Beats washable markers at this age. Easier to use than crayons also. Liked it so much bought the Aqua doodle travel size in a case. She took it on a 6 hour car trip and kept her occupied. Also great for taking on visits. No accident worries at others homes.

My boys (14 months and 3.5) are both really enjoying this. My youngest is particularly fond of it. It's really great for the early markings of a young toddler, because they do not need to apply a lot of pressure (as with crayons) and you don't need to worry about them coloring on the table or walls. This basically covers our play table (IKEA Kritter) so my toddler has the run of coloring on the table, and the fabric doesn't fall off the table the way a piece of paper does. It's great to have an extra pen so the boys can color together. The mat folds up well for storage. I empty out the pens and keep them near the kitchen sink so they don't get moldy. My kids also each have a Melissa and Doug Water Wow book, but the Aquadoodle mat is holding up better.