Good AquaDoodle set, but having also tried the deluxe version, this one isn't as fun or colourful, 28 Sept. 2015

If you are looking for a small, more basic version than the AquaDoodle Deluxe, for just one child, then this would be fine. It's got four quadrants of colour in pastel colours which show through the white top layer when the child uses the water pen. It dries in about 15-20 minutes so then you can doodle again. It's not outstanding, but it's still good.However, I'd point out that the AquaDoodle Deluxe version isn't much more expensive but you get quite a bit more included and the colours are far brighter, with cool multi-colour effects including bright neons. Upgrading to the deluxe version might be especially important if you have more than one child because there are enough painting tools for them all to play at once and the mat is bigger too so there is more space for doodling.This one is good, but the deluxe is well worth the extra money as far as I'm concerned. 4 stars.

This review is from: Aquadoodle Classic Colour UK (Toy)

Excellent toy for making a mess without making a mess, 24 Sept. 2015

The aqua doodle has been around for a long time and is a blessing to parents who want to provide large scale mark making opportunities for their children without the mess of paint. This set comprises of a mat and a ‘pen’ that can be filled with water and the child can set to work, writing all over the mat. Where the child writes with water their marks show up in the usual blue, but where this mat differs from the old version is that the mat is divided into quadrants and each quarter appears as a different colour when wet. A simple change, but one that really appealed to my group of two year old testers. There are motifs for decoration round the edge of the mat.

It was a bit annoying that there was only one pen included in the pack, but you can get round this by providing a small pot of water and brushes.

A word of warning; you must make sure the mat is completely dry before putting away – if you don’t you risk a mouldy, smelly mat with...

This review is from: Aquadoodle Classic Colour UK (Toy)

I prefer this one over the larger deluxe mat - numbers, letters and animals to copy., 25 Sept. 2015

This is a small portable mat - actually smaller folded up than the official portable aquadraw bag we have. It's much more educational than the other larger mat we have. This has a great visual display of numbers and letters giving inspiration to copy and learn.The mat has a white sheen and by putting water on it you reveal the colour underneath much more clearly, giving definition to your drawn on shapes. A great mark making resource with no mess. This comes with one accessory - a chubby pen which is easily held by toddlers. I've found the pens need replacing very frequently due to toddlers sucking them and everything has to be pristine clean to not permanently mark the mat so I'm not that keen on them. Normal paintbrushes, sponges, handprints (use a wet flannel as a pressing resource) work just as well.

This review is from: Aquadoodle Classic Colour UK (Toy)