Crayola has just introduced a new line of products geared specifically for your toddler. In a day and age where everything has to be electronic and we heavily buy into the idea that we need products to boost our child’s development, I’m happy to see Crayola do some reinventing of their products that actually makes sense.
The Product Line
Crayola Beginnings basically includes four components that I’m sure Crayola will be expanding on depending on how well these first products go.
TaDoodles. . .are the crayola created characters that go along with the products. You have Tadoodles coloring books and markers in the shape of a Tadoodle. The idea is of course that your toddler fall in love with the TaDoodle, which of course helps sell the product.
Triangular Crayons. . .help improve your child’s pencil grip. . .at the ripe age of 13 months. . .long before they will need to write. (Never mind the research that suggests that the forming bones in a child’s wrist isn’t ready to write yet.)
Egg Shaped Markers and Painters. . .Gone are the days of messy markers and paint trays. These little egg shaped things are easy for toddlers to grasp and they do make much less of a mess than traditional markers and paint.
My Research & Development Team
Although technically, the products are designed for babies a little younger, I figured that 28 month old twins could still enjoy triangle crayons. The solid conclusion of my R&D team is that:
The crayons are nice for drawing on the walls and make a tasty snack in addition to their crackers and cheese. The crayons also got a big thumbs down from the R&D team for not showing up on each other’s skin in a rousing attempt at twin tatooing.
The markers and paint look great on their legs and tummies. Disappointed that it washes off so easily. These worked much better for twin tatooing than did the crayons.
The wrapping and packaging is especially appealing. If you jiggle it back and forth the cat attacks it which is far more entertaining than drawing.
The Mom Opinion
I love Crayola actually. Their stuff is non-toxic and washable which is a huge plus if you have toddlers. While I don’t buy the hype that the new Crayola Beginnings line is going to significantly improve your child’s development–they’re not bad products. Big chunky crayons (whether they be circular or triangular) are great to have with budding artists in the house. Non-messy paint is fun. . .but messy paint is fun too and is very good for developing motor skills and sensory awareness. So while I probably wouldn’t spend the extra money for my own kids, I think they’d make an excellent gift. Overall, Crayola has done well with a great new product!