... Why was I surprised? Well I remember when MegaSketchers first came out, and it's certainly not modern or hi-tech, it doesn't even take batteries!!!
~~~So what's a MegaSketcher?~~~
According to the Tomy website, the MegaSketcher is :
“The magnetic drawing board with the special screen ... Read review
Drawing is clean and easy with Megasketcher! No mess, no pencils to sharpen or ink to run ... more
out! The magnetic Megasketcher drawing board has a unique special screen that allows budding artists to draw clear, crisp pictures . The pictures magicall...
Postage & Packaging: £4.92 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The premium screen of this much loved classic allows budding artists to draw clear, crisp ... more
pictures. The pictures magically disappear with one sweep of the eraser. The megasketcher pen draws thick and thin lines with four shape stampers included to insp...
Postage & Packaging: £4.99 Availability: Usually dispatched within 4-5 business days...
Advantages: Easy to use, fun to create pictures, no batteries Disadvantages: Maybe a little large.
...
According to the Tomy website, the MegaSketcher is :
“The magnetic drawing board with the special screen to allow budding artists to draw crisp clear pictures. The pictures magically disappear with one sweep of the eraser”
Which is a pretty good description of what it does, but maybe you want to know what it looks like. Ashleigh's MegaSketcher is a a bit larger than A4 size, and the main body is made of sturdy ... ...or on-line play on the Tomy website.
~~~What Ashleigh Thinks~~~
Ashleigh absolutely fell in love with a display version of this, and “had” to buy it. She's played with it almost constantly since, even forgetting about her beloved Barbies. So I would say she thinks this is a great toy.
~~~What her Mum thinks~~~
The MegaSketcher is a brilliant toy, it's durable, fun and has kept my little ... more
It was my youngest daughter's sixth birthday last week, and along with all presents she was given some money to go and buy her self something. So we duly traipsed around the shops as she checked out all the latest, high-tech toys, and then I was really surprised that she actually chose the MegaSketcher. Why was I surprised? Well I remember when MegaSketchers first came out, and it's certainly not modern or hi-tech, it doesn't even take batteries!!!
~~~So what's a MegaSketcher?~~~
According to the Tomy website, the MegaSketcher is :
“The magnetic drawing board with the special screen to allow budding artists to draw crisp clear pictures. The pictures magically disappear with one sweep of the eraser”
Which is a pretty good description of what it does, but maybe you want to know what it looks like. Ashleigh's MegaSketcher is a a bit larger than A4 size, and the main body is made of sturdy yellow and blue plastic with a handy moulded carrying handle. The actual drawing surface is the size of an A4 sheet of paper and a very light grey colour, when pen or stampers touch the surface they lift darker grey filings up, which then stay at the surface until they are erased. As well as the board your child gets four stampers (a pawprint, flower, house and swirl) which clip into the main body, and a double sided pen attached with a string.
~~~Using the MegaSketcher~~~
It's so simple for the child to use this, the stampers are perfect for little hands and as soon as they touch the writing surface they make a mark. The pen is also a good size, and has both thin and thick points, which means as the child gets older the can add more detail to their pictures. Once they've completed their latest masterpiece (and have shown everybody what brilliant artists they are) they can easily erase their work and start again by pulling the eraser bar towards them. What I (and Ashleigh) really liked about the eraser was you only had to pull it in the one direction and then it would pull itself back with a fun whirring noise.
The first thing Ashleigh did with this was write her name, and she found it very easy to control the pen and was extremely satisfied with the results. After she had erased this she spent the next two hours (yes two whole hours) drawing and creating patterns, then she let her brother, Michael (who has problems with co-ordination), have a go, and he had great fun using the stampers, and pulling the eraser back. Finally, she let Louise, 9, have a try and she drew a very complicated picture.
~~~Who is it suitable for?~~~
According to the box, the MegaSketcher is suitable for children over the age of three, due to the fact it has small pieces, but personally I would say it's suitable from a much younger age with supervision. I would be quite happy to have let my two year old nephew play with this, with Ashleigh's permission of course, and could see him gaining a lot from it.
~~~How Durable Is It?~~~
Now we've not had this for very long, but in the week since Ashleigh bought it, it has had extensive use, and there's no sign of the writing surface deteriorating. It also looks very sturdy, and I reckon it will take a lot of force to break it.
~~~What will my child gain?~~~
What your child will gain, will of course depend on their age and level of development, but even the youngest child will be able to make a mark and see results. Michael cannot make a mark with a pencil, but can produce “pictures” with this. Whereas, Ashleigh is already able to write and has been practising her handwriting along with drawing pictures.
As your child uses this they will be improving their (pre-) handwriting and drawing skills, and will gain the pleasure of being able to show you how clever they are.
~~~Any bad points~~~
The only bad point that I can think of is the size of the unit, it's just a bit too large to balance on Ashleigh's knee, but this isn't a huge problem as she normally sits at the table with it.
~~~Where can I get one?~~~
Ashleigh bought her MegaSketcher from ToysRUs for £13.75, but they are also available from most toy shops for about the same price.
~~~Are there any other versions?~~~
Ashleigh's MegaSketcher is the basic version, but there are several other versions available including :
A portable MegaSketcher ~ for sketching on the move
A Princess MegaSketcher ~ Very pretty looking with lots of princess stencils and lights (this one needs batteries)
Thomas MegaSketcher ~ Similar to the basic version but on a Thomas the Tank Engine theme.
Winnie Baby MegaSketcher ~ A Winnie the Pooh version for younger children.
~~~MegaSketcher On-line~~~
There is also a version of MegaSketcher available for either downloading or on-line play on the Tomy website.
~~~What Ashleigh Thinks~~~
Ashleigh absolutely fell in love with a display version of this, and “had” to buy it. She's played with it almost constantly since, even forgetting about her beloved Barbies. So I would say she thinks this is a great toy.
~~~What her Mum thinks~~~
The MegaSketcher is a brilliant toy, it's durable, fun and has kept my little angel quiet for hours. It's also helping her practise her handwriting and drawing skills without wasting reams of paper. On the few occasions that he's been allowed to play with it, Michael has also enjoyed creating pictures, something that he is unable to do with a standard pencil on paper. And the best thing of all, it doesn't take batteries.
I would therefore recommend this toy to parents of children who enjoy drawing, or actually find it difficult to make marks on paper.
Advantages: No batteries needed Disadvantages: A bit big
...last week I spotted the Tomy Megasketcher in Tesco's for £10 which I thought was a very good price, I had been looking for something to keep my son occupied in the car and this seemed ideal. The megasketcher is made out of a strong sturdy plastic, it is blue and orange in colour and has a very handy carry handle at the top of the board. A megasketcher is a magnetic drawing board which is filled with iron filings, when your child uses the stamps or ... ...I liked was that once he was finished with the stamps he could just place them back into their slots so that he didn't lose them. Age 3+ No batteries needed You can purchase extra pens from Tomy for £3.50 Price - £10 in Tesco ...
lazytowner 12.10.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Tomy Megasketcher
Advantages: Saves paper, encourages creativity Disadvantages: see op
...they opened these.
The Tomy Megasketcher is what I can only describe as a large rectangle shape with a "screen" a pen and some shapes. Well in fact that is putting this toy down greatly. The concept behind this toy is that the child uses the pen and shapes on the screen to create pictures. The way that this is done is by magnets. Under the screen there are what I believe are iron filings or something similar and when the child uses the magnetic ... ...not a problem with the Tomy Megasketcher. Ours have been thrown down the stairs, chucked into toy boxes, dunked in the paddling pool, stabbed with the pens and much more and they still work as well as they day they were opened. The only problem we have ever really had is a few days ago when we had a few children round to play. Big mistake, but thats another op!! One of the little darlings decided that it would be a really good game to post a couple ...
carebare 23.10.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Tomy Megasketcher
Advantages: good toy encorages writing skills , saves paper Disadvantages: few
Tomy mega sketcher I have a large one of these in the classroom ,it is one of my autistic pupils favourite toys. The one I have in the classroom is an old model thwe new one is a different colour
it is a very robust toy , has to be in my classroom . as it regularily gets dropped or thrown around(a lot of my children have behavior problems
What is a mega sketcher ? Well it is a magnetic drawing board measuring about 45cm by 25cm. The board is filled ... ...is a large one but tomy also make notepad sized owned ideal for amusing children in the back of the car, perfect for taking on holiday. Tomy make this board in a Thomas tank engine shape to try and attract more buyers this sells for£ 17 –18, There is also a winnie the pooh one for £22.99 this one has a pull out drawer for storing the pen and shapes the standard one sells for about £14 the note book size costs about £5. WWW.mailorderexpress ...
mumsymary 18.10.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Tomy Megasketcher
Advantages: Tough and durable Disadvantages: Too big for 3 year olds
The Tomy Megasketcher isn't a 'new toy on the block'. It's been around for some time now, and doesn't look special when compared to the modern gadgetry available to kids these days.
However, you realise that the Megasketcher still has a place in kids hearts when you see them using it. I first had experience with the Megasketcher around 8 years ago when I bought one as a present for my cousin.
Basically, it is a drawing tablet for kids, measuring ... ...it by a piece of string. The pen has a metal nib which when making contact with the screen, attracts, through magnetism, little pieces of magnet to the surface. These show up and cling to the underside of the screen giving the impression of 'drawing'.
The benefit? Well, on the side is a slider, which when pulled, wipes the screen clear and you can start drawing all over again! My cousin still has the 8 year old Megasketcher and it still works perfectly. ...
abdulawwal 12.12.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Tomy Megasketcher
Advantages: Kept my daughter quiet from Brittany to Nottingham! Disadvantages: Its rather bulky. The little stampers are inclined to fall out.
We bought the Tomy Megasketcher whilst on holiday in Brittany. Our daughter is only 19 months old and we wondered if it was a bit too old for her, seeing as the recommended age is 3+.
The 'eraser' works on a ratchett, you pull it down and it clicks back up on its own, wiping the 'slate' as it goes. Its quite stiff to use, but once we'd establised that our daughter could use it herself we were happy to buy it.
Its quite possibly the best toy she ... ...things and even better get us to draw them. I think I'll pop, if I have to draw one more (s)pider, car, kite, balloon ...
It kept her quiet on the journey from Brittany back to Nottingham, I don't think she played with anything else. The double-ended attached pen is a great idea too as the string is long enough to allow you to draw in all areas of the board whilst ensuring that the pen never gets lost!
The four magnetic stampers that come with ...
Peanut05 25.08.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Tomy Megasketcher
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Advantages: Great way to amuse the kids Disadvantages: The repetative theme tune
Percy) and put the wheels on the track which runs along the bottom of the megasketcher, press the fat controller and the wheels start to move round, and then the Thomas theme tune starts. It's great for the first couple of goes, but starts to grait abit after the first hour!!!!!!
It's not just for drawing round the stencils either, the kids can draw free hand.
Also, in addition to the wheels, stencils and theme tune the mega sketcher comes with number and cloud stamps.
When the work of art is complete, simply clear the screen by pulling down/up Harold the Helicopter button and start all over again!
Price
£14.99 from Toys R Us
Batteries
3 x AA (sold separately)
My Opinion
Great gift for any little boy or girl that love Thomas!
Warning: please note the theme tune could get on your nerves ...
Advantages: no marks on the wall Disadvantages: none jet
HELLO AGAIN THOMAS THE TANK FRIENDS!!!!
About three years ago I and my husband bought for my son just a classic version of mega sketcher. We thought that will be something to in courage him to start draw a pictures. And in fact that was a good idea because he never been interesting making any pictures.
On the beginning he did not take any notice of if and it's been lying in the corner of his bedroom for weeks and then suddenly he pick it up. He starts to make funny shapes.
But as time pas and he becomes hue fan of Thomas the tank - he asks us to buy him a Thomas the tank mega sketcher and so we did.
And that was it. He was straight to it. He often comes to me and shows me his pictures of Thomas and his friends and asks me who is on the picture.
THOMAS MEGASKETCHER
This mega sketcher is molded to look like Thomas ...
Advantages: hours of fun for little ones Disadvantages: none
Thomas And Percy Motorised Megasketcher
My little boy loves Thomas the Tank Engine; he has just turned five and still draws on the walls and settee. So all pens, pencils, crayons and paints are banned from the house in case my little budding interior designer gets a hold of one of them and draws all over the house again. Most children go usually stop drawing on the walls and settees when they reach the ago of two or three, but Josh still continues to do it despite the numerous amounts of other drawing related toys he has.
I caught him about to draw on the wall three weeks ago and asked him why he was always doing it and his reply was "Mummy you're supposed to draw on paper, there's loads of paper on the wall that's not been drawn on yet!" Kids say the funniest things at times. I tried my hardest to keep my laugh in ...
