WHAT

This is a $30 or so fat stylus designed for children that when paired with the free ColourStudio HD iPad app allows kids to digitally paint and draw without their other wandering fingers also making marks and lines.

HOW

The iMarker has a battery that vibrates the marker very slightly. The app recognizes this slight vibration and knows not to accept other screen touches by a child's fingers.

The app also keeps drawing strokes within a shape so you can't go outside the lines. This works for the marker or for finger use. Additionally, it's a moving Colouring book in that parts of the drawings and join-the-dot activities slowly move whilst you are colouring.

 

Even though my Miss 4 and I only tested the iMarker today, we have had and enjoyed the free app for some time. It has a wide range of activities that have stood the test of time. The iMarker however lasted 3 mins. Why? The marker requires that you push down quite hard on the screen, and miss 4 (a 3 year iOS veteran) grew impatient with this very quickly. She also has no problem keeping just one finger on the screen so doesn't have the problem of causing unwanted lines etc - the very problem the marker was created to solve (well that and the finding a a new revenue stream for Crayola as real-life marker sales conceivable dry up in the future).

App = 5/5 for range of activities, novel moving pictures, and free price.

Accessory = 2/5 for difficulty with the force required to activate the pen and the fact that the battery will need replacing.