Doodlemals

Decorate Stuffed Animals

• What: Doodlemals Write On Pet with Markers
• When: 2 years and up
• Why: Cute, cuddly, washable
• Where: Amazon

I’ve eyed these stuffed animals for quite some time, because, really, what parent needs another stuffed inhabitant in their house? Even my eldest child, who refused to go anywhere near any stuffed animal for at least the first two years of his life, now has so many just in his bed that I often can’t spot him.

These animals come in three varieties – Sketchy the elephant, Scribbles the lion, and HippoDoodle the hippo, – and I have three kids, It seemed meant to be, and I suspected they would love them. I finally bit the bullet for a gift giving occasional several weeks ago and, boy, was I right. At ages three, five, and seven, with varying levels of interest in artistic endeavors, they all love them. (Some more than others, definitely, but still. I can’t think of many things that appeal to all three of them.)

And what’s not to love? Doodlemals come with three markers and you color on them. Don’t like what you made or want a different design? Toss the animal in the wash and it comes out looking brand new for a clean slate. What’s more, I tossed them in the washer for the first time and (like most my laundry) immediately forgot about them. My kids clamored for them the following morning, at which pointed I remembered that I forgot to put them in the dryer. Lo and behold, when I went to trasnfer them, they had dried overnight sitting in the washer. I love these things!

Each animal comes with three different Crayola Ultra Clean markers in different colors. Even better, the animal has a pocket on top for storing animals, making this pet super portable and great for entertainment on the go. If you get all three animals, you get nine different colors to use (assuming siblings share, which we all know is highly unlikely). But you can also use any Crayola Ultra Clean markers on them, which means you can buy an animal and a set of markers and make a fabulous gift for a wide range of ages.