The Best Water Doodle Mat

Buying Guide

A water doodle mat can keep your kid entertained and allow them to be creative without making a mess. This type of toy has a special canvas that your child can draw on with a simple pen filled with water.  The drawing will show up as colorful ink that typically fades away in 10 minutes or less, so the mat will be ready for reuse shortly after your child makes their creation.

When shopping for water doodle mats, you’ll want to purchase the right size for your family’s needs. If you plan to bring the mat on a car or plane trip, you might opt for the travel-sized version. You can find a medium-sized mat that works well for one child, or you can purchase jumbo mats with enough space for multiple kids to work simultaneously.

Water doodle mats often come with a decorative border that can either teach your child basic concepts or provide inspiration for their drawings. If you want your child to work on the alphabet or numbers, you can choose a mat displaying these topics and provide a fun way to learn. Other mats may have a theme like ocean animals, outer space or basic shapes.

At a minimum, you can expect to get at least one water pen with your water doodle mat. Some sets will come with items such as stencils, drawing booklets, sponges or pens that draw certain shapes. You can also find unique options with lighted pens used to make glow-in-the-dark drawings.

Larger water doodle mats usually include suction cups you can use to secure the mat to a hard surface like a wall or floor and make it easier for children to work on it.

• If you want to buy a large water doodle mat but worry about it taking up space, know that most manufacturers make mats that you can easily fold up.
• To avoid damaging the water doodle mat’s special canvas, avoid using harsh cleaning chemicals if your child spills something on it. You should check the directions for your specific mat, but you’ll probably want to try to use a soft cloth that’s slightly damp. Some manufacturers might allow a mild dish soap.
• Rather than trying to use a blow dryer or clothes dryer for a wet mat, always leave it to air dry to avoid damage.
• When filling the water doodle pen, make sure that you don’t fill it above the point recommended by your manufacturer. Otherwise, the pen can leak while your child tries to draw.
• Make sure that your child only uses the included drawing tools with their mat since items like crayons and markers will be very hard or impossible to clean off the mat.
• Since water doodle pens come apart, avoid giving this kind of toy to children who like to put things in their mouths since this can create a hazard.