Magentic Drawing Board

If this looks awfully familiar but you cannot quite place it, let me refresh your memory. If you were a child of the 1980s or 1990s, you probably had a Magna Doodle, which looked and worked a whole lot like the Toulouse-LapTrec Magnetic Drawing Board from B. toys.

The basic formula remains unchanged. Kids draw on the magnetic screen using an attached stylus, add figures with four animal stamps, and pull the sliding eraser down the side when they want to start over. It requires no paper, ink, batteries, charging, or cleanup.

B. toys added a few thoughtful improvements to the familiar design. A built-in handle makes the board easy for kids to carry, while the cushioned backing allows it to rest comfortably on their laps. Those additions make it particularly well suited to car rides, where a flat plastic board tends to slide around or sit awkwardly against a child’s legs.

Ours lives in the car, and I have been surprised by how frequently our kids reach for it. Plenty of toys initially hold their attention and then lose their luster This one has remained in regular use for several years, from roughly ages three through seven. For families looking for road-trip entertainment that does not involve another screen, that staying power is a strong endorsement.

The attached stylus stays in its holding place on the board remarkably well. The four animal stamps, which include a bunny, dog, cat, and duck, are less secure. They press into designated spaces along the board, but they do not always remain there. I have found one or more scattered across the floor of our truck on plenty of occasions. Somehow, after several years, we still have all four.

The magnetic display is also less vivid than drawing with markers or using a tablet. The lines can appear relatively light, especially in dim conditions, but our kids have never seemed bothered by that limitation.

The manufacturer recommends the board for children 18 months and older. Parents buying a used version should check the model number because older Toulouse-LapTrec boards sold in 2010 and 2011 were recalled. The current BX1294 model is different from those recalled versions.