Fun On The Run With Crayola’s Lap Desk!
Written: Jul 30 '04 (Updated Nov 09 '04)
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Pros: Sturdy, easy to clean, removable washable pillow, comes with Crayola supplies.
Cons: Hard to find the basic model these days.
The Bottom Line: Treat your little artist to an awesome lap desk … Crayola once again delivers a quality product!
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| Freak369's Full Review: Crayola Lap Desk |
To me, the Crayola name has always stood for high quality art supplies. Over the years we’ve amassed a ton of Crayola related products and a majority of them have stood the test of time. When I came across the Crayola Lap Desk I knew that eventually someone would make use of it; knowing that my boys would never go near it, I tucked it in the closet for when my nieces and nephews would come to visit knowing that they would more than likely flip over it. This must have sat in the closet for a good two years before Annabelle spotted it and started jumping up and down – she’s got a hard core addiction to anything Crayola related and she sure showed it when she saw this! Even though this is recommended for kids ages four and older, this is something that is so simple, safe and easy to use that kids younger than that can have a lot of fun with it as long as some parental supervision is used. Annabelle has been toting this around with her for the past month or so and has used it almost every single day. It’s seen some real messes and has always cleaned up nicely – not even Kool-Aid could stain the surface .. so that should tell you how awesome this it.
Crayola Lap Desk
Measuring a hearty 19 x 11 x 6, this is the perfect thing to keep kids busy when on the road. It’s big enough that they can use standard sized paper but not so big that it takes up a lot of space when it comes time to get mobile. The beauty of this lap desk is that there is a pillow under it so it can conform to any surface or be on a child’s legs. The pillow can be removed to be washed or if they want to use it on a flat surface and the lip around the edge of it means no more having to dive for markers before they hit the floor or carpeting. This is a great perk for when you are on the road too, no more having to make pit stops to gather up crayons or having them smashed to bits when kids get in and out of the vehicle. Do I even have to say that this is a great way to entertain kids when you are going out to dinner? Keeps them busy, all their supplies in one spot and virtually no clean up of ratty placemats and crayon bits. And the mesh pouch is great to have – holds all the crayons or markers neatly in place but can be removed if you are letting a younger child play with it. The downside of that the mesh does tend to catch on things like zippers, clothing and anything sharp – so if your little one is toting this around a confined or restrictive place, its better off to remove it.
The Crayola Lap Desk comes with an eight pack of basic crayons and four of the washable markers, this helps to soften the blow of the suggested retail price of $13.99 but the real perk here is the small mesh zipper pouch [also detachable] that can be used to store these types of items. The crayons and markers that come with this lap desk are non-toxic and easily cleaned up of your little artist gets a little out of control. I clean off the top of it with a general spray on cleaner to remove the crayon grit and marker and the pillow removes easily to be machine washed. I haven’t seen these in stores since I came across them at Office Depot a few years back so I am not sure if they are discontinued but when I called Crayola about this they said that there were stores that still carried it and suggested trying Toys ‘R Us to start with.
Things To Know
This shouldn’t be confused with the Crayola Traveling Turtle Lap Desk that features an adorable soft sided turtle that makes writing, drawing or doodling. This is the newer version of the basic Crayola Lap Desk and it allows kids to have a comfortable writing surface to work with a very cute detachable turtle to play with. If this sounds interesting you can check it out at the Crayola website or pick it up at your local office supply store for about $14.99. On the same token, this shouldn’t be confused with the Crayola Lap Desk Organizer that features a slide open top, padded bottom and has a little more mature look to it. This is sort of like the super de dooper version of the basic Lap Desk and something that I’m going to get Annabelle when she outgrows this one.
The Bottom Line
So far Annabelle has been loving this lap desk, toting it everywhere with her and slapping it up on the table when we get to our destination. It’s just the right size for her and its easy to carry. I like the fact that I can take it all apart and give it a good cleaning and that it snaps back together easily. This makes for a great gift for a child that loves to color or draw and helps keep them occupied when you need a few minutes to get things done around the house or when you are on the road. The thinness of it makes it easy to store between seats or under a seat if you have a larger vehicle or SUV and it truly does live up to the Crayola level of standards.
As always, thanks for the read!
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2004 Freak369
Other Crayola product reviews …
• Big MiniStampers • Doodle Pad • Watercolor Pencils • Art & Craft Brushes – 8 Count • Create-A-Kid • Collecting Keepsakes • Halloween Treat Pack • Halloween Boo Bucket • Washable Water Colors – 8 Color • Pencil Pouch • Crayola Crayons – 24 Count • Metallic Crayons • Superfine Markers – 5 Count • Gel FX Washable Markers • Tub of Fun • Crayola Sketch Pad • Point Tip Scissors • Sidewalk Chalk – Chicks & Eggs • Art & Craft Brushes – 4 Count • Twistables – 16 Count • Stack-N-Store Art Tower • Washable Water Colors – 24 Color • Sidewalk Chalk – Animal Assortment • Crayola Lap Desk • Click ‘Em On Washable Markers • Washable Markers – 16 Count • Alphabet & Number Pad • Blunt Tip Scissors • Spinning Desk Top Organizer • Crayola Online Store •
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $8.00
Type of Toy: Arts and Crafts
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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