Review on 📘 Blues Clues Handy Notebook - Unlocking Fun and Learning by Clarence Calcara

My daughter loves Blue's Clues and You. I bought this toy and another Handy Dandy notebook from Leapfrog. I assumed this device would be a cheaper toy and my daughter would spend more time with the Leapfrog device. I was wrong. One of the most important aspects of the show is drawing in a notebook. This toy has a pen and screen that uses Etch A-type magnetic filament to draw. There is a lever that can be moved up or down to erase the image. While the quality of the screen doesn't let you draw small enough to really create something to be proud of, it should be enough for most kids. We had a problem with my daughter who wanted to paint with crayons and spilled the crayons all over the table. This ART satisfies that desire she has. Well sometimes. She still wants pencils. But that's enough to be able to draw. The device has two sides. On the phone side, there's a static image of a simulated cell phone screen with Blue, Slippery, Magenta, and other friends, and in a small FaceTime window, Josh. The buttons are below. Pressing anywhere on the screen will make noises and play Josh's voice recordings, which were probably recorded just for the toy. Nothing special and the sounds seem random. And if you use the other side, you will accidentally play it. But honestly, that's not what you come to this toy for. It probably won't hold your child's attention for more than a day or so. It's the drawing that makes this useful. The build quality is pretty solid, but for the price it feels good. The slider that you use to delete the picture isn't very smooth and my daughter had trouble moving it up and down. The pen slides into the top spiral of the notebook as in the show. It's also attached to a blue lanyard like a cord so it doesn't get lost. It's long enough to draw on screen, but maybe a little short (and I totally understand why legally they should probably play it safe). Again, the screen is nothing special. But giving your child an easy way to draw on the screen while saving paper (and walls) while watching Blue's Clues and You makes a really great companion toy. I wish the company was a little more creative or ambitious when it came to bringing a better screen to the notepad? Maybe a cheap phone screen. Maybe the children can save their drawings? Maybe a mode where Josh's voice could teach kids to draw? Maybe follow his punches as he executes them? I know parents would be willing to pay more for a well-designed toy that could stimulate creativity and maybe really teach kids something besides the show. The wish list above is just an idea of what parents would like to see. But I don't want to downplay how good this machine is. This is an inexpensive toy that actually has a show-related function. If your child likes Blue's Clues and You, this is an easy recommendation. The only downside is that some kids find the poor screen quality frustrating as they can't create anything better. But it was worth it for me and my daughter loves to play with it.