In a world where digital devices often overshadow traditional play, the Hey Doodle Reusable Silicone Colouring Mat stands out as a refreshing and innovative product. Designed for children, the HeyDoodle Mats offer numerous educational and developmental benefits, making it a worthwhile investment for parents and grandparents alike.
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We were sent the ‘Into The Wild’ set to test out but there are lots of other themes you can purchase that we’ll list at the bottom of this post.
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What comes with the HeyDoodle Reusable Silicone Colouring Mat
The Into The Wild Mat set is one of HeyDoodles A3 range of silicone mats come with…
- A waterproof resealable handy carry pouch
- An A3 silicone reuseable colouring mat covered in fun illustrations on one side and a blank canvas on the other.
- 9 vibrant colourful non-toxic markers
All additional packaging in made of paper/cardboard and is 100% recyclable.
How To Use The HeyDoodle A3 Mat
The beauty of the HeyDoodle colouring mats is how easy they are to use, reuse and store. Kids literally just need to pull the mat out of the bag, and use the heydoodle markers to draw and colour in the figures. When they’ve finished they can either leave their colourful artwork on the mat or using a damp cloth, or wet wipe, wipe it off.
They can even flip the silicone mats over and use the plain back of the mat to free-style their creativity. And the mat can then be folded up and put back in the pouch along with all the colourful markers ready for next time.
The mat (and all HeyDooodle mats) is also a great conversation starter to talk about colour, other animals that begin with the alphabet letter in question and of course to discuss the animal they are colouring; where it comes from in the word, it’s habitat, what it eats etc. And whilst colouring kids are learning the alphabet as each animal present represents a letter in the alphabet
Why HeyDoodle Reuseable Silicone Colouring Mats Are A Must-Have For Parents
For a child the reusable colouring mats provide endless hours of creative fun. But for a parent they are (in my opinion) a valuable and practical tool.
Educational Benefits of HeyDoodle Reuseable Mats
- Enhances Fine Motor Skills – Colouring within the lines on the mat improves hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, essential for early childhood development.
- Boosts Creativity and Imagination – The mat’s open-ended design encourages kids to use their imagination, promoting creativity and artistic expression.
- Educational Themes – Most Hey Doodle mats feature educational themes, such as alphabets, numbers, and animals, aiding in cognitive learning and vocabulary development whilst they have fun colouring.
- Reusable Nature Promotes Learning Through Repetition – The ability to wipe clean and recolour the mat allows children to practice repeatedly, reinforcing their learning.
Practical and Economical Benefits Of HeyDoodle Reuseable Mats
- Durability and Reusability – Made of silicone, these mats are durable and can be used repeatedly, offering long-term value.
- Easy to Clean – The silicone material is easy to wipe clean, making it hassle-free for busy parents and grandparents.
- Easy To Clean – The reusable silicone mats are super easy to clean
- Easy to Store – The mats take up very little room as they fold up easily and fit back in their original container or in a draw
- Portable and Versatile – Lightweight and rollable, the mats are ideal for keeping children engaged during travel, restaurant visits, or while waiting at appointments.
- Eco-Friendly – By reducing the need for paper, these mats are an environmentally friendly option, aligning with eco-conscious parenting values.
What Did We Think Of The HeyDoodle Reuseable Silicone Colouring Mat?
The Hey Doodle Reusable Silicone Colouring Mat is more than just a toy; it’s an educational tool that bridges the gap between learning and play. Its benefits for children’s development, coupled with its practicality and economic value for parents and grandparents, make it a standout choice in the realm of educational toys.
The mats are a joy to use and handle. They’re made of premium grade silicone and have a nice balance of weight a thickness which makes them very tactile and pleasant to handle. The illustrations are fun and cute and I liked that there were traceable alphabet letter graphics/ numbers as well as the written name of each animal. They take up very little space to store (especially if kept in the storage bag) and the colourful markers come in fun vibrant colours and work well. I particularly liked that the tip was pointed enough to handle detail but large enough to not take a beating by heavy-handed kids.
Whether at home or on the move, these mats offer endless opportunities for creative and educational engagement and most importantly make fantastic, fun creative gifts for children
For more recommended Creative Toys for Kids of all ages read our latest gift guide.
Additional HeyDoodle Mats Available
There are three main types of reusable colour-in silicone placemats available, that come in a range of themes to cater for different interests and educational preferences.
1. Mats – These are large mats (A3), have 9 markers, and come with a travel pouch (you can buy these on Amazon)
- Sugar & Spice – Fairies, princesses, mermaids and unicorns, with traceable numbers 1-10
- DinoRoar – cute roar-some dinosaurs, with traceable numbers 1-10
- Aussie animals – native Australian animals, with traceable numbers 1-10
- Into The Wild – Alphabet animals, with traceable full alphabet letters
- Toot Toot Honk – Vehicles galore, with traceable full alphabet letters
- Maps Of The World – a double-sided mat with the world map on one side and flags on the other
2. Mini Mats – These are small mini size mats (A4), have 3 markers, and come in cardboard tubes
The mini mats don’t have a full alphabet set or the full set of numbers from 1-10. If the alphabet is present it is the first letter of the object used. So in Toot Toot Honk, there will be an H next to the helicopter. If numbers are present, each number will represent the quantity of that item on the mat. So in Sugar and Spice a 3 next to a fairy, means there are three fairies to find.
- Sugar & Spice – Fairies, princesses, mermaids and unicorns, with some traceable numbers
- DinoRoar – cute roar-some dinosaurs, with some traceable numbers
- Aussie animals – native Australian animals, with some traceable numbers
- Into The Wild – Alphabet animals, with some traceable alphabet letters that relate to the animal
- Toot Toot Honk – Vehicles galore, with some traceable alphabet letters that relate to the vehicle
3. Tales – These are 8 page vertically foldable books, have 12 pens and come in a keepsake box
- Natural Wonders – a journey over 7 days of the week exploring 7 natural wonders of the world
- Old MacDonald Had A Farm – each page has some nursery rhyme text and accompanying picture
- Habitats Above & Below – animals above the ground, on the ground and in the ground