Keira has a particular obsession with colouring. She can spend hours happily drawing cats and scribbling in colouring pages. It’s one activity I will never say no to. What other activity allows children to get as creative and to express themselves as much as colouring?
Of course, these days, kids have more and more access to technology like smartphones, tablets and laptops and Keira is absolutely no exception to that. She absolutely loves to play with puzzles and other apps on my phone. She has gotten so good with puzzles that she is now at the point where nothing less than a 60+ piece puzzle will do.
Crayola has recently launched a really cool virtual colouring experience called Colour Alive that melds traditional colouring with technology. It allows children to not only bring their creations to life but enables them to interact with them using a smartphone or tablet.
There are 4 colour alive books available in total including Mythical Creatures, Skylanders, Enchanted Forest and Barbie. Each includes six regular Crayola Markers, one Special Effects Marker, 16 Action Colouring Pages, and a free app download.
The magic starts with a regular old colouring page where your child can colour and let their imaginations go wild but the fun doesn’t end there!
Using a smartphone or tablet compatible with the colour alive app, you can then bring the coloured in characters to life in a 4D experience that will really amaze your whole family. The characters move around on the screen complete with sound and each feature their own unique animation that is activated by tapping on the character on the screen.
Kids can also save their creations after bringing it to life so they can go back into the app later and bring the character back to life without needing the colouring page. You can then take photos with their character for even more fun!
Anthony was truly amazed when I showed him my colouring page brought to life. The first thing out of his mouth was “How did they do that!”.
Keira was part astounded and part curious with the fairy flying around the tablets screen and once I showed her how it worked she couldn’t wait to get started with her own colouring.
Ava though had the best reaction when I brought the fairy to life in the kitchen. She started off with big round eyes and a bit of giggling then she started trying to look around to the other side of the tablet to see where the fairy was! Honestly, it was just the most adorable reaction.
I already mentioned that the books included a special effects marker. The first time you go to use the special effect option in the app you need to unlock the exclusive marker to see the virtual colouring effect. In the case of the enchanted forest book the exclusive colour is pixie dust yellow which created a sparkling effect on the page when you scan it!
When children are done colouring pages in the book they can continue the fun by printing additional colouring pages right from the app.
Another cool product from Crayola is the Virtual Design & Drive and the Virtual Fashion Show kits intended for kids 6+.
Each kit includes a handy portfolio, 12 mini colouring pencils and a 20 page sketch book. More pages are available to print through the app so you will never run out!
Colour in the page with your designs, be as creative as you like! You can bring your designs to life right off the sketch book pages into the app on your device.
The Colour Alive app (and My Virtual Show apps) are compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows devices. It is available on the App Store, Google play, and the Windows Store. For specific device compatibility, visit Crayola.com/AppCheck.
Get Colour Alive on the map across Canada by sharing your creations where you live using hashtag #ColourAlive!
Win it:
One Canadian Frugal Mom Eh reader will win a Colour Alive Prize Pack valued at over $65! Giveaway ends on March 29th at 11:59 pm EST. See Giveaway tools form for entry and T&C.
Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.
Elizabeth Lampman is a coffee-fuelled Mom of 2 girls and lives in Hamilton, Ontario. She enjoys travelling, developing easy recipes, crafting, taking on diy projects, travelling and saving money!
Stacy Scott
Sunday 29th of March 2015
he Enchanted forest Looks Awesome =)
Brenda Lacourciere
Friday 27th of March 2015
Our little guy would love Skylanders
Jennifer P.
Wednesday 25th of March 2015
I think my daughter would enjoy the Enchanted Forest book the best.
Ava Mifflin (@AvaMif)
Wednesday 25th of March 2015
my son would like the Colour Alive, Mythical Creatures
Josie
Tuesday 24th of March 2015
Enchanted forest