The Fisher-Price Magna Doodle CD-ROM gives young children the opportunity to scribble to their heart's content and then watch their drawings come alive in front of them on their computer screens--without mess. Simply select an adventure (which could be anything from an outer space voyage to carnival fun or a jolly balloon flight) and, depending on the adventure chosen, you are presented with a particular drawing design (for example, a rocket) which you can then colour in with a virtual pencil. The instructions are simple and easy to follow, as you are shown everything by a friendly talking doodle character. And once you have finished, you can click on a button to immediately watch the drawing in action. For example, a hot air balloon, however you have drawn it, will immediately drift above some mountains and plays sound effects at the same time. You can also adjust the speeds at which your drawings moves by clicking on a tortoise for very slow or a hare for quick action.
This is a fun and creative program for young children (3 years and above), although they will require some assistance to get going and will probably need to be shown how to save their doodles but generally it's easy to use. Mistakes can be quickly erased, it involves no paper and probably the best part for young children will be watching their finished drawings doing things such as taking off into space or diving deep into the sea. --Justin Hunt
