When the Glow Crazy Doodle Dome arrived in the mail, my kids were beyond excited! Not only were we getting mail they would get to open, but it was a toy they could play with. Bonus that it was an As Seen on TV product. My kids are obsessed with anything As Seen on TV.
When I was initially contacted, I did do some research on the product. This involved looking at some of the reviews out there to see what people were saying. The first thing that jumped out at me, it appears this product has gone through some upgrades!
First, the box is different. Second, the tent is larger. This is probably the biggest change I noticed when we opened it. I will highlight other thoughts as we go. Just be sure if you consider purchasing the Glow Crazy Doodle Dome and look at any other reviews out there that you do so with this in mind! Make sure you know what you are looking at.
Inside the Box
We opened the box and removed all of the contents.
- Instruction Manual
- Tent – Collapsed inside a zipper carrying case.
- 1 Light Wand – 2 AAA batteries not included.
- 4 Colorful Stencils
- 5 Collapsed Stabilizer Poles
Putting It Together
I did have some initial confusion with the instruction manual (go figure, right). What I quickly realized was the instruction manual has 3 different products inside. The first product was almost identical to the product we reviewed. The difference being it included glow clings and glue squares (and no tent). So at first glance, I was confused and thought we were missing pieces. Once I got it figured out, we were up and running!
The stabilizer poles were easy to straighten out and insert into little pole pockets. This creates great tension to keep the tent upright! There is very little sagging so it is easy to write on.
The Lightwand was also very intuitive. The kids had already grabbed it and started practicing as I was getting everything ready.
The stencils seem to be strong. They are made of a thicker (almost plastic coated) card stock. After some rough play there is a little bit of bending. We also had one small tear. However, they seem to still work fine and I could patch it up with some tape. This is likely to be expected with young kids.
We read the helpful hints that were included with the instructions. This explained how best to begin doodling in the dark. How to get the longest lasting glow. Then also how the images fade. Before I could even get these tips out the kids were clamoring to get inside and try it out!
Testing the Doodle Dome
I was also surprised at how dark the tent was. It has great fabric thickness that allowed the product to be used during the day without issue. It also seems to withstand rough play without worry of tearing. I will also mention it is larger than I expected it to be! My 2 kids (ages 7 & 4) fit comfortably inside with plenty of room to play and goof around.
I stuck my head inside to watch them doodle. There was not much practice needed. My only issue was them fighting over who got to hold the Lightwand.
Only 3 of the 6 surfaces glow. Basically the biggest sides and the top glow. There is tons of space to doodle on! The front, back, and bottom are a lighter material without the glow fabric. This let each of my kids sit with a back to a “non glow” wall and see all sides that did glow.
My kids LOVE a tent! They also love to (as they call it) “party in the dark”. When they are inside the tent, all I hear is, “Hey, look what I just drew!” Lots of laughter pours out into the room. The tent has even been known to shake all around as they go crazy inside.
My 7-year old enjoyed it. However, it was a huge hit with my 4-year old! She loves to draw and write so this was right up her alley. I would definitely recommend it for children that are more artistic or writers.
The Extras
One thing that impressed me, as a Mom. Inside the instruction manual were more ideas on ways they could use the wand. I love this because it helps build creativity and expand the product’s use. Included are ideas like creating and cutting out your own stencils (very easy – even my 4 year old could do it). Scavenger hunts (how cool?!) and even learning about refraction.
Putting It Away
The stabilizer poles were easy to bend and remove from the pole pockets. They have a string through them like tent poles so pull apart and collapse down. Simple!
The tent then twists and folds up into a little circle to go back into zipper carrying case. I love this because it keeps the tent from reopening on it’s own or taking up space.
Overall
This is a great product! The improvements they made from the initial design seems to make a huge impact. I have not seen this item in stores.
Where to Purchase
You can purchase this exact item on Amazon at this link: Glowcrazy Doodle Dome