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23 of 24 found the following review helpful:
 A Classic Toy !Jul 02, 1999
I was so happy to find that the Etch a Sketch is still available. I thought it was a toy of the past. I bought one for my coffee table at home and everyone that comes over plays with it and reminisces. It's a great toy for all ages - especially for creatives.
16 of 18 found the following review helpful:
 Not How I RememberedMar 02, 2010
By Jill Haynes
Don't get me wrong, Etch A Sketch is an awesome toy. As long as the buyer receives a product that works properly. I'm not sure if the quality of the product (we received) has changed since I was a kid (the answer - probably yes), but immediately after opening the toy for my 5 year old (he was celebrating his bday), the thing just didn't perform well. We soon realized that the lines didn't erase from the screen. After shaking the toy like madpeople, we just couldn't get the images to really disappear. Now, with my toy in the 80s, the images could be easily erased with minor, controlled shaking.
Which is a shame, since both my kids were looking forward to a really cool toy. A toy that I talked and hyped up quite a bit, reflecting on my own youth where I'd spend hours creating cool images and designs on my Etch A Sketch. I don't think we've quite given up on this toy - we may look for another vendor or store to purchase from in the future.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
A classic that anybody can enjoyOct 05, 2000
By jasenao
Etch A Sketch is something I grew up playing around with. After all these years, it's still the same as it was back then. It's just as classic with the horizontal and vertical drawing knobs. The bad thing was that I couldn't ever really draw anything with it except for a flight of stairs and a straight line. I gave my Etch A Sketch to my little brother and sister and they like it probably more than I did. Sure, it's a toy, but anybody no matter how old they are can have fun with it.I recommend anybody to get it, kids will like it even more than the adults will. It's something that they can have a lot of fun playing with and maybe even learn some creativity from it.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
My Kids Love Etch a SketchJan 02, 2000
I bought the Etch a Sketch for my 11 year old. It seems I should have bought 3 more because my other children love it. They seem to be getting better at making rounded lines with the practice they are getting. They love it!
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Stairs or Masterpiece, You Be The CreatorSep 02, 2006
By Susie Morris
"Book Junkie"
Etch A Sketch is one of those toys that has stood the test of time. It's right up there with the hula hoop. I remember being very young and getting one of these for Christmas. It was so much fun... and when I learned to make steps, I thought that was something special. Looking at what has been accomplished today, those steps I made don't even compare.
Etch A Sketch was first invented right before I was born. Yep, July 12, 1960 is it's birth date and was originally created by Arthur Granjean, originally called The Magic Screen. Ohio Art, the manufacturers of this toy, saw it at a toy show and at first decided they weren't interested. When they saw it for the second time, they decided to take a chance marketing it. I'm sure glad they did, as I've had many hours of fun playing with this as a child and as an adult.
Etch A Sketch has not changed much since it was first introduced. It is still a bright red flat box that is 9 ½ inches wide. In the middle of the red frame is a gray surface where the pictures are drawn. There are two knobs on the bottom, one on the left side and one on the right side. These knobs are turned to move the horizontal and vertical rods inside the gray area to create your picture - you don't see the rods, it just looks as if your picture is magically appearing. If you make a mistake, simply turn over the Etch A Sketch and shake - your mistake has disappeared leaving you with a clean screen once again. It's a very simple premise and creating shapes is a breeze. However, creating a masterpiece is something that boggles my mind.
Actually the secret to the Etch A Sketch is that inside that gray area there is a mix of aluminum powder and plastic beads. When the stylus moves across the screen, it scrapes away the powder and beads leaving your line. Ok, that's the secret, but do we really need to tell people it's not magic?
When I was living in Arizona, I went to a client's home to consult on a remodeling project for his office. As I walked in, I noticed about ten Etch A Sketches hung on the wall. Upon closer inspection, I was amazed. He had drawn some of the most incredible pictures I had ever seen. One was a portrait of his girlfriend, another was a landscape, animals, and anything else you could imagine. How in the world could someone create these with an Etch A Sketch? He told me the trick was to have lots of patience and not bump the Etch A Sketch or you'd lose the picture. After he was done with his creations, he drilled a small hole in the back and emptied out the powder and beads to preserve the drawing.
My experience is one of just fun. Both of my daughters enjoyed their Etch A Sketches but we just made stairs and a few odd looking objects. It's a great toy to take on a road trip to keep everyone entertained. But when they want to argue, it's a guarantee that one will shake the other's Etch A Sketch and erase whatever was drawn.
Etch a Sketch also helps with hand coordination and motor skills. Turning the knobs the correct direction can help young children immensely. It can also be a tool used for rehabilitation to regain motor skills and coordination.
Etch a Sketch is inexpensive and can be enjoyed by just about everyone - the manufacturer recommends this for children ages 3 and up. If you have a budding artist, let him/her create a master piece. If you have a budding engineer, let him/her try to figure out how this thing works. Or if you have someone who just wants to enjoy playing with a great toy, this is perfect.
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based on 34 reviews
