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Crayola has come a long way since the 64-piece box with the built-in sharpener. Since 2011, the company has been working with Griffin Technology to challenge kids to do something creative with the iPad – you know, besides just playing games and streaming movies. The two will soon bring even more colors of the rainbow to iOS devices, via a trio of new products.
First up is the Crayola Light Marker, an add-on that incorporates a little air guitar into those art projects. Just draw into the air and the glowing, marker-shaped pen will relay that creation to the iPad via the device's front-facing camera and a compatible app. The Light Marker set should keep the creative mind churning for hours, with activity options such as Dot to Dot, Paint Splatter, Coloring Pages, Puzzles, Hide ‘N Seek, and Free Draw. Available sometime this spring, Griffin will offer the Light Marker app as a freebie, but the Crayola Light Marker set will cost you $29.99.
Around the same time, the company will release the Crayola Color & Play Workstation. The tabletop set is like a digital tackle box, designed to house all of Crayola's high-tech toys. It has slots for crayons and markers, as well as storage areas for Griffin's DigiTools and ColorStudio HD. It even has a slot to securely snap in the iPad. Compatible with all of Crayola's apps, the Color & Play Workstation will be available in the spring for $19.99.
If you can't wait to put a little tech into that coloring experience, the Crayola Digital Activity Center is also new, but selling now. Designed for digital play at home and on the go, this option has a cushioned back, so it can sit comfortably for hours on a child-sized lap. It has a built-in screen cover for shielding the iPad, but also works without the device as a functional lap desk with a dry-erase board. Other features include a storage pocket for crayons, markers, ColorStudioHD, and DigiTools, as well as compatibility with all sorts of Crayola apps, including Silly Face Swaps; Lights, Camera, Color!; Paint & Create; and ColorStudio HD. This one is selling now for $39.99.
