Buddha Board - Modern day Etch A Sketch


This post is about a new product I came across very recently. Enso's Buddha Board is completely new to me thing but it immediately reminded me of my younger days. I was born and brought up in a small town in rural Kerala ( southern part of India) where we learn alphabets by writing in the sand. Yes, in the sand - on our front courtyard - a small area - a foot long or something - was built with bricks for border and we would sit and trace alphabets with our fingers - repeat it until we learn - I think the idea was to build the flesh memory that will be etched in our brain for ever . The world had moved forward so much by that time with notebooks and black boards but my parents were insistent that we learn and live the traditions and never forget our roots.

Then came the magic world of Etch A Sketch boards - I think I saw it first when one of my classmates brought it to school - apparently some one from abroad gifted it to her and we were amazed by it. These are things I have not thought about for a very long time but these snippets of my life were the first things I thought of when I received my Buddha Board. How the world has moved forward and how the time has changed us.



Anyways, Buddha Board is inspired by the Zen idea of living in the moment. You simply paint on the surface with water and your creation will come to life in bold design. Then as the water slowly evaporates, your art will magically disappear leaving you with a clean slate and a clear mind, ready to create a whole new masterpiece. Buddha Board is environmentally friendly as it only uses water - no ink, no paint, no chemicals - and it will last for years. Great idea, right!

Remember the magic the first time you used Etch A Sketch?  - I mean an ink that is erased just by a stroke of hand! Imagine my thrill when I realized this thing could erase ink by doing nothing. It was me who tried it out first, but it was my little daughter who found it amazing- as amazed as me with Etch A Sketch. The board as such comes with a pen brush which you can fill with water. You can dip the tip in water and use too - I believe any soft clean brush will work, but I haven't tried that.





She played around it but then I remembered I could teach her how to draw with it. She was especially thrilled by the angel we drew. I would draw first and when the ink slowly starts to disappear she would keep repeating - a fun game we found together.


The important part was how it kept her engaged to create one angel complete and perfect - like a race against disappearing ink.I found the focus and perseverance we need to finish our design- that is what it makes this fun tool special - that gives it the zen effect.

A simple way to engage the kids and ourselves and have some fun along the way , right! How do you guys relax ? Coffee and candy or Wine and a movie or making art or weaving ?

I partnered with Buddha Board makers to bring this post to you.While the team kindly sent me the product to try out, the concept, effort and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help me bring my ideas to life.

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