I have a new iPad pro that my 3 year old uses mainly for reading eggs and maths seeds plus she will probably do some colouring on it 

 

Is the apple pencil worth the money or can anyone advise on alternative 

 

I'll probably use it aswell but not for professional 

I bought the keyboard and pencil recently to use with my IPad Pro 10.5. I’ve not had a great deal time with the pencil but from what I have used it has been surprisingly good. The pressure sensitivity and no lag gives a feeling of a real pen, pencil, brush etc. One of the first things you normally is try writing and then signing your name. Normally it comes out as readable but not something you recognise as your own handwriting. With the pencil it’s like you’re using your favourite pen and marking up PDF's etc is pretty natural. 

Unfortunately it won’t make you into an artist but it will allow you to practice using pressure, different pens or brushes without wasting paper and materials. I have found I’m able to trace objects to drag or copy elsewhere with ease and accuracy. 

The charge lasts well but having to male to male adapter instead of it being a female lightning port is stupid and I can see the adapter getting lost easily.  Only a small magnetic area which isn’t strong enough to attach it to the case or Ipad. 

The keyboard is more useful and not much more bulky than the normal flip cover.  

Edited 20 January, 20188 yr by CWARD

I got mine from an eBay seller 2.u.4.u  who was 20% cheaper for new sealed apple stuff. 

If you intend to use it for 'drawing' with apps like procreate/adobe/etc. then it's worth it as a tool. It's got great pressure/tilt sensitivity and when you get past the feeling of jamming it into glass it becomes very natural. If it's just a stylus for colouring you may be better getting one of the generic fat-tipped styluses as it'll be a lot cheaper and you won't really miss the nuances that make the pencil great.

 

Also the pencil's are quite delicate and dropping them lots will soon see you needing a replacement, and at almost £100 that's worth considering.

 

All that said, if you use the iPad a lot for productivity (word processing etc.) I've found the pencil and keyboard combo amazingly useful. Just for selecting text and navigating the UI it's a world of difference compared to trying to jab my fat finger at the right bit of the screen.

For a 3yr old I'd probably go with a £1 stylus from the Poundshop

 

Wacom do finer stylus' (styli?) that might be an option later.