A method, comprising: receiving, via a stencil detector of a drawing toy, an identification tab of a stencil placed upon a drawing surface of the drawing toy, wherein the stencil comprises a plurality of trace paths configured to be traced by a stylus of the drawing toy; and identifying the stencil based upon information provided on the identification tab of the stencil; characterised in that the stencil further comprises a plurality of designated areas (12, 13,15, 16), each including at least one trace path, and the method further comprises: aligning the plurality of designated areas of the stencil with a plurality of conductive pads (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) positioned under the drawing surface of the drawing toy as a result of said receiving; determining whether a location of the stylus corresponds to a particular designated area of the plurality of designated areas as the stylus moves along said at least one trace path, including energizing a conductive pad of the plurality of conductive pads to produce an input signal via the stylus when the stylus is proximate an energized conductive pad and determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the energized conductive pad and the particular designated area aligned with the energized conductive pad in response to the input signal; and generating an output signal that produces user perceivable output associated with the particular designated area in response to determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the particular designated area of the stencil. receiving, via a stencil detector of a drawing toy, an identification tab of a stencil placed upon a drawing surface of the drawing toy, wherein the stencil comprises a plurality of trace paths configured to be traced by a stylus of the drawing toy; and identifying the stencil based upon information provided on the identification tab of the stencil; characterised in that the stencil further comprises a plurality of designated areas (12, 13,15, 16), each including at least one trace path, and the method further comprises: aligning the plurality of designated areas of the stencil with a plurality of conductive pads (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) positioned under the drawing surface of the drawing toy as a result of said receiving; determining whether a location of the stylus corresponds to a particular designated area of the plurality of designated areas as the stylus moves along said at least one trace path, including energizing a conductive pad of the plurality of conductive pads to produce an input signal via the stylus when the stylus is proximate an energized conductive pad and determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the energized conductive pad and the particular designated area aligned with the energized conductive pad in response to the input signal; and generating an output signal that produces user perceivable output associated with the particular designated area in response to determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the particular designated area of the stencil. aligning the plurality of designated areas of the stencil with a plurality of conductive pads (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) positioned under the drawing surface of the drawing toy as a result of said receiving; determining whether a location of the stylus corresponds to a particular designated area of the plurality of designated areas as the stylus moves along said at least one trace path, including energizing a conductive pad of the plurality of conductive pads to produce an input signal via the stylus when the stylus is proximate an energized conductive pad and determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the energized conductive pad and the particular designated area aligned with the energized conductive pad in response to the input signal; and generating an output signal that produces user perceivable output associated with the particular designated area in response to determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the particular designated area of the stencil.