Gifts for the Young Artist

We’re always being asked about our favorite activities and materials for young children.

These are our all-time favorite gifts to inspire the young creative in your life … child-tested and teacher-approved.

1. Paintbrushes – This assorted set of wooden paintbrushes are durable perfect for tiny hands. 

2. Color Wheel – We typically leave this out as a resource for when children are painting; it’s a great way to learn basic color theory.

3. Paint – Our go-to set of tempera paint (in primary colors, plus black and white) which we use for all of our crafts and painting projects.

4. Sketchbook – Children love having a special place to draw their favorite things! 

5. Palette – We use this sturdy palette not only for paint, but also as a beautiful way to display a set of crayon rocks.

6. Desktop Easel – Put a canvas on an easel and children immediately feel like an artist; we also love using it to showcase finished paintings.

7. Paint Sticks – Chunkies are a must-have for young children; they dry quickly and are mess free. Put this at the top of your list!

8. Drawing Manikin – Manikins are helpful when teaching children how to draw the human form, but they are also a lot of fun to move around and dress up!

9. Watercolors – This set of vibrant watercolors is hands down our favorite, and we’ve tried many other brands! Washes off a table easily and doesn’t stain. 

10. Crayon Rocks – Perhaps our most used material in the Playful Learning Studio. Designed to help teach little ones how to properly hold a writing tool, we have these out for most of our toddler art projects and writing activities. 

11. Oil Pastels – Softer than a crayon and easy to blend, these pair nicely with watercolors.

12. Canvas – An artist needs a blank canvas, and they’re suitable for paint, Chunkies, and mixed-media collage.

13. Book – We love to start all of our investigations with a read aloud to set the stage for the experience, and Hervé Tullet’s book is a wonderful way to explore color.

14. Color Mixing Printable – Explore color mixing with primary colors and then create your own color palette. Try mixing in a touch of white or black too!

Happy Gifting!

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