Art supplies make a wonderful gift for kids and this guide will cover a wide variety of quality tools and kits for kids of all ages.
As an artist and a parent, my philosophy is to provide quality supplies such as colored pencils and paper and let kids follow their own ideas. But it can also be fun to work with a kit or set, so I have included a few favorites here too. And sometimes a special tool or supply is just the thing to unlock a whole world for a kid, and for adults too.
This post has a variety of ideas for kids of all ages, including art supplies, kits, books, and supplies.
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Faber-Castell Young Artist’s Essentials Gift Set
This kit, from the venerable German art supply manufacturer, includes 64 pieces in a handsome wooden box. The kit includes colored pencils, watercolor pencils, graphite pencils, oil pastels, markers, small sheets of watercolor paper, and a sharpener. Pair this with a drawing pad and your kid is set for hours and hours of drawing and painting. Kids love having these sets and it also helps organize their materials. This kit is listed at $50 but I’ve seen it on sale for half that.
Strathmore Vision Sketchbook
Strathmore Vision Mixed Media sketchbook is great for anyone.
The Strathmore Vision Mixed Media sketchbook has great paper and a second, customizable cover in slate blue cardstock. Simply rip off the first cover and start drawing and painting! And the thicker, 98lb mixed media paper works well with pencils, crayons, markers, and can even be used with ink and light washes of watercolor. Any mixed media pad is better than a drawing sketchbook because of the thicker paper (check out our mixed media sketchbook review here) but this pad is a great option for kids, teenagers, and students. It usually costs around $10 for a 9x12'“ pad.
The customizable, blank cover is a great feature of the Strathmore Vision mixed media pad.
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
The Prismacolor Premier 24 count pack in a metal tin with two plastic trays of pencils.
Prismacolor Premiers are some of the best and most affordable artist-grade colored pencils on the market. They are great for adults but kids will also appreciate the soft cores and vibrant colors. And they are quite affordable too. They do cost more than Crayola or other school brands, but those pencils are have hard cores and inferior pigment. Go with the bold colors of Prismacolor Premiers, or click here to see our full review of colored pencils.
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils are available individually or in sets ranging from 12 to 150 colors. A 24-count tin typically costs around $25.
Magic Clay Kit
This set of air-dry clay comes with 36 colors, 47 accessories including a few tools, and will generate hours of fun crafting and creating. The clay dries in about 24 hours and has mess-free clean up. There’s also a larger kit with 50 colors of clay. Recommended for ages 6 and up.
The Original Spirograph
No childhood is complete without this classic geometric drawing tool, first released in 1965. It’s equally fun for adults and allows you to explore patterns, math, and hand control. Create endless designs and try it with pens, pencils, and any sort of drawing media. The sets do come with fine point pens as well.
There are a variety of sets including a Spirograph Jr., scratch art, or a small travel version, but the Original Deluxe for around $24 is a great option.
Arnold Grummer Zig-Zag Books
These prefolded, acid-free, accordion-style zig zag booklets give kids a fun way to make their own books, stories, or extended drawing panels. Available in three different sizes, the packs come with 12 booklets. Pair these packs with colored pencils or markers for a gift that will provide hours of fun and creativity. The packs come with chipboard covers and insert pages too.
The Arnold Grummer Zig Zag book packs typically range from $16 to $23.
Jovi Plastilina
For sculptors of all ages, Jovi Plastilina is a non-hardening modeling clay that holds fine detail and can be reused over and over. It’s great for model making, small sculptures, or can be used to make stop-motion animation.
The colors will blend, if desired, or you can work to keep them separate. The clay is gluten free, is non-staining, and cleans up easily. The recommended pack costs around $29 and comes with 30 bars, 2 each of 15 colors, but there are a variety of pack sizes available that range in price from $9 to $75. This is a great, basic art supply that provides amazing, open-ended sculpting possibilities.
Dough Builders
These plastic body parts—essential generic Potato Head parts—pair well with Plastilina, Play-Do, or any sort of modeling dough. Make fun creatures, characters, monsters and animals.
Amazon sells a huge 260-piece tub for around $30, while Blick has a more modest sized set for around $6.50 with 25 assorted parts. The large tub has 26 styles of pieces with 10 of each, so a smaller set might be enough for most kids but the big tub is great for parties, classrooms, or larger gatherings.
Alphacolor Biggies Tempera Cakes
These semi-moist cakes of non-toxic tempera paint respond immediately to a wet brush. These cakes will never spoil or dry out, making them a long-lasting addition to your craft drawer without dealing with a bunch of bottles of paint. These opaque colors will blend, and stay vibrant and velvety smooth when dry. Pair these with a pad of mixed media or watercolor paper, and your kid will have unlimited possibilities.
These are available as an 8 pack in a plastic tray, or as 12 individual cakes. There are some complaints about the tray (it can get messy) but consider putting the paints inside separate deli containers or styrofoam trays, or any sort of system that makes sense to you. For $20 for the 8 pack, they’re an awesome set of paints for young artists.
ArtBin Sketch Board and Storage Bin
The ArtBin Sketch Board is great for drawing or watercolor on the go, or to simply organize art supplies at home. ArtBin makes simple, functional storage bins and this takes their basic bin to the next level with pencil storage, pocket, and a clip inside and on the top to hold a pad or paper in place. Note that the plastic molding is not perfectly flat, so plan to use this with cardboard behind your paper such as a sketchpad or watercolor block.
The ArtBin Sketch Board typically retails for between $26 and $30. It measures 11.5” x 16” x 1.5” deep, and will easily hold a 9x12” sketchpad.
Canson XL Black Drawing Pad
Black paper really makes colors pop and pairs well with colored pencils, pastels, and gel pens. It’s a fun a way to switch things up and the Canson XL Black Drawing Pads have great quality at an affordable price. Available in two sizes: 10x7” and 9x12”, they typically retail for $7 to $10.
Sakura Gelly Roll Pens
Gel pens look great on all sorts of media, including black paper or on top of other paints, and the Sakura Gelly Roll Pens are some of the best out there. These may not be best for younger kids, but older elementary school children and older should be able to use these without too much mess—just let the ink dry before touching. Available in a variety of sets, try the Classic set of 10 pens for a young artist for around $12 to $14. There are other sets available, including metallic pens or the complete line of 74 Gelly Roll pens retails for around $85.
Arnold Grummer Dip Handmade Paper Kit
Turn your scrap and waste paper into beautiful homemade paper with this 8 1/2” x 11” paper making screen. It’s super fun to explore this process, and you can use the results to make more projects! In addition to this screen, you’ll need a tub that can fit the screen (such as a plastic dish tub or deep cake pan), blender, and recycled paper or buy speciality paper fiber. The kit does come with some dried botanical pieces to get you started.
The 8 1/2 x 11” screen is a great size to start, but there’s a smaller screen available, as well as a deluxe kit that comes with a variety of templates. Kids will love making paper but you might find yourself experimenting with your own paper.
Jumbo Crayons and Pencils
Small hands will love extra big pencils and crayons, but even as an adult, these are some of my favorites. Here’s a few different quality options for jumbo-sized art supplies:
Stabilo Woody
The Stabilo Woody is a “3 in 1” pencil that combines the features of a colored pencil, watercolor pencil, and a wax crayon. It can even be wiped off flat surfaces such as glass windows or tiles. It has an extra thick, 10mm thick core. Available in sets ranging from 6 to 18 pencils.
Faber-Castell 9000 Series Jumbo Pencils
The Faber-Castell 9000 Series pencils have been in production since 1905 and they are an artist-grade classic. But hands old and young will appreciate the Jumbo version (these are my favorite sketching pencils too) that comes in a set of 5 with hardnesses ranging from HB to 8B. Be sure to get a large pencil sharpener that will accommodate these pencils, such as a Faber-Castell sharpener.
Jumbo Colored Pencils from Cretacolor, Jolly or Faber-Castell
There are a variety of jumbo colored pencils that are well made and will provide extra-thick, durable cores for hours of vibrant drawing. Some adults love these big pencils for coloring book work too!
For colored pencils, check out Cretacolor Megas or the Jolly X-Big options.
Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Magnus
For oversized watercolor pencils, check out the Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Magnus pencils. These are professional, artist-grade pencils with 5.3mm cores that will be appreciated by any artist including kids. Use dry as a colored pencil, or blend with water and brush to activate the line. Available individually or in sets of 12, 18, or 24.
The Arts: A Visual Encyclopedia
Recommended for ages 8 and up, this visual encyclopedia from DK covers the history of art including painting, sculpture, and photography. The 9x11” book has 304 pages that are full of images and info on art history classics. Available in paperback or hardcover, it’s a great deal at $18 to $22.
Elmer’s Slime Kits
Make your own slime at home! These are so fun for kids and get their hands moving and imagination going. Just be prepared for some cleanup, but the good news, is it’s all washable.
Add metallic glitter, confetti, and other fun effects to customize your slime.
Make Ink: A Forager’s Guide to Natural Inkmaking by Jason Logan
Use this book as a guide to turn things you find inside or outside into ink. Beautifully illustrated and full of info and recipes, this book will show you and your kid how to make ink from flowers, plants, acorns, bark, copper, turmeric and more. Middle school and up will be fine with this book but elementary-age kids will need parent help.
The book is available in hardcover for around $26.
Marbling Kits and Supplies
The Boku-Undo marbling dye kit is sold at Blick and Amazon, and Amazon also carries an option (linked below) with brushes.
Making marbled paper is fun for kids, teens, and adults. There are a variety of kits and supplies, some require mixing a thickener with water and waiting for everything to mix overnight. But the inks from Boku-Undo float on plain water and can be used right away. You will need some sort of tray or tub, inks, brushes, and paper such as watercolor paper. You will only be limited by the size of your tub and paper, and your imagination.
Alginate / Plaster Casting Kit
The Luna Bean Hand Casting Kit is a foolproof way to make a mold in a bucket using skin-safe alginate, and then cast the mold with the provided gypsum plaster cement. But you don’t have to just make hands. Make a mold of a toy, a Playdoh sculpture, heck—make a mold of anything! Teenagers will be able to use this on their own (make sure they wear a dust mask) and you can work with younger children to introduce them to the casting process. It’s really fun, and if you’ve never made a mold, the resulting detail will astonish you. This $40 kit includes a bucket, alginate, and plaster. There are also larger and smaller kits.
If you are looking for your own skin-safe casting material without the bucket, try Smooth-On Alja Safe
Blick Studio Table Easel by Jullian
This table top easel is stable, well made, and will hold canvases up to 24” tall. It also folds flat so it can be put away when not in use. It folds to 10 1/2” x 18” x 2” deep, making it small enough to take on the go too. For $18, this is a great option that will be equally useful to adults as kids. Inspire the painter in an artist of any age with this table top easel.
Blick Studio Canvas Panels
Canvas panels are an economical way to introduce beginners to painting on canvas. Each panel is approximately 1/8” thick and features double-primed, 5oz canvas stretched over a stiff board. Lightweight, warp resistant, and acid free, these canvas panels are ready for acrylic, oil or any painting medium. Available in packs of 5 or larger classroom packs, young painters can make lots of work without taking up a ton of room with these. These panels are available in sizes ranging from 4” x 5” to 20” x 24”.
Sargent Art Acrylic Paint Pot Set
This set of acrylic paints includes 6 or 12 paint pots with screw on caps. The pots are not removeable, so the paints all stay together and are less likely to be tipped over. And the pots can be refilled with other acrylic paint as needed. This is a great set for elementary-age painters or any artist looking for a bit of organization in their studio. These cost around $5 for 6 colors, or $10 for 12 colors.
Klutz Friendship Bracelet Kit
Making friendship bracelets is a classic childhood activity and introduces ideas of pattern making, detail work, and craft skills. This book and kit includes everything a kid needs to make 12 bracelets. Recommended for ages 8 and up, the kit comes with 10 skeins of thread.
Wear’m Denim Apron
This simple denim apron with a back tie and a front pocket comes in two sizes, the smaller is perfect for kids while the large will work for teens and adults. Easy to launder and long-lasting, just make sure to tie the string together before washing, or it may pull out. These are just about the cheapest aprons out there, and they work great. $6 for the small or $9 for the larger size.
Lomida Flip Book Kit
Young artists can create their own cartoons with this complete kit! It includes six 4.5” x 2.5” flip books with 90 pages each, a set of 12 pencils, sharpener, and pencil. This is sure to entertain and inspire, and gives kids insights about cartoons and stop-motion animation. The kit is $15.
Craft Bin
A craft bin full of supplies is a sure way to entertain kids. With glue, scissors, pom poms, and tons of other pieces, they can go crazy making whatever they want. The Funzbo bin is a good option, with a regular and mega size, but there are a wide variety of craft bins to choose from, typically ranging from $12 to about $30. Recommended for ages 4 to 10.
Tempera Paint Sticks
Tempera paint sticks are sort of like markers, but with non-toxic, washable tempera paint. An easy way to paint with no need for water or brushes, these are great for when time is tight or clean up is a concern. Kwik Stix makes highly reviewed and recommended tempera paint sticks in a variety of colors and styles, including metallic, neon, and thinner sticks too.
How to Draw Books
Kids often appreciate a guidebook for learning how to draw and there are a lot of books out there on learning how to draw animals, faces, or they might appreciate a book on comic book and manga drawing styles.
For budding comic book artists, check out our guide to making a booklet with a long-reach stapler. Kids love having their own little booklet to draw in, or a simple sketchbook to carry around.
Scratch-Art Boards
Scratch art is a cool way to make colorful images. Typically black over a colorful base, the color is revealed by scratching through the black with a metal or wooden stylus, stick, toothpick, or anything that can pull off the top material. Kids really love this and the scratch art paper is typically available in packs of 5, 10, 30 or more sheets. I haven’t really encountered a “bad” brand so order what seems best to you but the links here are to Scratch-Art Brand.
SunPrint Paper
Cyanotype is an early photographic process first discovered in 1842, and the SunPrint Paper is a great way to introduce this process to artists of all ages. To use, place flowers, objects, or anything on top of the paper and expose it to the sun where the exposed paper will turn blue. Then, rinse the paper in water to “fix” the image, although they may fade somewhat over time. A fun activity for all, this can get kids thinking about image making, materials, and the basic fundamentals of photography. Each pack comes with 15 sheets of 8.5 x 11” paper.
For larger sheets than SunPrint or raw materials to create your own cyanotype, shop Jacquard Cyanotype products at Blick.
Blick Studio Adjustable Activity Easel
This easel is an affordable and flexible model that can be used on the floor or tabletop. It’s great for younger kids and it can be raised to a top height of 54”. The easel is 26 inches wide, and comes with a 25 foot roll of 18” paper. Typically priced around $90, this should provide years of use for painting and drawing.
The Year of Knots by Windy Chien
Knots as art? Why not! (lol sorry). This book details Chien’s year long exploration of knots and while it is aimed at adults, older elementary school kids and up will appreciate it too. Beautiful illustrated with a ton of knots, plan to spend some money on rope to do these projects too. Knots and knot art touches on math, hand skills, macramé, craft, and so many other topics. It’s a fantastic jumping off point to explore more than just rope.
U.S. Art Supply Adjustable Portable Easel
This compact wooden easel has a drawer for supplies and can accommodate paper or canvas up to 11” x14”. It measures 13.25" wide, 10.25" deep, and 2" high, and includes a wooden painters palette. It also includes a handle for carrying. For $30, it’s a nice little unit that should see years of use if treated carefully. It’s also a great gift for a young painter—pair it with a watercolor or acrylic set and they are ready to get to work at home or outside.
Conclusion
Giving kids art supplies is a great idea as it sparks their creativity, introduces motor control skills, and gives them the freedom to make their decisions and follow their ideas. This gift guide has more than 35 recommendations of art supplies and kits. For the most part, these are supplies that can used in open-ended ways rather than a kit that can only do one thing.
What are your favorite ideas for kids art supplies? Let us know in the comments.
