Gift ideas · Art and drawing
Gifts for kids who love art and drawing
Kids who love art will draw on anything, including the wall. Good gifts give them real supplies and more paper than seems reasonable.
Skip: Kits that make one thing, like a paint-by-number. Once it's done there's nothing left to make. Plain paper and good paint make a hundred things.
Not sure how they play? Take the quiz.
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Ages 4 to 6
- 1An art easel with a paper rollOur pick: Melissa & Doug Double-Sided Tabletop EaselA spot of their own to paint and draw. It gets used every day the paper's out. Find it
- 2Washable paint and a smockOur pick: Crayola Washable Kids' Paint, 10 colorsWashable matters more than the brand. You'll say yes to painting a lot more often. Find it
- 3Paint sticks, like Kwik StixOur pick: Kwik Stix Solid Tempera Paint, 12 colorsSolid paint in a twist-up stick. It dries fast, and there's no water cup to knock over. Find it
- 4A big set of washable markersOur pick: Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers, 40 countForty colors, and the ultra-clean kind comes off hands and most clothes. Find it
One we made ourselves
Ages 7 to 9
- 1A sketchbook and good colored pencilsOur pick: Faber-Castell Do Art Color Pencil setBetter pencils make a real difference at this age, and they notice. Find it
- 2A how-to-draw book they can work throughOur pick: Art for Kids: Drawing (Kathryn Temple)Lessons that build on each other, from shapes to shading. They can do one a day on their own. Find it
- 3Brush pensOur pick: Tombow Dual Brush Pens, 10 primary colorsA brush tip for thick strokes and a fine tip for detail. They'll use them for years. Find it
- 4A watercolor setOur pick: Prang oval watercolors, 16 colors with brushCheap, bright and hard to ruin. The next step after washable paint. Find it
- 5Air-dry clayOur pick: Crayola Air-Dry Clay, 5 lb tubSculptures they paint the next day, with no kiln. A big tub lasts a long time. Find it
Ages 10 to 12
- 1A sketchbook and a good set of pencilsOur pick: Faber-Castell Do Art Drawing & Sketching setReal sketching pencils tell them their drawings are worth taking seriously. Find it
- 2Artist-grade colored pencilsOur pick: Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, 24Soft cores that blend. It's a step up from school pencils they'll feel right away. Find it
- 3A travel watercolor kitOur pick: Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box, 24 colorsSmall enough to take on a trip, and good enough that grown-up artists carry the same one. Find it
- 4Acrylic paintsOur pick: Liquitex BASICS acrylic set, 12 tubesThick, bright paint for canvas, cardboard or wood. Add a few canvas panels. Find it
- 5A drawing book for older kidsOur pick: How to Draw Cool Stuff (Catherine V. Holmes)Shading, texture and optical illusions, step by step. Find it
Things to do near you
Gifts are one way in. Camps, classes and weekend events for kids who love art are another. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.
How kids who love art tend to play
A lot of kids who love art are Builders, and some are Storytellers. Most kids are a mix of two Play Types, so the quiz is the quickest way to know which lists to use.
Gifts for other things kids love
Gift ideas by Play Type
Holiday gift lists
Buying for the grown-ups too? Gifts they'll still own, scored on warranty and repair: for dad, for mom, under $100.
