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Best Art Sets for Kids

Updated July 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Art 101 USA 142-Piece Wood Art Set
Art 101 USA
142-Piece Wood Art Set
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Comprehensive Kit
Bottom Line

A beautifully organized, comprehensive kit that will get children into drawing or painting.

Pros

Lots of colors and supplies—watercolor paints, oil pastels, crayons, colored pencils, and drawing pencils. Carrying case makes it easy to take anywhere. Great for indoor or outdoor use. Comes with pencil sharpener, eraser, and color chart. Fast shipping. Arrives in good condition.

Cons

The quality is not the same as professional products, but it is a good choice for beginners.

Best Bang for the Buck
Cameron Frank Products 8-Pack Washable Dot Markers
Cameron Frank Products
8-Pack Washable Dot Markers
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Best for Young Kids
Bottom Line

Dauber Dots are a nice alternative for kids who already have a lot of other supplies, or for smaller children just starting out.

Pros

Doesn't bleed through paper. Great for smaller children. Easy to handle. Comes with 8 colors. Great activity sheets. Work well with finger paint paper. Children who have a hard time coloring will also really enjoy these dot markers. Comes with pages to use markers on and downloadable pages to supplement.

Cons

Tend to dry out quickly and are not as washable as other markers.

Purple Ladybug Novelty Rainbow Scratch Paper Art Kit for Kids
Purple Ladybug Novelty
Rainbow Scratch Paper Art Kit for Kids
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Best for Travel
Bottom Line

A very fun kit with a unique type of project; both boys and girls love this kind of paper.

Pros

Scratch-off sheet is smooth and works well. Comes with 2 scratchers and 20 sheets of scratch paper. Great travel activity kit. Children can make pictures with this kit without you having to worry about them coloring on anything. Includes several sticker sheets. A good kit for older ages.

Cons

Will likely be used up quickly. The paper can only be used once and if they "over scratch" the black cover, they cannot fix it.

Creative Elf Drawing Stencils Set for Kids
Creative Elf
Drawing Stencils Set for Kids
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Most Versatile
Bottom Line

With over 300 different stencil shapes, this really inspires creativity.

Pros

All the stencils and supplies fit nicely in a carrying case. Handle on case makes it easy to take places. Stencils are of a quality, hard plastic. Made to last. Great for car travel. Includes paper and colored pencils. Sharpener for colored pencils.

Cons

Users should be a little older to be able to hold the stencils and trace. This might be a struggle for younger children.

Crayola Inspiration Art Case
Crayola
Inspiration Art Case
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Trusted Brand
Bottom Line

This set offers a little bit of everything for young creatives.

Pros

Includes 20 short, colored pencils, 64 crayons, 40 washable markers, and 15 pieces of drawing paper in a portable, convenient case. Mediums work separately or in conjunction as children learn about their uses.

Cons

Case is not as durable as some would like.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
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We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for best art sets for kids

Whether your child is a mini Monet or a budding beginner in the world of art, it’s important to encourage their creativity. Art sets for kids are perfect for providing little ones with all the supplies they need to get arty.

But which is the best kids’ art set, and how do you decide which one your child will like enough to use? With hundreds of art sets available, picking one from the pack can seem overwhelming.

That’s why we at BestReviews have created this detailed buying guide to help you make an informed purchase. Read on for our full guide to art sets for kids, and when you’re ready to buy, check out our favorites.

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Drawing and painting are great for developing motor skills in young children.

Key considerations

Types

Paint sets: These kids’ art sets focus on paints. They usually contain poster paints, watercolors, or other washable paints along with an array of brushes. These sets may also feature other useful accessories, such as palettes for mixing paints and pots for cleaning brushes.

Pencil sets: If drawing and coloring are more your child’s style, you might try a pencil set. These generally include a range of colored pencils of varying hues and may also contain standard pencils for sketching.

Crayon sets: Crayon sets are ideal for preschoolers who aren’t quite ready for pens or pencils. You can find art sets that feature both standard crayons and chunky crayons, which are designed for younger kids who haven’t yet perfected their fine motor skills.

Marker sets: Offering up a rainbow of colored pens, marker sets are great for kids who love to create the kind of bold and bright drawings you just can’t get with pencils or crayons.

Mixed sets: For children who don’t favor any single creative medium, a mixed art set is best. These sets generally contain a combination of paints, colored pencils, markers, crayons, and sometimes even pastels or other specialty offerings. In addition, these sets may contain paper, scissors, glue, erasers, and other handy accessories.  

Other sets: After you’ve considered all the standard art sets for kids, you might also want to explore the more unusual varieties. These span everything from scratch paper kits to stencil and stamp sets to rock painting sets. Some of these venture into craft territory, but they still encourage artistic creativity in kids.

Age range

Check that the kids’ art set you choose is suitable for the age of the child you’re buying it for. First of all, check the minimum age, especially when buying for little kids. Some art sets for kids contain supplies that aren’t suitable for very young children, such as scissors or items with small parts. Next, think about whether the items themselves are suitable for your child’s age. This works both ways. Large sets with fine markers and hundreds of colored pencils are geared toward older children rather than toddlers. On the other hand, your ten-year-old probably won’t want a kids’ art set that contains chunky crayons and stamp pens and is marketed to toddlers.

Art sets for kids features

Added extras

You can find art sets that come with various added extras alongside the art supplies. For instance, some painting sets come with an easel or aprons to keep your child’s clothes clean during messy creative sessions. Other common extras include paper or pads, stencils, pencil sharpeners, palettes, rulers, and erasers.

Washability

Kids will be kids, and even the most careful young ones will inevitably spill paint on their pants or get pen marks down their shirts. You can’t do much to prevent messy accidents, especially with preschoolers, but you can buy art sets that contain washable paints and markers. That way, any art-related stains will be long gone after a quick spin in the washing machine. You can also find markers and crayons designed to wash off walls, which is great news when buying for a toddler who thinks the whole house is a canvas.

Case

A large number of art sets for kids come with a convenient case to keep everything neat and tidy. What’s more, these cases often have handles or straps, so your kid can easily carry one from place to place.

Organized: Some cases have a specific spot for every item. This design makes it easier for children to find the items they need, especially with large art sets, but realistically, few kids put each item back in the correct slot after use.

Unorganized: Other cases are more like pencil cases or mini backpacks – you can shove everything inside in no particular order. This design doesn’t keep the items neatly organized, but it’s better for young kids who don’t have the motor skills or attention span to place every pen and pencil in the right spot when they’re done.

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Did you know?
You can find themed art sets for kids that feature everything from superheroes to Disney characters.
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Art sets for kids prices

How much do you need to spend on an art set for kids? It ranges from $5 to $60.

Inexpensive: Small or basic kids’ art sets start at around $5 to $15, but they may not contain a wide range of materials or color choices.

Mid-range: These art sets for kids cost roughly $15 to $30 and tend to have a wider range of materials and colors than basic sets.

Expensive: High-end children’s art sets are priced around $30 to $60. These are large sets with the highest-quality supplies. They may also feature large extras, such as an easel.

Tips

  • Check the range of colors included in your chosen art set. Think about how many your child needs. For fairly simple drawings, 15 or 20 colors will suffice. Also check that the specs aren’t misleading. For example, some kids’ art sets contain 100 colored pencils, but a quarter of them are duplicates.

  • Think about your children’s interests before selecting an art set. You might have loved brightly colored markers when you were a kid, but if your children prefer to paint or make scenes out of craft paper, they might not get much use from a marker set.

  • Pick an art set that matches your child’s artistic abilities. Everyone improves artistically with practice, but there’s no point in buying a high-end blendable colored pencil set for someone who’s just starting out. Conversely, a kid who’s already an excellent artist may have outgrown crayons and poster paint.

  • Check the overall quality of your chosen kids’ art set. Cheap sets often contain items of poor quality, such as pencils with leads that break easily or paints that don’t mix well. It’s worth spending a little more on a quality art set.
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It’s a good idea to put a plastic sheet or shower curtain under any area where young kids are painting, especially if the floor is carpeted.

FAQ

Q. Should I supervise my children while they’re using an art set?
A.
This really depends on the age of the children and what’s included in the set. Even young children are generally safe drawing unsupervised with pencils or crayons (unless they have a track record of coloring on walls) but should be supervised when using paints. You know your children best, so follow your instincts.

Q. My kid wants to learn more about art. What resources are available?
A.
With thousands of tutorial videos available for free online, it’s never been easier for kids to learn about art and practice new techniques. However, if your child is extremely keen, you could also look for kids’ art classes or one-on-one art lessons in your local area.

Q. How do I make sure a kids’ art set is safe for children?
A.
Art sets for kids should be made from nontoxic ingredients that won’t harm children even if they happen to ingest some. Only buy kids’ art sets from reputable sources, and always check the manufacturer’s specifications to be sure the included supplies are nontoxic and safe for children to use.

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