My Favorite Kids Art Supplies
The question I get asked by far is “what art supplies do you recommend for kids?” And I can totally relate to that feeling of overwhelm when it comes to walking down the aisles of your local art and craft supply store or scrolling on Amazon. So. Many. Options. Let me save you some trouble by sharing my top watercolor and art supplies for kids. These are all supplies I have tested myself, with my kids and with my art classes. What I have found is that most kids will fall into one of three categories when it comes to making art. The Fast Finisher, The Careful Creator and the Tiny Traveler. I’ve broken down my suggestions based on the different art types so you can pick the supplies that best suit your artist. Click on the item name or the picture to be taken to the Amazon link.
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The Fast Finisher
This kid LOVES to create a TON of art. They would be happy with a pencil and a ream of paper which they would go through in a week. For these kids I like to buy student grade supplies that can be used many times over many projects.
This brand is great for beginners and you can get a lot of paper at an affordable price. It works well with other mediums too like sharpies, oil pastel, markers, colored pencils, etc. This is the brand I use for my kids class and although it does tend to buckle more than other papers, it works well for our projects. This paper is 90lb which means it won’t be as heavy weight as others out there. If your child tends to go really heavy with the water then I would recommend their 140 lb paper which you can find here.
This is a liquid watercolor so it can be used straight from the bottle or you can add water to dilute it. You don’t need a lot of paint for it to go a long way and the bottles will last you through many projects. Just be aware, they CAN stain so make sure your artist is dressed appropriately.
The good thing about these brushes is that they hold a decent amount of water and paint. For the price, your artist can explore a variety of brush sizes and shapes.
The Careful Creator
This kid likes to take their time with their projects. They are ready to upgrade their supplies and are careful with their projects.
This paper is great for beginners and holds up really well. This is the paper that I personally use for my work a majority of the time. It has some texture but is smoother than other watercolor paper out there making it easy to add pen and other supplies to it.
I have found that Canson paper sometimes runs out of stock so another good option is the Strathmore 300 series. It has more texture than the Canson but it’s still thick and does a great job holding up to water. You can find that paper here.
This is one of my favorite watercolor brands for beginners because it comes in a wide variety of colors. Since mixing your own colors can take practice, having a set that probably has the color you want to use already mixed is great! These are tube watercolors which means you will need to add a tiny amount of paint and some water to a palette before you use it. It’s not intended to be used straight out of the tube. If you want even more colors, they have a set of 60 colors as well.
Princeton is an awesome brand. I have loved all my brushes I have gotten from them. The Select Artiste series is their student grade brush and holds paint and water well. This set gives your artist a good variety of sizes.
The Tiny Traveler
This kid wants to take their art on the go. In the car, to grandma’s house, you name it, they are bringing something to create.
This journal measures at 5.5 x 8 inches, making it the PERFECT size to travel with. The spiral binding keeps the paper in place without tearing and the quality is good. I have filled these journals with smaller illustrations on both the front and back of the paper with good results.
This watercolor set is probably what you think of when you think of watercolor. A cake pan set is baked and dried so you add water to activate the color. The benefit of this set is there are lots of colors to choose from, it comes in a sturdy metal case with a latch and also includes some brushes. The set is small enough to take with you pretty much anywhere.
The Aristro pan set above comes with a water brush already, but if you’re looking for a variety of sizes then I would recommend the Pentel Aquash Water Brush set. These are awesome for painting on the go because you just fill up the pen with water instead of dipping into a water cup.
Just for Fun
The rest of these products are ones that I have used with my kids or in my class and they are loved!
These work great with watercolor. Draw with oil pastel, then paint over it for a watercolor resist
Kids love sparkles and shiny things. Nuff’ said
We use these weekly in my class. They are waterproof making them great for creating the line art of your project before painting.
This is a step up from the sharpie. I would recommend this for older kids or more careful kids. They are waterproof and come in a variety of sizes. The tips will be much finer than a regular sized sharpie. This is great for detailed work.
This is a fun supply! Draw with your watercolor pencil, then all water with a brush to create a watercolor effect.
If your kid likes to draw first, then transfer the image onto watercolor paper this can come in handy. Much easier than using a window if you ask me.
These erasers are THE best for removing pencil lines from watercolor paper without ripping the paper. Bonus- kids really enjoy turning their eraser into a fun shape since these are the consistency of pliable rubber. I HIGHLY recommend buying one with a case like the one here so it can stay clean.
The Prismacolor scholar line is a great student grade, soft colored pencil.
If you’re looking for something even higher quality then I would recommend the Castle brand which creates a professional, smooth and soft colored pencil. You can find that set here.
Ohuhu brand- this alcohol based marker is vibrant and great for artists looking to add a higher quality marker to their supplies. They are double sided with one side having a fine tip and the other with a chisel tip. My girls (ranging in age from 17-6) have all loved their markers.
Posca Brand- this high quality acrylic paint pen is great for adding detail over watercolor or other mediums. They aren’t really great for layering a ton of color but I like them to add details to my work.
That’s a wrap!
Creating art is funner with good-quality, versatile, long-lasting supplies, trust me! These are my art supplies I go to again and again for my girls and my classes. Did you find this list helpful? If so, let me know in the comments.
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