A Guide to WoodandHearts’ Selection of Children's Drawing Easels

Once a child is old enough to hold chalk or a pencil, they transform into a little artist. Kids adore drawing because it’s colorful, engaging, and so meditative that they can spend long periods focused on it. While coloring pages may take some time to pique their interest, little ones are always ready to unleash their imagination by scribbling spirals, lines, and doodles wherever and whenever they can.

As soon as your child shows interest in drawing, it’s a good idea to set up a dedicated space and tools for them. Not only does this benefit their development (as we’ve explained in our article on the Benefits of Drawing), but it also helps prevent their creativity from appearing in less-than-ideal places—like books they can reach, photographs, walls, or even the neighbor’s cat’s whiskers.

That’s why today, we’re talking about how a kids’ drawing easel can save the day. Even better, WoodandHearts offers a variety of excellent options for children of all ages. Let’s explore the available options, discuss the best activities to do with easels, and discuss choosing the perfect creative tool for your child.

Overview of Available Easel Types

The term children’s drawing easel covers a wide range of tools, so let’s take a closer look at what’s available:

Chalkboard Easels

A great example is the Wooden Easel for Montessori Triangle, which can be attached to a climbing triangle. It offers the ideal angle and comfort for drawing with chalk. This set is the perfect height for toddlers and can be attached to other climbing frames with bars. So, purchasing this children’s drawing easel doesn’t necessarily require buying the triangle frame itself.

Magnetic Surfaces

These are perfect for drawing with water-based markers that wipe off easily, and they can be enhanced with magnets. This dual-purpose feature promotes creativity and fine motor skills while drawing fosters artistic expression.

Double-Sided Easels

These models eliminate compromise. One side can be used for chalk drawings, while the other side supports painting, coloring, or marker art on paper securely attached for convenience. The Kids Tabletop Easel is an excellent example, offering limitless creative options while being easy to place on a desk or any other surface. One more great option is a Dual-Sided Tabletop Easel.

Acrylic Boards

These surfaces invite children to draw with crayons or water-based markers. The Toddler Art Easel adds even more convenience with a built-in storage tray to keep supplies organized. It’s a self-contained setup that doesn’t require an additional table or surface, standing at the perfect height for preschoolers.

Key Features of WoodandHearts’ Drawing Easels

The children's drawing easels from WoodandHearts are crafted from birch plywood with non-toxic finishes, ensuring they are safe for children’s health. The Montessori-inspired design makes them versatile for kids of all ages and genders. These easels are compact yet highly functional, making them suitable for use at home, in preschools, or in schools. They are lightweight for easy handling, compact for convenient storage, and feature adjustable heights, making them an essential addition to any creative space.

Some models can be attached to climbing frames, others can be placed on work surfaces or tables, and some are standalone designs that can be set up independently.

Additionally, you can choose a complete home playset that combines a fun play area, space for beneficial physical exercises, and a kids drawing easel for chalk art. If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, consider the Large Playground Climber or the Large Toddler Indoor Playground—both equipped with a chalkboard easel. These setups are perfect for active play and creative expression, making them a versatile choice for any family.

Activities the Easels Can Be Used For

A kids drawing easel is an excellent space for children’s creativity, regardless of the model you choose. It’s not just about occasional drawing but also about integrating the easel into educational or play activities. Preschool easel activities captivate children, keep them engaged, and allow them to practice writing and drawing, improve focus, and express their creativity.

Let’s take a closer look at the endless possibilities a children's drawing easel offers:

Drawing with Chalk, Crayons, or Markers

Provide children with colored chalk, crayons, or markers, depending on the type of easel. For dual-sided models that allow drawing on paper, the variety of artistic tools can expand to include watercolors, acrylic paints, regular pencils, or colorful pens.
For example, with a Kids Tabletop Easel, kids can draw on either the board or paper using any materials. At first, they may create simple doodles. As they grow more confident holding chalk or pencils, you can engage in activities together, like drawing a tree, house, sun, flower, or even illustrating a specific theme, such as “the best day ever” or “today’s weather.” These activities are both enjoyable and educational.

Benefits:

• Develops fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
• Encourages creative self-expression.
• Helps children learn colors, shapes, and patterns.

Writing Readiness Exercises

1. Tracing Letters: Draw large outlines of letters or numbers on the board or paper and encourage your child to trace over them in a different color. You can also practice writing their name or simple words this way.
2. Repeat the Outline: Draw a simple image, number, or letter and ask your child to replicate it. If using a magnetic easel, you can attach cards with images for them to trace or adapt with their own ideas.
3. Guess the Shape: Draw a shape and ask your child to guess what it is. Then switch roles: they draw while you guess.
4. Draw a Story: Read a story or fairy tale with interesting characters, and try creating illustrations together on the board. If children play together, sharing and discussing what they've drawn becomes even more exciting.
5. Maze Games: Print a sheet with a fun maze, attach it to the easel, and invite your child to navigate through it using a pencil or marker.

Color Experiments

Use the easel to teach colors and experiment with mixing different shades to create new ones. For example, mix red and yellow to get orange or blue and yellow to create green.

Pretend Play Activities

1. Be the Teacher: Children can gather their toys into a small “classroom” and teach them anything they like. Pretend play not only builds confidence but also prepares their hands for writing. Playing “school” is a fantastic way to engage with the easel.
2. Create a Menu: Draw a menu for an imaginary home café, then have fun preparing some of the “dishes” for lunch.
3. Maps and Plans: Encourage kids to draw treasure maps or design imaginary buildings.

Cooperative Play

Create a treasure map on the board and prepare hidden treasures for discovery. Then, let your child do the same, hiding treasures while you follow their map. This is a fun game for siblings or even larger groups, like a preschool class.Using the children's drawing easel for collaborative activities helps kids interact with parents, teachers, or peers, fostering teamwork and mutual support.

Key Advantages of Easel Activities

• Drawing letters, holding chalk, or using a brush enhances dexterity and muscle control.
• Problem-solving games and educational tasks improve concentration, memory, and decision-making skills.
• Shared easel play fosters social skills, teamwork, and communication.

With a children’s drawing easel, learning and creativity become a playful experience. These are activities kids willingly engage in, ensuring positive emotions and a delightful bonus: acquiring new skills in a fun and interactive way.

Choosing the Right Easel for Your Child

When choosing the best children’s drawing easel, we recommend considering the following features:

Child’s Age

For the youngest users, you can choose the Toddler Art Easel, which is perfectly sized for little ones, or opt for the Wooden Easel for Montessori Triangle, which easily attaches to a climbing triangle, creating a harmonious environment for both active play and creative activities. For older children preparing for school or attending elementary school, the Kids' Tabletop Easel or the Double-Sided Tabletop Easel would be more suitable.

Interests

If your child loves drawing with markers and crayons more than chalk, a model with an acrylic surface would be the best choice. Conversely, for chalk drawing fans, look for easels specifically designed with a chalkboard surface. In the WoodandHearts collection, all models except the acrylic surface one are ideal for chalk drawing.

Additional Features

Each WoodandHearts model has its own functional advantages and unique features, offering various solutions for different needs. For example, if compact storage is a priority, a double-sided easel that folds easily makes an excellent gift for a toddler. The Kids Tabletop Easel, on the other hand, is a great option for children who are seriously interested in drawing and want a versatile tool for all their artistic needs.

A Delight for Kids (and Adults Too!)

Here’s the good news – no matter which easel you choose from the WoodandHearts collection, your child will be thrilled. There’s even a chance that with such an inspiring tool, you’ll want to draw too (make sure to take advantage of that!).

So, select from our exceptional easels and let your kids express their artistic talents in a controlled environment. And don’t hesitate to join in on the fun – even if your creations aren’t perfect, the key is enjoying the creative process together.

Explore the full range of easels at WoodandHearts – our collection has everything you need!