11 Best Art Easels For Kids To Nurture Their Creative Side In 2022

A child’s creative side is boundless and the only problem they face is finding ways to express themselves. Luckily, an art easel for kids easily gets rid of this problem.

Given a child’s limited ways of expression and education about many other mediums, art is the best gateway to help tap into their latent creative talents. An art easel for kids easily helps to facilitate just that.

It doesn’t have to necessarily be anything fancy like you’d expect from an actual kit.

Any surface can serve as a proper outlet for them to display their imagination at work – while keeping your walls safe from crayons!

Usually, the go-tos are magnetic whiteboards with dry erase markers, or a simple chalkboard with some chalk and a sponge.

That, or just your standard easel with blank sheets of paper, some art supplies, a pencil, and an eraser.

The choice is surprisingly diverse, so you’re sure to find a specific one that caters to your child’s needs the best.

But, because there are so many of them on the market, it’s only natural that some of them aren’t as good as others.

A few years ago when my little one was getting into drawing and colors, I did my fair share of researching and shopping around.

I wanted to help her explore her creative side, so I decided to find out what the best art easel for kids really was.

Times and product offerings have changed somewhat, but the essence is the same. After all, art is timeless!

Here are the latest art easels that will give your little one endless hours of creative fun.

The 11 Best Art Easels For Kids

1. Delta Children Wooden Double-Sided Kids Easel with Storage

Starting off, we have a lovely set of easels, each of them themed differently, depending on your child’s preferences.

Offering anything from Frozen and Minnie Mouse themes for the girls, all the way to Mickey Mouse and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles designs for your son.

But, the style isn’t all this easel has going for it. It’s also one that provides you with the quality you’d expect from one in the first place.

One that’ll be able to stand the test of time and any artistic tantrums your little one may lay down on it.

This is all thanks to its high-quality wood construction, providing a sturdy frame.

This beautiful, double-sided easel serves as a chalkboard on one side while the other is a magnetic dry-erase board.

It’s an ideal easel for two kids or as a multifunctional option for your 3-year-old solo artist to flex his powers of imagination through various mediums.

It even comes with some extra magnets, free of charge, that your child can use to his advantage in enriching his works of art.

But that’s not all. The entire set also comes with two large fabric bins to store all of your child’s art supplies and more, helping keep his art studio nice and tidy with the added storage space.

And, as with any other product that I recommend, it meets and exceeds all safety regulations set by the CPSC.

It doesn’t take up much space either, so it can just be set aside and presented again when your little one feels the artistic itch.

Not to mention that it comes at a rather affordable price on Amazon too and is one of the items that fall under Amazon’s Choice recommendations.

Pros:

• A choice of lovely themes

• Double-sided

• High-quality wood frame

• Large storage

• Comes with magnets

• Meets standard safety regulations

2. Little Partners 2-Sided A-Frame Art Easel

Next, we have an option that’s a bit pricier, but well worth every penny.

The Little Partners Deluxe easel is constructed out of high-quality pine, making for a very sturdy build that won’t break from a few accidental bumps or drops.

It’s also double-sided – one side is a chalkboard while the other a magnetic dry-erase board.

But it also has a spot at the top for a dispensable paper roll (do note that it only accepts paper rolls of up to 17.5″ in size). So new sheets can be placed on the dry erase side, providing an extra option for your child to express himself.

And don’t worry, the easel already comes with paper clips that hold the sheets in place, allowing your child’s work to go by uninterrupted.

But that’s not the only extra bells and whistles. The easel also comes with 4 paint cups with added slots for them.

This helps to prevent any nasty messes and keep your child artist’s workspace nice and tidy.

Plus, you won’t have to spend hours scrubbing paint off the playroom carpet.

On top of that, the bottom houses two large fabric bins for all your child’s storage needs, whether it’s art supplies, toys , or even an afternoon snack.

And, there’s also a neat shelf above the bins for just that little bit extra that might be necessary.

The Little Partners easel comes in a variety of colors, allowing you to further personalize the look of your little one’s art station.

Finally, if you buy off the LittlePartners retailer from Amazon, you get a 100% satisfaction guarantee, meaning that they’ll gladly replace your product if you’re dissatisfied with it and you won’t feel like you’ve made a bad investment.

The only downsides about this easel are that it requires initial assembly and it’s not easy to store away. But outside of that, it’s a wonder of a child’s art workstation.

Pros:

• Made out of high-quality pine wood

• Double-sided

• Paper roll holder

• Comes with paper clips and paint cups

• Large storage

Cons:

• Requires assembly

• Takes up space

3. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Art Easel

And here we have a tried and true favorite for all toys, not just standing easels: Melissa & Doug.

While their easel may seem simple at first glance, it’s still highly functional, with a dual-sided setup that has a chalkboard on one and a dry-erase board on the other.

It’s also because of that simplistic design that the Melissa & Doug easel has an edge over many others. This is all thanks to its easy to assemble and fold construction that allows for optimal space storage and setup times.

This way, there’s minimal risk of pushing the easel over.

And, should your child ever get bored of it, it won’t be in the way of his next activity of interest.

Not only that, but this easel also comes with adjustable height, allowing it to grow with your kid and not becoming obsolete the moment he hits a growth spurt.

Melissa & Doug art easel for kids is made out of sturdy wood as well, ensuring that it stays put and doesn’t break as easily as a plastic one would. (Plus it’s much easier to fix if it does, compared to the latter.)

You’ll also find that, much like some of the other easels, this one encourages the proper development of your child’s fine motor skills by helping him practice his drawing skills and writing his first words in a comfortable fashion.

As for the additional bits and bobs, the easel comes with a locking paper roll holder that houses up to the standard 17.5″ paper roll measurement, and a child-safe paper cutter.

Then there’s also a plastic tray on each side to hold all the art supplies and 4 paper clips to keep the paper in place.

And, as with any other Melissa & Doug product, this easel is protected under their 100% happiness guarantee policy, where they’ll always try their best to satisfy your child’s needs so you never regret your purchases.

This easel encompasses everything you’d want in one for your kids. The only downside is the smaller amount of storage space compared to some of the others on this list.

But, that can easily be fixed by getting a storage bin independent from the set.

Pros:

• Double-sided

• High-quality wooden frame

• Paper roll holder

• 100% happiness guarantee

• Adjustable height

• Easy to store and doesn’t take up much space

Cons:

• Less storage space than competitors

4. KidKraft 62043.0 Storage Easel – Espresso

Another one on my list is the KidKraft storage easel.

This one looks and feels like the easel of a professional artist with its sturdy wood construction and fine colors.

The easel is double-sided with dry-erase and chalkboard sides. It also features three large plastic storage bins to help keep everything your child needs in them.

You can use them as a neat color-coded storage system as well, teaching your child how to separate his tools as a simple yet fun exercise.

Speaking of color, the easel comes in a pleasant espresso wood finish that fits in with the atmosphere of nearly any playroom.

It also includes a paper roll holder on the top that houses the standard-sized paper roll dispensers (17.5″) and 3 spill-proof and resealable paint cups to minimize mess during lively art sessions.

It’s another one of Amazon’s finest products listed in their Amazon’s Choice” category, ensuring the highest of quality purchases and making sure you get all your money’s worth.

The one downside, despite the very detailed instructions, is that it’s an assembly-based art easel for kids, meaning that storing it away may be rather difficult and/or time-consuming.

This means you’re likely going to need a dedicated art corner for it or spend a good 15-30 minutes reassembling it every time.

Pros:

• Double-sided

• Sturdy wood construction

• Massive storage bins

• Lovely color

• Paper roll holder

Cons:

• Assembly takes time

• Takes up a lot of space

5. Hape All-in-One Wooden Kid’s Art Easel

It seems like simplicity is the way to go for kids. As entertaining as all the bells and whistles can be, Hape’s easel gives us the most commonly found features in an easy-to-set-up package.

It’s double-sided, lightweight, and has an adjustable height, making it a worthy purchase off those factors alone.

Not to mention that the frame is constructed out of high-quality wood, beating any plastic art easels on the market by default.

And that’s not just due to material alone, but rather because the wood is sourced from FSC managed forests, providing that added seal of quality.

The two easel sides are a chalkboard and a dry-erase whiteboard, together with magnets that your kid can use to either make some neat magnet art or as paper holders.

Speaking of paper, the easel also has a paper roll holder at the top that can hold up to the standard-sized paper rolls in place of 17.5″.

It also comes paired with a plastic tray to help keep all your child’s art supplies in place, as well as three spill-proof paint cups.

The only downside is the lack of any larger and potentially foldable fabric storage bins, but, much like before, that can easily be fixed by purchasing one independently or making one yourself.

Pros:

• Double-sided

• Adjustable height

• High-quality wood frame

• Comes with paper roll holder and paint cups

Cons:

• Low storage capability

6. TOP BRIGHT Wooden Art Easel for Kids

If you’re looking for quality and affordability in one, then Top Bright’s wooden art easel for kids might be exactly what you’re looking for.

It’s a large, double-sided easel made out of high-quality wood. One that grows with your mini-Picasso thanks to its adjustable height and is meant for kids between 2 and 6 years old.

The two sides are a blackboard and whiteboard respectively, though this time both are magnetized, allowing children on both ends to have some fun with magnets.

This way, the kid at the chalkboard is going to have some more options outside of chalk alone.

The top also houses a detachable paper roll holder so it doesn’t have to lie around somewhere and get all messy.

And, unlike any other on this list so far, the easel comes with non-slip foot covers.

This way, your nice and polished wooden floors stay unscratched and the easel remains in place during even the most intense of painting hours.

The plastic tray in-between is rather simple and, while it serves its purpose of storage, it lacks the capacity some of the other ones with the multiple storage bins have.

Nevertheless, this easel still comes in as one of the top contenders due to its child-safe design, equal potential fun on both sides, and ability to grow along with your kids.

This way, you don’t have to replace it too quickly.

And, the people over at TOP BRIGHT also carry a 100% happiness guarantee where they won’t rest until your child is satisfied with the purchase you’ve made for him.

Pros:

• Double-sided

• Sturdy wooden frame

• Height is adjustable

• Non-slip foot covers

• Paper roll holder

Cons:

• Low initial storage capacity

7. Melissa & Doug Double-Sided Tabletop Easel

To change things up a bit, here’s a more portable version of an easel for your kids to enjoy from the lovely people over at Melissa & Doug’s.

This double-sided easel is much easier to store as its rotating stand is the only moving piece of the whole thing to be able to access both sides.

It’s made out of high-quality wood to make it durable and features a magnetic whiteboard on one side and a chalkboard on the other. It also has a built-in, 50-ft paper roll that comes with the purchase.

Not only that, but the easel also includes a dry-erase marker, colored chalk, 36 colored letter and number magnets, and an eraser. So no extra incurred costs.

If anything, the only downside this time around is the complete lack of any storage space that was sacrificed for the added portability.

But you can simply think of this as a more lightweight option, one that won’t take up too much space and allows your child to doodle anywhere in the house.

And, as with any other Melissa & Doug product, you get that 100% happiness guarantee I’ve talked about already.

This means you’ll always have a happy child when doing business with them, no matter what.

Pros:

• Portable

• Double-sided

• Doesn’t take up much space

• Sturdy wooden frame

• 100% happiness guarantee

• Paper roll included with the easel

• Extra magnets, marker, chalk, and eraser

Cons:

• No storage space of its own

8. STEAM Life 4-in-1 Magnetic Board Art Easel for Kids

Next on the list is STEAM Life’s budget option of a 4-in-1 art easel for kids. But don’t let the word budget fool you, it still remains a quality product with as many features as the other easels.

The reason it’s a budget item in the first place is due to the difference in construction. You see, unlike the other wooden ones, this easel has a plastic frame.

While that does sacrifice some durability, it makes up for it in lack of weight and easier assembly.

It does come in parts, but they’re rather easy to put together and disassemble for storage when needed (just make sure you don’t lose any of them!)

The board itself is two-sided, though both sides aren’t accessible at the same time.

That said, it’s very easy to flip around and adjust positions either horizontally or vertically, depending on preference.

And you also get a set of magnetic numbers and letters with your purchase, as well as crayons and an eraser.

It houses a small plastic tray to keep all the art supplies in one place too.

The STEAM Life easel is an ideal starting point for getting your kids into art because it doesn’t cost as much as the others.

This means that you won’t regret it if your little one suddenly loses interest in it nor will it take up much space.

And bonus points for its 12-month guarantee, so even if it breaks or comes damaged, it’ll get replaced without incurring any extra costs.

Pros:

• Affordable

• Easy-to-assemble

• Double-sided

• Good starter easel

• Doesn’t take up much space

• 12-month satisfaction guarantee

Cons:

• Plastic construction

• Low storage capacity

9. Magicfun Kids Double-Sided Easel

As far as child-safe options are concerned, Magicfun’s art easel for kids has no equal.

That’s because all of the materials they source to make the easel are 100% non-toxic for kids. That means no odors or added chemicals.

Not to mention that the included chalks are the fancy, anti-dust ones, keeping your child away from any nasty chalk dust and making less of a mess overall.

They aren’t the only items that come along with the purchase. You’ll also get a set of magnetic letters and numbers, as well as a ruler and some coloring pens.

And, as with every entry thus far, the easel is double-sided with a blackboard on one end and a magnetic dry-erase board on the other to provide variety and allow two kids to use it at the same time.

The top of the easel also has a paper roll holder fitted with a standard-sized roll of paper, which can be set in place with some of the magnets.

And the bottom end has two large fabric storage bins for any and all items your child deems necessary for his art projects.

The easel is also height-adjustable, growing with your kids and allowing for extended use past the first year.

Pros:

• Sturdy wood construction

• 100% non-toxic materials

• Anti-dust chalks (included)

• Magnetic letters, coloring pens, and a ruler (included)

• Double-sided

• Large storage capacity

• Paper roll holder

• Height-adjustable

10. Arkmiido Kids Easel

Arkmiido’s easel is the definition of the “bang for your buck” purchase. It comes with a lot of additional items to keep art entertaining for your kids, with well over 80+ magnetic numbers and letters, a box of anti-dust chalk, an eraser, and 4 markers to go with it.

The kit also features 6 stickers to further decorate the sturdy wooden construction, as well as 6 magnetic buckles to keep the paper from the paper roll at the top in place when drawing.

The easel has an adjustable height, growing with the child up to the average height of a 6-year-old.

The set also comes with 3 colorful storage bags right below the canvas to keep the relevant art supplies on-hand at all times, as well as 2 large fabric storage bins at the bottom for the rest of the supplies and anything else that comes to mind.

Personally, I find that the color choices of the easel are quite soothing to the eye, resembling a warm, earthy garden – a lovely addition to the playroom.

The feet also come with floor stoppers that prevent the wooden edges from getting damaged and from scuffing floors underneath.

Pros:

• Double-sided

• Sturdy wood construction

• 81 magnetic numbers and letters, 4 markers, anti-dust chalk, and eraser (included)

• Height-adjustable

• Massive storage capacity

• Pleasing earthy colors

• Floor stoppers to prevent floor damage

11. Step2 Great Creations Art Center

And finally, we have Step 2 easel and art center.

I left it for last due to its rather large construction that might not be for everyone, but it’s still worth taking a look at.

Made more for hours of fun, this massive double-sided easel allows up to 3 kids to comfortably use it.

And that’s not just due to the size alone, but the great number of small storage bins and a drawing table that helps keep each child’s supplies separate without having to move into the other’s workspace.

One side is a blackboard while the other is a dry-erase whiteboard with art clips at the top that allows it to function like a noticeboard to display your little artist’s masterpieces.

Think of it as a pseudo art gallery for kids.

While a rather neat kit, it is unfortunately made of plastic, which might end up getting damaged. Also, the sheer size of its parts could pose a problem to those with limited room.

It doesn’t allow for too much portability and it can take up a bit of space, but it’s a must-have for any larger, art-oriented families.

Pros:

• Double-sided

• Can be used comfortably by up to 3 kids

• Massive storage capacity

• Comes with art-clips

Cons:

• Plastic construction

• Takes up a lot of space

What You Should Look Out For When Picking The Ideal Easel

Figuring out exactly what fits your child might be a lengthy process of trial and error.

Thankfully, you can still control some other aspects to make it an appealing product to your child regardless:

1. Sturdiness

The main issue any artist has with an easel is just how sturdy it is.

Sure, your child might not care that he makes a mistake because the easel shifted, but he’ll certainly care if it breaks just because it falls over once or twice.

This is usually the problem for a lot of low-quality easels on the market, especially those made from low-grade plastic.

What you should be looking for is one that’s made out of sturdy, high-quality wood that won’t break easily and can support its own weight and then some.

An added benefit as well is if the easel includes some foot pads for traction against polished floors and other surfaces.

But, you can easily get those yourself for cheap from any hardware store.

2. Portability

Another important aspect of an easel that you may not have considered is just how portable it is.

Art easels for kids should preferably not be large and cumbersome. They need to be somewhat light and easy to set up, while still adhering to the other standards in this list.

Some easels even come in parts that can be assembled, though those are only preferred if you don’t mind putting it back together every time your child wants to paint.

However, there are ones that are simply collapsible that can be set back up rather easily and won’t take up much storage space. Nor will you lose any parts as you may with an assembled model.

I personally opted for the latter to be extra safe, but it’s mostly just personal preference.

3. Functionality

Kids these days don’t really want an easel that’s just bland and boring.

They want something with many different features and functions that they can toy around with and that keeps their attention for longer.

Plus, the more they entertain themselves with the easel, the more justified your purchase is going to be as well.

That’s why it’s important to get one that has enough bells and whistles on it to remain one of your child’s favorite pastimes.

The more easel features there are that your little ones can mess around with, the better it is. That’s why it’s key to find a multifunctional painting easel.

This is where regular chalkboard ones sometimes fall flat and where whiteboard ones shine especially if they’re a magnetic dry erase board.

Not only can they be drawn and painted on, but they’ll usually come with sets of magnetic letters among other art materials for your kids to further personalize their works of art.

Of course, as you can see in this list, it’s even better if they’re dual-sided.

4. Cleanliness

This one isn’t as much for your little artists as it is for you, but a good easel should aim to leave as little of a mess as it possibly can.

This is why easels focusing on dry erase markers and basic art supplies are much better than those that focus on chalk.

And that’s because chalk creates dust when it’s wiped off, which isn’t exactly the healthiest thing for your child to be breathing in.

Should you prefer the chalk option, check if dust-free chalk is included in the package.

When art supplies come into play, there are some precautions that need to be taken there too.

Namely, the easel should preferably have secure slots for paint cups so they don’t accidentally spill over and make a mess on the floor or, worse yet, the carpet.

5. Storage capacity

It’s important for an easel to be able to store lots of your budding artist’s stuff. From their crayons, markers, watercolors, and the like, to even a stray toy or two.

That’s why it’s best to avoid easels that leave little space for your kids to put their art supplies in after they’re finished, or ones that do have it but in a place that isn’t easy for them to reach.

Rather aim for ones with big and accessible storage bins and storage trays for your kids to pack all of their stuff in.

This way, they don’t have to get side-tracked in their artistic endeavors with a menial task.

6. Price

As always, the price is a factor when shopping.

You’ll find that most art easels for kids will usually be at an acceptable price, but sometimes you might land on one that’s way over your allotted budget.

Keep an eye out for the price tag and see if the features justify the dollar signs, otherwise skip it.

There are plenty of other options that are going to tick all of the boxes here, believe me.

7. Height adjustability

It’s silly to say that your kids’ toys should grow with him, but in the case of a painting easel, that’s actually possible and should be something to look out for in one.

Otherwise, you might find that the child simply grows disinterested in both the easel and the hobby in general because it’s proving cumbersome for him to draw on his current one.

Either that or you’re going to have to resort to buying a new one every year or so. And that’ll just put an unnecessary dent in your wallet.

8. Extras

Some easels don’t come with the art supplies ready. While that’s not a deal-breaker, you might want to consider if the price is worth it if there are no extras there.

Mind you, this mostly has to do with some paints having an expiration date. But sometimes it just isn’t part of the package.

Luckily, most painting easels these days come fully stocked with fresh paper rolls and paper roll holders, paints, paint brushes, erasers, chalks, and sponges already.

In Conclusion

An art easel for kids is a great gateway for your child to express himself and tap into his inner Picasso.

It’s a tool that allows him to show things he might not be able to form into words quite yet, or simply make him happy by allowing him to paint something that he likes.

A good art easel for kids helps your little one learn about both shapes and colors, as well as refine his fine motor skills on top of the more liberating, artistic movements

Luckily, there are many out there on the market for you to choose from, each catering to specific preferences and styles.

Some are even multifunctional to help keep your kid stay interested for longer.

So make sure to see what way of artistic expression interests your child the most and get them an easel that helps best enable that.

READ NEXT: 6 Fun and Easy Paper Crafts For Kids To Keep Them Busy All Day

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