Friends constantly ask me what art materials are worth buying for their children. Here are 3 inexpensive, simple art supplies that your one, two, and three year olds are sure to love to use and explore with.
Perfect for birthday or new big brother / big sister gifts!
1st Birthday
Crayola Color Wonder markers are my go to. Children will continue to love this product for many years but I swear by a pack of these markers and book of blank color wonder papers as a first birthday gift.
Most people assume crayons are the first thing to use with children when it comes to coloring. I prefer these markers for a few reasons. The number one being that they are clear until the ink draws on the paper, so when my child undoubtedly puts this in their mouth they won’t be eating or covered in blue or purple. Both of my kids loved to practice putting the caps on too which was great OT practice. When you misplace the cover, the markers actually do not dry out right away. They can often last a day or two uncapped.
*Most Color Wonder coloring pages have coloring book cartoons printed on them. Make sure you read the item details carefully if you are looking for blank pages.
2nd Birthday!
Stacking, finger crayons are great for gripping and scribbling with. Little ones also love clicking and unclicking into and out of a stack. Bonus, these are great for restaurants or on the go. Just stack a few together and toss in your purse.
3rd Birthday
Do A Dot Art markers are fantastic. My almost two year old loves to use these too, and so do older kids, but age 3 is ideal. These are like Bingo markers. They are markers that stamp circles. Don’t worry or push the kids to make actual “pictures” out of the dots. They love to experiment with these simple stampers, and my daughter loves to cover entire papers with as many dots as she can fill it with.
I’ve gotten lucky and even found these marked down at TJ Maxx. Be careful though – some boxes are scented. If you miss the days of smelly Mr. Sketch markers then you will love it but if you’ve got a sensitive nose make sure you check the box and buy the unscented ones.
