Best Easel For Toddlers Of 2020

Toddlers are amazing fun for parents because they’re so inquisitive and creative. They’re at an age where they’re able to use their limbs and their senses to explore the world, and that’s exactly what they intend to do! But lo betide the parent who doesn’t provide that child with adequate stimulation: the devil makes work for idle hands indeed! 

An easel provides an opportunity for toddlers to learn in a way that is creative and that stimulates multiple senses. It’s perfect for developing minds, and a fun way to keep them entertained. And so in this post, we’re going to find the best easel for toddlers.

What Makes the Best Easel for Toddlers?

Investing in an easel is a brilliant choice for parents. Kids love to be creative and by giving them a blank canvas, you get to stimulate their imaginations. Not only that, but it also reduces the likelihood of your wallpaper becoming that canvas!

More to the point, drawing is a fantastic activity

As any parent knows, what starts out as a great idea for entertaining the kids can quickly go awry if the manufacturer hasn’t thought the design through properly. Too often, we find ourselves testing products that strongly suggest the designer has never had kids of their own!

An easel is all fun and games until it gets knocked over, spilling ink everywhere (or paint if you’re brave enough), and potentially pinning your tot underneath. Likewise, it won’t give you much of a break if you’re the person who has to clear the canvas every time they want to start again!

Other important considerations are the use of toxic ingredients or small parts. In short, the right easel will be easy and safe to use and will provide hours of entertainment with its versatility. Here are a few points to keep in mind when making a choice:

Age Range

What age is the device marketed as being suitable for? Some easels won’t be appropriate for children below a certain age (often three), due to the inclusion of small parts, or potentially harmful substances. A little parent-discretion is fine, but make sure that you have checked the guidance before you go ahead.

Adjustable Height

Another factor that will impact on age-suitability is height. If the height is adjustable, then you’ll be able to use the easel for much longer before your child starts having to stoop. Replacing toys and gadgets every couple of months can get extremely expensive for young parents, so make sure you’ll get plenty of use out of it if you’re going to splash out on a big purchase like an easel.

Storage

After about three months of being a parent, I remember looking at my living room and thinking it resembled a messy kindergarten painting class. Kids’ toys are big and bulky, and very few people have the space to store them while keeping them to hand. That’s why it’s extremely useful if an easel is able to collapse for easy storage.

Mess

Need I say more? Toddlers are not exactly known for being the cleanest of creatures, and giving them buckets of paint is basically asking for your home to be redecorated. Think about the practicality of the medium, and whether it will lend itself to clean play.

For example, an easel that uses magnets is going to make less mess than one that uses pens. If it does use pens, then are they machine washable?

Ease of Operation

As I alluded to earlier, it’s always good to look for an easel that your child can play with on their own – without constant supervision from an adult. This not only gives you a little more peace but also empowers them to feel capable and independent. Everyone wins! What you don’t want is an easel that is prone to falling over, or that has lots of complex moving parts.

Longevity

Multiple factors will influence longevity. Height is one, as we’ve already discussed. But also important is whether or not the drawing supplies can be renewed, and how durable the design is.

Versatility and Features

Finally, think about how much you can do with the easel. Some easels, for instance, will allow play for two children at once, which means that you can entertain a friend or relative. It’s ideal for siblings too! Others will include more than one type of medium, or multiple accessories to create different activities and games.

Other features you might look for might include things such as organization for the pens and supplies, or a carry case for easy transporting.

Top Five Best Easel For Toddlers:

Without further ado, here are five of the best easels available right now.

TOP BRIGHT Wooden Art Easel

The Top Bright Wooden Art Easel is a toy that ticks a lot of the boxes we’re looking for. It has an adjustable height and can extend from 38 inches to 44 – making it suitable for children between 2-6 years old. It works using a range of different accessories too, and includes everything from a whiteboard pen, to magnet stickers (only two), and chalk. It’s highly versatile in this sense and allows for at least three different types of play.

The Top Bright can be used by two children simultaneously, and the design is ‘anti-pinch’ to ensure there are zero accidents. There are a couple of extra features you can find on other toys, but on the whole, this is one of the most well-rounded and comprehensive children’s easels on the market.

PROS

• checkEasy storage
• checkHeight adjustable
• checkLots of modes and accessories

CONS

• exclamation-triangleMissing some features seen on easels for older children

Step2 Easel For Two with Bonus Magnetic Letters/Numbers

Another Easel with multiple ways to get creative. This one offers a chalkboard on one side and a dry erase board on the other. It also takes magnets, and 94 magnetic letters and numbers. There’s a paperclip up top too, so children can draw using a pen and paper. The two sides mean that more than one child can play at a time, too.

This chalkboard is one of the most affordable and also one of the easiest to store thanks to its diminutive stature and folding action. The drawback of this design, however, is that it doesn’t extend in height, meaning that children will outgrow it more quickly.

PROS

• checkEasy storage
• Suitable for two children
• Lots of modes and accessories

CONS

• exclamation-triangleMissing some features seen on easels for older children
• Not height extendable

Step 2 All Around Easel for Two, Red/Yellow/Tan

This is a very similar offering from the same company, that once again includes two sides, a clipboard, and a 94 piece foam letter and symbol set. This model does not collapse, however, and still doesn’t extend in height. It’s also missing the dry erase function.

This is still a simple and affordable toddler’s easel, and it’s still very well made – hence its inclusion on this list. It’s just not quite as good as the previous option and isn’t significantly more affordable either. With those factors in mind, it becomes apparent that this isn’t the best value overall.

PROS

• checkRange of modes and accessories
• Light and easy to use
• Affordable

CONS

• exclamation-triangleMissing some features seen on more expensive models
• Not as good value as other options
• Doesn’t fold

Amagoing Magnetic Easel for Kids

If it’s multi-functionality that you’re interested in, then the Amagoing Magnetic Easel is likely going to be one of the most appealing options. This is a multi-use easel that comes with a chalkboard, a dry erase board, 2 paper clips for holding paper, and is also magnetic.

The easel also does a lot of other things really well. It has an adjustable height for instance, which goes from 32.28 inches to 42.12. It also tips to different angles, making it easy to use standing up or sitting down. It’s suitable for two children playing at once, and the canvas can be removed and used separately. The organizer is also very comprehensive.

This easel is made from a high quality and light ABS plastic and has been designed to prevent scratches and accidents.

The only notable drawback of this option is that the small parts make it unsuitable for children under 3 years old. If you have a two year old tot, you’ll need to keep looking.

PROS

• checkEasy storage
• Height adjustable
• Comprehensive list of modes and accessories

CONS

• exclamation-triangleNot suitable for younger children

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

The last easel on this list is a more professional looking affair thanks to its wooden frame. This makes it less safe for children under 3 years, but on the plus side also means that it will provide years of fun (the manufacturer suggests up to 8 years). The wood is environmentally friendly too, which is a great perk.

Otherwise, this board has a lot going for it. It has a refillable paper roll, an erasable chalkboard, adjustable height, accessories, a magnetic whiteboard, and more. There’s also another handy organizer included, and the whole thing folds away flat.

PROS

• checkMore options for older children
• Refillable paper roll
• Environmentally friendly design

CONS

• exclamation-triangleWooden construction less suitable for younger children

Conclusion

The best easel for toddlers all-round then is the Top Bright that we looked at first. This model not only comes with the most features but is suitable for the broadest age range. That said, if your children are a little older, then either the Hape or the Amagoing has the potential to offer more creative opportunities.

The Top Bright is versatile with multiple different play styles. It’s suitable from the age of two, and it can be easily stored. Truly a worthy winner – though in fairness, any of these products will more than cater to your needs.