Learn from my personal experience and save yourself frustration and disappointment in selecting the best easel for your toddler!
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Quick list of best easels for toddlers:
- Step2 All Around Easel for Two, Red/Yellow/Tan
- Step2 Easel for Two | Kids Double-Sided Art Easel with Magnetic Letters & Numbers | 94-Pc Accessory Set Included
- TOP BRIGHT Wooden Art Easel for Kids,Toddler Easel Adjustable with Paper Roll
- Wooden Art Easel Children Easel with Magnetic Chalkboard Kids Black/White Board Easel with Paper Roll Numbers Other Accessories for Kids, Toddlers
- LINAZI Easel for Kids Double Sided Magnetic Drawing Board for Toddlers, Magnetic Chalk Board & Dry Erase Board, Height Adjustable, Wooden Art Easel with Storage Trays and Accessories
Even the youngest child just beginning to explore the world around him can experience the joy of making marks and doing things by themselves. A proper easel can help provide that crucial non-digital hands-on learning opportunity for your toddler that will enrich his or her life!
What you may not know is that learning to draw or scribble using full arm movements and eye-hand coordination while standing is super beneficial to development physically and intellectually. Talk about multi-tasking!
But, let’s face it. Toddlers have the attention span of a nanosecond. They are learning and growing at light speed and what works now, won’t be interesting to them in a few years. For now above all, what you need is an easy art station dedicated to their “leaving babyhood behind” years that won’t break the bank, become a tripping hazard or take up valuable ‘toddling around’ square footage in your house. In addition, it should be low enough to the ground that the art surface is at their eye level and is not easy to topple over.
I didn’t consider showing you easels on the super low price point spectrum because frankly, I’m not impressed with the quality and in some cases, the safety of those products. Likewise, I won’t list the top of the line easels for toddlers because it most likely is not necessary to go to the super high price point at this stage of their lives. You may wish to save that for their young childhood years where an investment in great quality will reap a decade or more of use. Be sure to check out our article on Best Easel For Kids. It focuses on the features and insider tips you’ll need to make the best choice for your older child!
If you are interested in an easel that will grow with your child, I have recommendations for that too, so read on!
Lastly, I really didn’t include easels for liquid paints. The last thing I needed when I had a house full of littles was toddlers walking around the house with paints or indelible markers! For these youngest years, a real lifesaver is having a setup that is easy cleanup and has supplies geared to their age group that hopefully will need light supervision and have minimal consequences for oopsies on your living room furniture.
Here’s my best recommendation for toddler easels:
You’ll need something that they can reach easily. So many of the toddler appropriate easels have large trays or table surfaces that their little arms can’t reach around well. You also need something that is not going to catch their feet easily as they stumble (walk) around.
It should have a surface that is big enough to create on. (One of the leading manufacturers has a toddler easel with such a small surface, it’s just the size of a piece of computer paper. Not so good, in my opinion. ) They need to use BIG arm movement, not minute detail work!
My number one choice and top rated:
1. Step2 All Around Easel for Two, Red/Yellow/Tan
- Two sided for two kids, but a small footprint for less bulk
- Great price point
- Two side trays and one larger tray for supply storage
- Chalk board on one side and magnetic dry erase on the other side
2. Step2 Easel for Two | Kids Double-Sided Art Easel with Magnetic Letters & Numbers | 94-Pc Accessory Set Included
- Chalk board on one side and magnetic dry erase on the other
- Super easy fold up for storage
- Useful for two kids at the same time
3. TOP BRIGHT Wooden Art Easel for Kids,Toddler Easel Adjustable with Paper Roll
- Adjustable height and appropriate to age 6
- Paper roll holder on the top
- Large table tray below
- Non-slip leg cover tips
- Cup holder holes, but man, I wouldn’t give paint to toddlers!
- More grown-up appearance
4. Wooden Art Easel Children Easel with Magnetic Chalkboard Kids Black/White Board Easel with Paper Roll Numbers Other Accessories for Kids,Toddlers
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t recommend an easel for toddlers that would also work for older kids, but this fully adjustable easel lowers right down to near the floor so that little guys can sit or stand and use the easel and not topple the easel over when they lose their balance, or trip over the legs.
- Two-sided for two kids
- Stable
- Versatile for older ages as well
- Paper roll holder
- Storage shelf capable for older kids height
- Good quality wood and no plastic parts!
5. LINAZI Easel for Kids .Double Sided Magnetic Drawing Boardl for Toddlers,Magnetic Chalk Board & Dry Erase Board,Height Adjustable,Wooden Art Easel with Storage Trays and Accessories
- Two sided for two kids
- Adjustable down to the floor for toddlers
- Accessory tray to hold all their supplies
- Bonus supplies and magnetic numbers
Must have supplies
KUUQA Childrens Kids Toddler Waterproof Play Apron Art Smock with 3 Roomy Pockets – Painting, Baking, Feeding Smock (Paints and Brushes not Included)
If you are feeling very adventurous with letting your child try paints (and don’t mind an epic clean up and bath later) these toddler-friendly paintbrushes are super easy to hold:
US Art Supply 6 Piece Jumbo Children’s Tempera Artist Paint Brushes with Easy to Hold Stubby Handles
Glokers Washable Dot Markers for Kids, Toddlers and Preschoolers. (6 Colors) Washable, Non-Toxic. Children Easy-Grip
Here’s a small alternative to an easel if I scared you off of wanting an easel or you need something to take on the road!
Snailrun Magnetic Doodle Board Drawing Tablet Educational Kid Toys for 1-3 Year
In conclusion, the right easel for your toddler is an important investment in your child’s development and life experiences and one that will bring him or her many hours of learning and creativity!