Editorial Review

The Aquadoodle isn't a pool or tub toy, but without water it's no fun at all. It's just a drawing mat after all, but kids will like the novelty of its disappearing colors. The 81 by 53-inch drawing mat is large enough for several kids to doodle on at a time, using the included magic marker pens that do not transfer color to other surfaces (to our knowledge …). Color from the pens appears when water touches the mat; it then fades out without a trace in 60 seconds or so. That's it: no ink, no paint, and no mess.Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Lots of fun
My 2 year old loves his aquadoodle.He got the aquadoodle and some extra pens and the stamps.You need to order at least one extra pen so you can play with it with them.

Great for anywhere doodling
I recently saw this toy at a friends house. I had to get a 2 year birthday present and decided to buy this and buy one for my 3 year old and 14 month old. My 3 year had a great time during quiet time the other day and even figured out to wet her hands and feet and make prints. Today my 14 month old played with it while I premade some dinner. I like the fact that it doesn't write on anything else and my 14 month put the pen in his mouth but it is only water. It will be great on trips.We got the extra pens and stamps and that has been wonderful. Love it.

A hit for kids of various ages!!!!
This product is AWESOME!!!!My 2 year old son received this for Christmas.Since it only came with one pen, I bought the extra pens so he and my 4 year old daughter could play with it at the same time.They both love it and I don't have to worry about them fighting over who gets to play with it.It is big enough, they can both draw on it at the same time.
Yesterday, I also brought it with us while my daughter was in gymnastics.It folds up easily enough to take it places and I stuck the pens in the middle of it so they would not get lost.There are plenty of other kids that go there, so they are all sharing each others toys.It definitely was a hit as kids from 2 - 10 were down drawing on it with him.There was constantly 3 kids drawing on it at a time and they ended up filling up the mat by the end of the hour, so I just layed it out when I got home to complete drying.However, most of the time when it is just my son and daughter using it, any of their drawings dry fast enough that it DOES keep them entertained for quite a while.

... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Painting    3. Wacky   

Editorial Review

Just like any great artist, your little one should be preparedfor that moment when creative inspiration arrives. Featuring a largechalkboard on one side and a blank pad of paper on the other, thisDouble Easel will ensure that your pintsize Van Gogh can capture amoment of inspiration before it passes. The Double Easel is made ofdurable plastic and comes with wide trays on both sides for storing artsupplies (not included), as well as a large piece of chalk and aneraser (included). A large plastic clamp on one side of the easel holdsdown a 50-sheet pad of paper (included), and the two storage trays areremovable for easy cleanup. Designed for use by one or two children ata time, the Double Easel folds together for compact storage. Measures43.5 inches tall. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Great for your little artist!
We just got this easel for our 20 month old daughter and she LOVES it!!! It comes with a piece of chalk and a large writing tablet and didn't take too long to put together. I would definitly recommend this easel to any one with a child who loves to color.

grandkids activites
I took my grandkids to a play group and they had this item they had so much fun that I went to buy one.they keep busy with all the online pictures you can copy keeps them


I loved it!!!

Entertaining Easel
My 2 year old son recently received this easel as a birthday present.I put it together, and he has been using it ever since.Even at 2, he takes his artwork very serious and thoroughly enjoys it.He has fun using the chalkboard side; drawing and then erasing.On the paper side, he has fun with his Crayola crayons, washable, of course.He picks out a crayon, tells me what color it is, then hands it to me and I write the first letter of the name of the color so that he can start associating colors and letters.A great educational and fun item. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Art Supplies    3. Easels    4. Toddler    5. Activity   

Editorial Review

Design your own soccer ball with this simple kit. The kit includes a size five(regulation-size) all-weather soccer ball, a pump, a set of six paints (in red, blue, green,yellow, black, and white), a specially formulated paint medium to help the paints stick,and a couple of brushes. The process is simple: Pump up the ball and then paint the whitesections in any color scheme. The instructions suggest using team or school colors andpainting on names of friends or team members. Allow each part of the ball to dry for twoto four hours before rotating the ball to paint the next part. Once the entire ball is painted,another 36 hours of drying time is required to ensure that the paint adheres well. Theresult is a fun, personalized soccer ball that's perfect for practice games or familyoutings. --Elisabeth Fredrickson ... Read more

Features

• Kit includes synthetic leather ball, paints, brushes, pump, needle, and instruction sheet
• Hand-sewn soccer ball you paint and design
• Ball is all-weather and regulation size
• Paints are non-toxic
• Air dry paints adhere to ball surface

Reviews (16)

Surprise
I bought this for my niece two years ago and never thought about it or heard about it again.Recently, I went to her soccer game and while she was playing, her brothers were playing with this decorated ball.She had fun decorating it and they all love to play with it!!I was pleasantly surprised.

Cool Look, But won't Last
This seems like a lot of fun, but at the same time most people nowadays are looking for the new cool-looking Adidas or Nike. Plus it probably won't last very long because of the material.

Coming from a kid
Coming from a kid, I must say that this is a wonderful item to have. I got it for my birthday last year and I loved it. I played with all the time. I painted it my own way, and it tought me to be more creative. It looks still liked new, after a year of playing Traveling Soccer. I had my friends sign my soccer ball and now everyone wants to play with it! I love it and if your kid is sporty and has fun painting and stuff...getting this for your kid is a great idea. I loved getting this and so will you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Craft Kits    3. Painting    4. Painting Kits    5. Sports    6. Sports Equipment    7. Soccer   

Editorial Review

Re-create Mother Nature's beautiful designs on the wings of butterflies with this kit from Balitono. It includes 4-inch wooden butterflies that can be used as refrigerator magnets, hanging sculptures, window decorations, and toy treasures. The kit offers three butterflies, nontoxic acrylic paints in five colors, shiny varnish, and a paintbrush. Each figure also comes with a press-on magnet, hanging accessories, a suction cup (for window use), and a small gift tag. An easy-to-follow instruction sheet includes compelling facts about the nature of butterflies. Colorful illustrations on the box show a wide variety of butterflies young artists might like to paint. A coded diagram inside identifies each species by name. Children may want to give these items as gifts, use them to decorate their rooms, or simply use them in creative play. --Joan DeClaire ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Expensive
I felt this kit was expensive for the small amount of items that came with it. It is cute and beats having my kids sit in front of the television, [...] As a plus I must admit that my children (ages 9 and 7) enjoyed painting the butterflies and turning them into magnets. That is worth a few stars.

classic but fun!
My girls have received other Balitono kits before and theylove them, so I am always on the lookout for more styles.The best ones we had were the horses kit and some other jewelry box kits (not sure the exact names) but the painted things are on our girls' tables.

The butterflies kit is not as elaborate as the others we had but we had as much fun creating them.My 9 year old and 7 year old shared the kit and took the time painting them and making into magnets and ornaments.The butterflies are about 4 inches each, not large but there are 3 of them and i am impressed with the quality of the paints and paintbrush since i used to paint on canvas.on the pamphlet, it said the wooden butterflies are hand-carved and they have the details that are life-like.One improvement i would like to have is to have a glow-in-the-dark paint included.

Busy momof four with limited income
I was pretty disappointed when I open this toy. I have very little money to spend on four wonderful children, and this was to be a Christmas gift, but when I opened it and saw that there were only three littel wooden butterflies, one paint brush and only six primary colors of paint, I really felt like I had wasted my limited resources.

I wish I had taken the time to read ALL of the reviews before purchasing this product. At a lower price, like 3.99 or less, this would have been a great deal, well worth it. But not at $14.99 plus shipping. I will certainly be much more careful when choosing toys online that is for sure.

Fortunately for me, my children are very well-manored and very compassionate. It is the reason for holiday that makes them happy. NOT the quality or quantity of the gifts they get. God bless them all... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Painting Kits    3. Animals    4. Bugs    5. Butterflies    6. Painting    7. Learning    8. Activity    9. Craft Kits   

Editorial Review

With this well-designed, double-sided easel, preschoolers can enjoy the advantages of creative expression on an upright surface. The easel's frame is made from sturdy wood left in its natural state, with thick pressed board used as the bases for the art surfaces. One side of the easel has a 24-by-24-inch, green chalkboard, and the other side has a 24-by-24-inch, white dry-erase board.Two removable, washable trays are included to attach to the easel (one with molded spaces to hold paint jars and brushes). The easel requires simple assembly, but no tools are required and all bolts and plastic bolt covers are included. Some thoughtful design aspects include an adjustable height feature, a convenient, built-in paper towel holder, and two metal clips to attach paper for painting. Included in the set are some art supplies to get started: four large, no-spill paint jars, six small jars of poster paint, four paint brushes, a package of colored chalk, six dry-erase markers, a foam eraser. This set was a winner of the Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys Award, and it would be a winning addition to any playroom, family daycare home, or preschool. --Marcie Bovetz, mother and former children's librarian ... Read more

Features

• One side is a chalkboard, the other a dry-erase board
• Paint jars included
• 48" tall
• Double-sided easel

Reviews (11)

Not worth the money...get something more durable!
This easel was a gift from a relative.When they told me it was expensive, I had NO idea!This easel is definitely NOT worth the money.It is not very durable.The screws came out with little prodding as my children were using the easel to draw.Eventually, enough screws came out & got lost that it is no longer usable.

We also had a Little Tikes double easel that we love.We got the Little Tikes one about 3 months after receiving this one as a gift.This one is currently in a corner of our office unusable.The Little Tikes one gets regular use and is incredibly durable.

This easel is for an older child who won't use it on a regular basis...if that.

Also, the paints WILL stain carpet & will not come out even with a professional steam cleaning.I would throw them out when you receive this product and replace them with water-based paints!

So disappointed!
I loved the bright colors and simple design and thought this was going to be the BEST easel. Well, I was wrong!

1. Both of the trays broke within 3 months of having this easel.
2. My 2 yr old son figured out how to unscrew the plastic screws and then piece by piece he kept gradually taking it apart till we finally lost so many screws that the whole easel is useless.

What a waste of money!
I wish I had bought something less expensive and more durable.

Great item, but a very pricey
I expected the item to arrive with more supplies and some paper for first time use.My husband and I both agree that the item is well made, durable and the kids love it. The price was just too high, at [$$$] for the item plus shipping, because the item was heavy,this was a [$$$] purchase.Assembly was easy enough, except that the holes on the chalkboard were a little off and it took brute force the line the holes up for the bolt.All in all if I could have returned it without paying another [$$$] I probably would have and spent my [$$$] on art supplies alone.I hope this easel will last through all my children, that way maybe I'll feel justified in the price I paid. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Art Supplies    3. Easels    4. Activity   

Reviews (3)

Great product - but buy it in the store
I have a child who loves to draw, color, and paint millions of pictures and make papers with stuff stuck all over them.So many, that they're everywhere and a lof of them eventually find their way into the trash.This is a great product for this kind of situation.My kid was excited over the large size of the paper.There is enough paper to last a while.You don't have to have an easel to enjoy it.The only dissappointing thing about it was the cost of shipping it - it came in a way-oversized box by itself and made the overall cost to buy it too expensive.

Doesn't have to be just for easels...
Being a preschool teacher I use these all of the time. I have found that taking the sheets out individually clipping them to the easels clip to be the best way to work with them. Even if you don't have an easel these are wonderful for children of all ages. Large, unlined sheets of paper encourage children to be creative and to express themselves in a completely original way. For infants, toddlers, and preschoolers I will often tape the sheets to the table and let them color/paint/glue to their hearts delight.

Too Heavy
I bought this pad for my twins.They use it on their little tikes double easel.This pad is a little to heavy to stay underneath the clip.When they start drawing on it, it starts to slip down.However, easel pads are not easy to find in our area, so I will probably continue to buy these.They have lots of pages in each book and good quality paper for "little artists". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Art Supplies    3. Easels    4. Activity   

Reviews (10)

Extremely pleased
I bought this set for my son who loves to draw and paint.He absolutely loved this set.The colors are wonderful and the different types of pens, paints and crayons make drawing alot more fun for him.The case is sturdy and great so he doesn't lose anything.The price can't be better for everything you get.

Wonderful
I bought this set for my niece and nephew and they absolutely love it.The colors are great and the case makes it a cinch to store away.This set provides them with hours of fun.I recommend this to everyone.

Very Poor Quality Contents
I bought this for my 5 year old son who loves to draw. The crayons are cheap, compared to Crayola. We tested the 10 different reds searching for the correct "spiderman" red, but they all looked too pink, and pretty much the same color. Also really waxy. The oil crayons are terrible, totally waxy - no oil at all. Markers are OK (so far), but why provide two of each color with the same thin tip? They could have given a broad and thin tip marker in each color instead. The case does seem pretty sturdy, so worst case I'll replace the contents with better quality art supplies. I'm going to look around for something better... if I find it, this is going back to Toys R Us. Any ideas?? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts   

Reviews (5)

Another great toy from Melissa & Doug!
We've had this stamp set for a year now, and it is still being used constantly by my son and daughter, age 5 now, and my other son, 4 now.They do not get tired of this toy!When I try to de-clutter and rotate the toys, they always notice if it's missing.(Which is more that can be said for most of their other toys).Super price for this set, considering how much it's loved!

4-yr-old daughter really enjoys this stamp set
A few pieces of paper and this kit can entertain my 4-yr-old daughter for at least 30 minutes at a time. I was impressed by how much you get for your money with this kit - 16 stamps, two ink pads and eight colored pencils. She loves to make pictures and cards for friends and family. It's a good way to nurture creativity.

stamp set
My daughter who is almost five likes this. She has used stamps before and she thinks it is cool because it comes with pencils to color in the stamps. Good gift. creative gift. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Craft Kits    3. Wood    4. Activity   

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Painting    3. Activity    4. Easels   

Reviews (13)

Every kid should have these
My kids have both kinds of magnets, these and the plastic letters with the little magnets in them. They love to play with all of them, but they get frustrated when the plastic ones just slide down the fridge, or when the magnets fall off. The plastic ones end up under the fridge; their thicker profile and poor magnets are a bad combination. This kind is MUCH better; they'relightweight and completely covered with magnetic material on the back. They don't fall apart and they stay put! Less frustration for the kids, less hassle for me: It's all good!

The best set of ABC magnets out there!
Like a lot of people, I grew up with those plastic alphabet letters on my fridge. So when my son was around 2 years old, I figured it was about time to get a set for our home. We were fortunate enough to get this set as a gift. I was truly impressed! This set is by far superior to any others I've seen on the market. They're large and colorful, and the entire back of the letter is a magnet. Not just one little square. They really stay put on the fridge! I also like that they're wood. Sure, bite marks would probably show up more on the wood than on plastic. But overall, I think the wood is far more sturdy and durable. All the letters come in a nice wood box with a sliding clear lid, making it easy to keep everything together. You really couldn't ask for more!

not pleased
My son got these when he was about 2.Right out of the box, some letters were de-magnatized.He enjoyed playing with them on the fridge for a while, but some of the affected letters were in his name - the first things kids usually spell.He has learned some of his letters, but I wish we had the old fashioned plastic letters. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Reading    4. Alphabet    5. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    6. Electronic    7. Activity    8. Arts and Crafts    9. Easels   

Reviews (23)

Super Cool!
This toy is great. I use it 2 times a day. I don't have any problems with it. This toy is the greatest gift I got for New Year's Day! I recommend you buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

great toy!
I went to the toy store with my uncle and he got this toy for me
it was not that much fun at first because you can barely see theimage on theblank piece of paperso my picture was terrible.Then after I got used to itit was very fun. it comes with pictures like dolphins,raidios ,microphones, dogs and moreit comes with backrounds,3 color marker ,magnets,color pencils,pencil sharpenerand more! The only way to like didji draew is yo give it a chance.

Don't waste your money!!
My 9 year old son has been wanting this for a long time now. I finally get it for him. Its really hard to get the panels in. After putting the panels in we can't see the image on the blank piece of paper. We tried by light and nothing. He was very dissapointed and said he hated it. I think they should take it off the market until they can make it useable!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Set up an art station just like those found in preschools andkindergartens with this set of high-quality painting supplies to encouragecreative expression in young artists. The set includes seven colors of washabletempera paint in 8-ounce bottles, in black, white, red, blue, yellow, purple,and green. No-spill paint pots with color-coordinated lids are also included,and the lids snap tightly shut so unused paint won't dry out. Six bristlebrushes are included, as well as three foam brushes and two foam rollers.Everything stores away in a sturdy storage crate (which itself folds flat forstorage). Early-childhood educators praise the creative value of painting foryoung children, and this set provides all the necessary materials except paper.--Marcie Bovetz, mother and former children's librarian ... Read more

Features

• 6 bristle brushes, 3 foam brushes, 2 foam rollers
• Sturdy, fold-up storage crate
• High-quality supplies for school or home
• 7 8-ounce containers of tempera paints
• 7 no-spill paint pots with snap lids

Reviews (3)

Good quality for price
Good quality supplies made for heavy duty use.Nice big "brushy" brushes - heavy duty nylon bristles resist "flopping" and are easy to clean.Sponge applicators are easy to use and fun shapes - they don't fall apart and they wash clean. Paint is in worthwhile size containers - just need an inch or so in the cup at a time, bottle will last a long time. Lidded cups keep paint from drying out and have large brush wells. Crayons and chalk are standard issue - would be better if they were thicker, "pre-school" size.All in all - a very good basic supply.My grandson wants to "do painting" every time he visits.

Great item...
The item is great -- all the washable paints you need -- great brushes and sponges etc...

Very Nice
My kids are having fun painting and Im enjoying the less mess part :) I also thought the brushes were 'Are" very high quality!!
I would buy this again! And will for a gift very soon!! The crate is very nice also!
Thanks!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Art Supplies    3. Activity   

Editorial Review

Like miniature cans of spray paint, the pens in this 50-pieceBlopens activity kit can be used to make a wide variety of colorfulstencil and airbrush pictures. The kit contains 15 pens, including fivecolor-changing ones, and 23 precut stencils. Each pen is filled withnontoxic, washable ink. By blowing into one end of the pen young artistscan create a colorful airbrush effect on paper. A sturdy cardboardworkstation that holds all of the pens has been included, along witheight sheets of paper, a carry case for the whole set, and aninstruction and idea booklet. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Boo this toy sucks
It was hard to make the ink come out plus they ran dry to soonTake my advice dont buy them

not a (real) kid!
i am an artist; i make a lot of greeting cards.i have found blo-pens to be a lot of fun and i have been very creative with them.i found that i do better when i use my own stencils, and i have experimented a lot with the pens.my frustration is not being able to find just the pens, except for the "bold" colors, which i do not need.and i don't like the color change pens (the colors are blah, as far as i'm concerned).would love to know how to find an assortment of pens.

BloPens Rock
I loved playing with BlowPens. I used to hate arts and crafts. But when I got BlowPens, I had the best time of my life! Now my sister's an artist! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art and Crafts    2. Art Supplies    3. Markers    4. Activity    5. Arts and Crafts   

Editorial Review

Most painters have to clean up after they're done, but with this set of five bright finger-paintsoaps, you can paint and get clean at the same time.Squeeze a dab of each color into the enclosedhand-shaped artist's palette and you're all set to turn your tub into an impressionistic masterpiece.When it's toweltime, wipe the pigment away using the included fish-shaped sponge. Don't forget to wear a beret in the tubfor the right effect. Paints are orange, blue, yellow, green, and purple.They are not heavily scented, and thepigments are child friendly. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Not so good....
It smells really good, but as with the other reviews, the paint does not show up on the walls.My daughter still likes to smear it on herself, but the colors still don't show up very well.We bought colored shaving cream and she has a lot more fun with that!Also, if you buy the Crayola washable crayons, they write on skin really well if they are wet and wash right off!She has a lot more fun with those!I haven't tried them on the walls yet, it will be interesting to see how washable they are there.

A Real Winner!
Do you have trouble getting your little one to take a bath? If you do this product may well be your salvation. Once the
little one is in the tub and is given their paints the skies the
limit.How much fun is it for them to paint on the walls, on themselves and everything they see?We may never know, but
just try to stop them.This maybe a drawback as they seem to want
to use the colors up in one sitting they are having so much fun.
I agree with the others, the colors could be a little darker, but the children seem to see them fine, perhaps these old eyes are the problem. :0)
This is a winner.....recommended.

Finger Paint Failure
My son got this for his 3rd birthday and I was really disappointed with the finger paint soap.My son tried and tried to paint on the walls and the soap/paint wouldn't write well on the walls, although the box to the kit shows how "excellent" the paint shows up.I was very disappointed with this product. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Painting    3. Finger-paints (Fingerpaints)    4. Bath Toys    5. Preschool    6. Activity   

Reviews (1)

Good clean fun!
I bought this for my 2 1/2 year old daughter (b/c a friend had it and her son loved it). She loves it! It has four "coloring sheets" and a water pen with a soft "marker" tip that you fill with water. My daughter loves this!!! She "colors" with the water pen and color appears on the page. When she is done it dries and is ready to be colored on again. The color does not come off and the only "mess" that could happen would be the water from the pen (a very small amount)and she has not been able to get the pen apart. This is great for traveling, church, or any time they need to be entertained quietly and mess free!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Painting   

Editorial Review

Rather than worrying about forming an increasingly complex, unbroken line of metallic dust with squeaky knobs for navigation, this sketcher is an easy schoolmate with lights, sounds, and flash cards--all designed as a 15-inch school bus. There are buttons on one side of the bus for drawing, quizzing, problem-solving, and repetition activities. There are also five, two-sided, interactive learning cards, stowed in a side compartment, used as visual aids. Logistically, a large, attached stylus with a magnetic tip allows small hands to draw big letters and words; a sliding eraser makes it easy to start over; and there are only a few loose pieces, so it's a good travel pick. Required: three AA batteries.Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Learning Toy!
My son is 4 1/2 and absolutely loves this.It is great for learning letters and numbers.It is very durable.It has even been thrown a few times and still works.I would definitely recommend this toy!

Fun and Educational!
My son is 14-month old, and he lovesthis toy! It is fun doodling on it, and fun to push the buttons, although of course he does not understand what he is pushing, it will come with time...
I had 3-year old and a 7-year old visiting the house, and they both liked playing with it. I noticed that adults like playing with it almost as much as the young ones!!! Great toy! Makes education fun!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

With this well-designed, double-sided easel, preschoolers can enjoy theadvantages of creative expression on an upright surface. The easel's frame ismade from sturdy wood left in its natural state, with thick pressed board usedas the bases for the art surfaces. One side of the easel has a 24-by-24-inch,green chalkboard, and the other side has a 24-by-24-inch, white dry-erase board.Two removable, washable trays are included to attach to the easel (one withmolded spaces to hold paint jars and brushes). The easel requires simpleassembly, but no tools are required and all bolts and plastic bolt covers areincluded. Some thoughtful design aspects include an adjustable height feature, aconvenient, built-in paper roll dispenser (with paper), and two metal clips to attach paper forpainting. This set was a winner of the Dr. Toy Best Classic ToysAward, and it would be a winning addition to any playroom, family daycare home,or preschool. --Marcie Bovetz, mother and former children's librarian ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Quality product
The person who complained about the height adjustment didn't understand how to put it together.The height of the easel doesn't change, the height of the trays does.It is very stable in either position.

Do not buy, not worth the money
We bought this for our son's 8th birthday.I chose this one because of the height adjustment and the size.It is a joke.It does not want to stay standing with it on the tallest height.My husband is very handy and was able to make it work.Basically though I paid for height adjustment and not able to use it.If I had known this, I would have purchased a cheaper easel.With the easel in the highest height adjustment the legs are basically like hinges and are constantly hinging and falling down.We picked it up numberous times until my husband just put it in the lower position and attached the trays where the legs attach.Also some of the screws were too long the first time we put it together, and I went exactly by the instructions.Now that we have it put together a little different, I have to go and purchase a set of longer screws.With the 79.99 price, this should not have been the case.I was going to send back, and I may still.Again, I reiterate, DO NOT BUY THIS, especially if your child is a taller child and you think you are going to get some years of use out of this.I figure one year will be it for this easel at the lowest height adjustment.SAVE YOUR MONEY AND BUY THE CHEAPER ONE OR EVEN ONE OF THE LITTLE TIKES PLASTIC SOLID SURFACE EASELS.

Hours of creative fun!
My daughter received this easel for her third birthday two months ago. We keep it in our main living area and she spends half an hour to an hour each day creating masterpieces in chalk, marker or paint. While one side of the easel is set up for dry erase markers, we use the included roll of paper (which fits the easel perfectly) and give our toddler washable markers instead. We also use washable paint. A tray on either side holds all the supplies your little one will need--and removes easily for clean-ups. Replacement paper rolls can be found through art supply stores.

One note: You have to "pre-season" the chalkboard by thoroughly rubbing chalk over the surface.And of course, this type of toy requires a lot of adult supervision, especially during painting sessions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Arts and Crafts    3. Easels   

Reviews (1)

Excellent Combination of Supplies for Creating Art for Kids
This is an excellent collection of easy-to-use art supplies for children. It includes the drawing "tools" my daughters like to use most. This collection empowers children to be creative.

I suggest you buy this Crayola set, a case of cheap paper, a couple rolls of invisible tape, a pencil sharpener, a bottle of Elmer's school glue, and a stapler (for sure). Then give your child frequent access to the supplies to draw pictures and design things. Your child's creativity will emerge on its own.

Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Perfect for twins
I like this easle because it gives my 20 month old twin boys a place where they can be "messy". We like it because our playroom (a spare room downstairs) is clutered as it is, and this fits nicely in the hall closet. It has room for both of my boys to paint or color, but I always put an old sheet on the floor, one that we allways use for painting.

Its much easier to clean as opposed to if your child painted on the table, because you can just leave the artwork there to dry, and thats about it!WE love it because unlike on most easles, theres clips on both the dry erase side, and the chalk board side.

We havent exposed our boys to dry erase markers yet, for obvious reasons, but its great as a magnet board, and for that reason I think this will be another perminant edition to the playroom, it will not be folded and put away. We DO NOT use the provided letters and numbers, just because they are too small, but we bought bigger ones that my boys, like many reviewers said, can now recognise! The chalk side works well, my boys like it, but I hide the chalk from them so they cant use it without me knowing, because they would get dirty and so would the whole room. The chalk side shows no sign of "flaking" and we do not really abuse it either. We also dont use an eraser, but a wet paper towel, or a babywipe. I also like the green storage on the bottom, I think we will just be keeping magnets there though, because any markers, crayons, paint ect. will be USED and, needless to say our whole house will become a living work of art!

I say buy this easle for your child, there is alot to do on it, and its very VERY durable...

Great Easel!
My 3 yo daughter got this for her birthday. We have not used the chalkboard or the dry erase features of it yet. We've used the magnet board and have clipped paper to the side for her to paint and draw on. She loves it. The letters ARE very small and we've had to put them out of my 1 yo's reach. Overall, it seems to be good quality and I'd recommend it. And I also bought it at Walmart (in the store) for $29.99, which is $10 cheaper.

Great easel!
We received this easel as a gift a few months ago and it is perfect for our now 21 month old.The size is just right and she won't outgrow it for quite some time.The chalkboard is wonderful - crayon washes off very easily.The dry erase side is also magnetic - great for learning letters.Letter and number magnets did come with our easel, but we had to pack them away due to the fact that they easily fit into our toddler's mouth (the only drawback to this item).We found another set of letters that are much bigger and not a choking hazard.You and your child will be glad to have this easel! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Furniture   

Editorial Review

If your budding artist has a tendency to leave paper, paints, markers, and other art supplies allover the place, this is a great way to encourage some organizational skills while letting your child knowyou support their creativity. The Art Master Activity Desk is made of super-sturdy molded plastic and has a white fiberboard drawing surface that measures 20 by 11 inches and hinges up to reveal three separatestorage spaces. There are molded-in compartments for crayons, markers, and paintbrushes, and two sidecompartments to hold books, pads of paper, and other art supplies. There's even a built-in overhead lampthat can be powered by batteries or plugged directly into the wall (using the included DC six-volt adapter).A bright red top tray holds markers, glue, and other craft items. Complete with its own extra-sturdy deskchair in bright red plastic, this desk is ready to transform any corner of the room into a full studio for artsand crafts projects.--John Longenbaugh ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great Activity Desk for any Three Year Old
We bought the desk for xmas and my three year old uses it everyday.It's her space to do what she wants.We put a large carpet under and let her go.Easy to clean. The only thing the light uses alot of batteries, but worth it. If your worried about how large the chair is don't. My daughter is rather tall and weighs 40lbs, she fits perfect.Great buy.

Holding strong and much loved
I bought this for my girls because they loved the one their friend had.It was their major present for the holidays and little presents like crayons for the accessories.With the exception of some simbling fighting over who gets it, this is the best thing yet I think I've ever purchased for them.They can spend hours drawing and coloring.My older girl feels like a real big girl sitting at her desk and practicing writing or just making mommy a card.They've colored all over and I've been able to wipe it down.I put it together myself and the construction was amazingly easy.I think every toddler/pre-schooler should have this desk.I know it will be around for some time in this house before they ever get bored with it.
I recommend for an add on to this as a gift, Amazon has 4 work books that are laminated so they can be wiped off if you use crayon or markers.

Keeps my daughter busy
My 4 year old has ADHD as well as many other medical problems.
I have been trying to find something that will keep her busy for more than 5 minutes at at a time.This desk has been wonderful!She loves to sit at it like Mommy and Daddy sit at their desk.I put it next to our computer desk in our office.

My daughter has been sitting at the desk every day since we got it.She has been coloring, painting and doing her leap pad.I usually have to beg her to sit and color or do any type of sedentary actiivty.

The chair seems to be sturdier than the yellow older style Little Tykes ones, we had one from her older sister and she was always falling out of it.There is more than enough room to store art supplies, crayons, coloring books and leap pad books.

I have been very happy with all of the Step2 products we have purchased(even our mailbox).This is well worth the money.
It doesn't take up as much space as I thought it would have.

I guess the light would be an issue if the desk was in a bedroom or a darker room, our office is very bright so that hasn't been an issue.My daughter likes turning it on and off.

If you want a little place for your child to color and create art projects or even sit and read a book, this is the desk to get.

... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Arts and Crafts    3. Furniture