MPMK Gift Guide Glimpse: Innovative Art Supplies Every Kid Should Have

It’s time for another “MPMK Gift Guide Glimpse”… For those of you not exactly sure what I’m talking about, this is a day when we highlight one of our favorite sections of the 2016 MPMK Gift Guides.

Why?

Because I realize that our MEGA gift guides are a lot to take in- detailed descriptions and age recommendations of over 400 toys, books, games, and more divided into 15 themed guides takes some concentration to get through.

I’ve heard from several moms in fact, both via email and in real life, who have already spent a good hour or two immersed in them.

So this year, I’m trying to help you navigate the guides by highlighting some of my favorite parts.

Over the next few months, I’ll be stopping in every once in a while to showcase a favorite section from one of the 15 guides. (Note this is not even a full guide, but simple a sub-section of one of the guides.)

My hope is that it will help you find the perfect gift for under the tree this year and today we’re talking art.

I totally heart art.

Art gets my kids creating and innovating, it keeps them engaged on their own or together (and often helps them work side-by-side without fighting or bickering). Plus the supplies all eventually get used up, meaning these are gifts that won’t add more toy clutter to our home… Yep, I SERIOUSLY heart art.

As with all of the 2016 MPMK Gift Guides, the Best Toys for Art & Craft Lovers highlights lots of open-ended picks that can be used in multiple ways- leading to hours of exploring and creating.

This first part of the guide covers my favorite must-have/most innovative finds.

And don’t forget this is only one small section of theBest Toys for Art & Craft Lovers Guide (you’ll definitely want to check out the whole thing for more awesome finds like the paper flying dragon kit, the sticky mosaic kits, the book & comic book making kits, the fashion kits, the high-tech boogie writing boards, the best art supplies for toddlers and more!)

Don’t forget – you can also check out all 15 of our 2016 Gift Guides here!

Ready? Here we go…

Innovative Art Supplies Every Kid Should Have

Ed Emberely Drawing & Art Books starting at $6.29 (7+ years)

These books are just so cool for kids that have a passion for art because they can use them to teach themselves how to draw all the things they want to.  We started with the thumbprint book, which is great for younger kids, and recently added the animal and vehicle drawing books for my son’s 6th birthday as well as Picture Pie, which incorporates built in stencils and cutting and pasting shapes to make things step by step instead of just drawing. Both my 5 year old and 7 year old are crazy for that one right now.

Crayola Marker Maker $27.99 (7 – 12 years)

This kit is a great way to help kids learn all about color theory in an exciting, hands-on way. It’s also a great way to extend coloring time and get your little artist mixing and concocting along with drawing and coloring. One reviewer wrote, “My daughter is 9 years old and was so excited to get this. She had a blast for over an hour playing around making markers and concocting colors andshe still has plenty to make. What you get is a nicely made and completely contained kit that folds open for use and folds up to carry and store. Then you get parts for making 16 markers including the nib, tube, foam insert, end cap and cap. There are three ink bottles and two mixing tubes. There is a mixing chart as well to use as a guide but you can also create your own color combinations. Coming up with fun color names adds to the creativity. My daughter had a blast making her own markers, labeling them and writing with them. She especially liked watching the ink wick up the foam insert and nib. I like how they are self contained, there is very little chance of making a big mess and parental involvement includes just basic supervision.” To extend your child’s fun even more, also check out the wacky tips version as well as the refill packs.

Crayola Inspiration Art Case $39.99 (3 – 12 years)

This 150 piece art set gets great marks for everything from it’s special looking case that keeps all the components snapped in place to the quality of the art supplies inside. If your child is getting serious about art, this gift will show them you are proud of their burgeoning skills and it’s sure to thrill. My son and daughter seem so much more motivated to create since they received their own art case- and I’ve been pleasantly surprised that the attractive case has them always picking up their art supplies and taking care of them with pride.

Crayola Watercolor Colored Pencils $7.51 (3+ years)

These cool new pencils start as extra vivid colored pencils but they also have a secret trick. Add a little water and kids can experiment with all sorts of watercolor effects (with very little mess). These are a great stocking stuffer idea if you have an art-lover at home.

Crayola Oil Pastels $4.37 (2+ years)

With their creamy and vivid colors, kids can tell there’s something extra special about oil pastel crayons as soon as they start using them.  They’re also fantastic for learning about color theorybecause they blend to create true secondary colors.

Crayola Telescoping Crayon Tower $14.99 (4+ years)

This is such a clever (and exciting) way to gift your kids a basic crayon set.  It’s a storage case that expands into a handy dandy dispensing tower with an included crayon sharpener. The grandparents have this at there house and our kids beg to take it out all the time.

Crayola Color Alive Color Action Pages – Minions $5.97 (4 – 10 years)

The concept behind these come-to-life coloring pages is just so cool. And I absolutely love how they merge hands-on creativity with tech. From crayola, “changes coloring forever by blending traditional coloring with a virtual experience. With a special app and crayon, kids can take coloring to the next level, bringing their creations to life”. Wherever kids color with the special crayon will show up as some kind of special effect, like sparkling ice, in the app. Check out the reviews, andespecially the pictures that reviewers have uploaded and you’ll be convinced to try it. (And there are lots of pages available in the characters your kids love.)

Continue Reading the Best Toys for Art & Craft Lovers Guide

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Don’t forget – you can also check out all 15 of our 2016 Gift Guides here!