gift guide: art supplies for kids + teens

JUST ABOUT everyone who sets foot in our house has something to say about my boys’ art table. I mean, it’s impossible to miss since it’s right smack in the middle of our open concept, but it’s also kind of inspiring. Not in a stylish, beautifully staged Instagram-ready kind of way, UM, NO. It’s much more ‘lived in’ than that and is usually a straight hot mess, littered with about a zillion drawings, paper scraps, hot glue balls, broken popsicle sticks and 113 iterations of someone’s origami project. It’s not exactly pretty. BUT, underneath that disheveled heap of creative madness [genius?], you’ll find a baller collection of markers, pens, pencils, pastels, how-to-draw books and just about every other RAD art supply a kid [or adult] could hope for. My little guy especially has a truly magical imagination and is super into drawing and creating and I am a GIGANTIC sucker for art supplies. It’s a weakness for sure, but one I don’t mind indulging because I can’t think of a greater gift to my boys than to foster their creativity and wonder. And I selfishly just love to see what they come up with.

THE RANGE of amazing art supplies that exist in the world is seriously ENDLESS, but I wanted to share with you some of our very favorites, plus a few other really clever gifts that might speak to the wondrous creatives that you love. Gifts that spark creativity and imagination are not only super fun, but they also might inspire a lifelong passion, which is probably the greatest gift you could give a kiddo [or anyone else for that matter]. So put a few of these things together for a truly fantastic gift OR grab some little bits for travel, party favors or stocking stuffers. Maybe you’ll even get some amazing free artwork out of it. If your creatives like to fold, check out my post on Origami Gifts. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

+ TAKE A HAPPY scroll through all of the supplies, or JUMP to these categories…
Paints + Markers + Pencils / Open-Ended Art Supplies / Craft + Supply Kits / Art Games + Activities / How-to-Draw Books

Ooly

photo / Ooly

OOLY MAKES THE most imaginative, inspiring and straight fun art and school supplies for artists of ALL ages. Truly. Every magical thing that this woman-owned business puts out there is so colorful and bright and creative and the sheer variety of amazing products they offer will make your head spin [in the best cartwheelie way]. It’s also SUPER giftable; it’s just born to bring big smiles before you even get to what’s inside the package.

WE HAVE LOVED so so many Ooly products over the years that I couldn’t possibly list them all here. But I’ll tell you that the Silver Linings Outline Markers are on the list for my own boys, they just look SO fun and right up my older guy’s alley. I have gifted several sets of Rainbow Sparkle Watercolor Gel Crayons always with rave reviews. I know you’ll have SO much fun exploring all of Ooly’s inspiring supplies, but if it feels a bit overwhelming, try starting with the Bonus Boxes, which are all ready to make absolutely awesome gifts. They also have some amazing little bits that would make fantastic stocking stuffers or party favors.

Paints + Markers + Pencils

+ Poscas are some of my boys’ hands-down favorites. They’re water-based pigment ink that’s waterproof, lightfast and non-toxic. They write on anything from rocks to sneakers to water bottles and come in a ton of awesome varieties. +

+ These Prismacolor Scholar Colored Pencils are made for beginners and have strong cores to reduce breakage. +

+ I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say we’ve had just about every type of Sharpie Marker they make. My boys love them, pure and simple. +

+ Paper Mate Flair Felt Tips Pens are my absolute favorite for list-making and writing cards. They’re smooth and clean and I swear they make my handwriting better. I’ve gifted them to several teachers for writing those smily faces on all the kids’ papers. +

+ Oh I love a Gelly Roll. These are the best gel pens and they come in neon, sparkly and metallic and just regular awesome. These are a great gift for t[w]eens who like to add a bit of bling to their notes or planners. +

+ My boys LOVED ‘painting’ with Do.A.Dot Art Markers when they were little and I loved them because they’re not super messy. They’re like a marker and paint in one and they’re so fun to use. And they’re made in the USA. +

+ You can’t beat the reliability of Crayola Washable Project Paint and we’ve loved this Neon version. It’s not completely dayglow, but the colors are vibrant and fun. +

+ Learn a new art form with Prismacolor's Hand Lettering Beginner Set. It includes all the tools you need to get started with this popular craft. +

+ Is there anything more fun than finger painting?! You might as well stick with Crayola Finger Paint for the most reliable washability for that project. +

+ This Prismacolor Manga Colored Pencil Set has specially designed colors specifically for manga and comics. Pair them with a copy of How to Draw Manga for a great gift. +

+ A friend gave my 9-year-old these KingArt Watercolor Brush Markers for his birthday and he loves them so much we’ve now gifted them to several other kiddos. They’re vibrant and easy to use. +

+ These Bianyo Alcohol-Based Dual-Tip Markers are awesome. They’re non-toxic, low odor and double-tipped, so there’s a broad chisel on one side and fine point on the other. The color coverage is fantastic. +

+ My son loves these Tombow Dual Brush Pens The set comes with a colorless blender pen that creates a watercolor effect. And they’re dual-tip, so a brush on one side and fine point on the other. +

+ Pastels provide such vibrant, smooth color and are so fun to use. Sakura's Junior Artist Sets are made for kids and come in several different sizes, they even have a ‘chubby’ version for smaller hands. They’re also allergen-free. +

+ Crayola Super Tips are still in full rotation at our house. There are so many colors and, of course, you get that reliable washability that’s everything, especially for littles. +

+ The Crayola Colors of the World series of markers, pencils and crayons give kids an inclusive range of skin tones to work with. +

+ Get all the beauty of painting with none [or less] of the mess. Perfect for little littles. Ooly Chunkies are super smooth, bright and portable and they come in such a fun variety of vibrant colors, neons and metallics. +

+ Supply your serious sketchers with the ‘right’ tools for the job. This Faber-Castell Graphite Set comes with break-resistant pencils in 6 degrees of hardness for nuanced drawings. +

+ Smencils Colored Pencils are just fun. They’re scented colored pencils made out of recycled newspaper. They all have cute tops with different themes and they have graphite sets, too. They’d make a super cute party favor. +

+ You’ve gotta love the old school Mr. Sketch Scented Markers. They smell just like you remember and they’re bright and chunky and just plain fun. +

Open-Ended Art Supplies

+ Elmer's has THE coolest collection of glues for slime-making and all kinds of other creative projects. Check out the Glow in the Dark, Glitter and Color-Changing Glues. Very cool. +

+ Modeling clay is awesome for true open-ended creativity. This Faber-Castell World Colors Modeling Clay 15-color set includes inclusive skin tones so you can make a whole sweet group of friends. +

+ Googly Eyes are an essential part of any kiddo's art supply stash and this set comes with a bunch of different colors and sizes for endless fun. They're self-adhesive, too. + 

+ My boys have created everything from cabins to skateboard jumps to funny little dudes with simple popsicle sticks and I love these Rainbow Popsicle Sticks for a little extra fun. + 

+ Stickers are such a fun and versatile addition to your supplies and Fashion Angels 1000+ Sticker Books are awesome. They come in about 1000 different themes to delight any little artist. + 

+ I went through a serious Mod Podge phase as a young adult and made some really cool collages on all types of surfaces. It's really fun to work with and a great option for older kids + adults. + 

+ Washi Masking Tape is so fun to work with at every age and is an awesome little gift or stocking stuffer. My boys used to make 'drawings' with it. + 

+ Plain, Unfinished Wooden Peg Dolls invite so much open-ended creativity. My little LOVES them. This is a huge set with different size dolls to make a diverse range of characters. +

+ You can never go wrong with Pom Poms and I love the variety in this set. +

+ My little has made some truly creative things with Crayola Air-Dry Clay and you can paint your creations, too. + 

+ Craft Scissors in different patterns are a super fun addition to your projects + 

+ I love the endless possibility that exists with these People Popsicle Sticks, a super open-ended and fun option + 

Craft + supply kits

+ Klutz has an ENORMOUS variety of very cool and adorable craft kits for kids of all ages and almost any interest. Their kits are usually super thoughtful and easy to follow. You sort of can’t go wrong, like with this Klutz Sew Mini Animals Kit. +

+ Craft-Tastic makes really colorful, inspiring craft kits for any age artist. They have some really fantastic options for harder-to-shop-for t[w]eens, like this empowering 'My Very Own Wall Collage’ kit. +

+ Woolbuddy Needle Felting Kits come with everything beginners need to learn this sweet skill and there are lots of fun animal themes to choose from. +

+ Faber-Castell has some very cool kits and supplies for a wide range of ages, like this Coloring with Clay set. +

+ Bright Stripes Paint by Numbers Kits provide a creative project and framable artwork in one and come in several themes to appeal to lots of kids. +

+ Woobles are ADORABLE crochet kits for all levels. They have a zillion super cute ones to choose from, including some really epic collaborations. +

+ This Kid Made Modern Arts and Crafts Library is completely overflowing with all the supplies you need for TONS of open-ended creativity. +

+ Creativity For Kids has a bunch of fun kits to choose from, many that include a science or nature component. +

+ Pott'd Home Pottery Kits come with literally everything you need to make cool air-dry clay projects at home. It's perfect for tweens + teens or adults who want to unwind with creativity. +

+ We love Hey Clay. Each set comes with air dry clay and access to an app that teaches you how to make the most adorable creatures. My little has done just about every set and they’re all clever and easy to follow. +

+ STMT [Simple Trendy Modern Touch] has some really interesting kits with things like jewelry, room decor, candles and bath bombs. They're a great choice for tweens and teens. +

+ The Love of Colours on Etsy has stunning beginner Natural Dye Kits that are perfect for crafty teens. There’s a Natural Dye version that includes various botanicals and an Indigo Kit. They also have gorgeous Block Printing and Clay Resist Kits. +

+ I’m a little obsessed with this Heishi Beads Case myself. Make It Real has a very BRIGHT and fun assortment of kits for all ages and stages, especially jewelry-lovers. +

+ This Spinny Punch Needle Kit comes with everything you need to learn a fun new skill and create some super sunny coasters. + 

Art Games + Activities

+ Omy Giant Coloring Posters are 40x28” of fun. There are a TON of different themes to appeal to just about anyone of any age and the illustrations are awesome. +

+ Open This Box and Make Some Art provides 40 activities to get your creative juices flowing and have fun, too. + 

+ The Createures Drawing Deck can be used as a fun cooperative game or as a solo drawing exercise and it’s super clever. Flip 5 prompt cards and let your imagination wander, either on your own or in a round-robin with friends + family. It’s funny and creative and provides endless possibilities. +

+ Doodle Heist combines drawing with code-cracking for a unique and fun family game + 

+ Graffiti Alphabets: Street Fonts from Around the World is more inspiration than how-to, but it’s a really awesome resource for older kids who are interested in street art and might like to try designing their own tag. +

+ Race to draw 10 things from a single category in one minute in Six Second Scribbles. It's fast-paced and super fun for all ages and abilities. + 

+ Art Dice provide endless creative inspiration for teens and adults of all skill levels by prompting artists in a hundred different ways. They also have Writing Dice for creative writing prompts. +

+ Picablo is a shape-based drawing game that can be played competitively or cooperatively. No drawing skills required for this one, just a willingness for silly fun. + 

how-To-Draw Books

+ We love ALL of Angela Nguyen’s How to Draw Cute... books. They really are just super CUTE and have easy-to-follow instructions for just about any age. My boys especially love ‘Food’ and ‘Beasts.’ +

+ Oh Ed Emberley. We just love you. This classic Great Thumbprint Drawing Book helps you learn to draw all kinds of cute stuff with just your own thumbprint and a few strokes. My little loves it. Make sure your artist has an inkpad to use with it. We love all of Ed Emberley’s Drawing Books. +

+ How to Draw Fantasy Art & RPG Maps is such a cool book for the gamers you love. It has step-by-step instructions for creating different types of elaborate maps + worlds. +

+ Ralph Masiello has a whole series of Drawing Books that span a wide variety of popular interests from Robots to Oceans to Fairies to Ancient Egypt. He shows you step-by-step instructions to draw some really neat stuff. He also has a few versions in Spanish. +

+ Fans of Dav Pilkey and Dog Man will love learning how to draw the silly book characters with this Dog Man Guide to Creating Comics in 3D. +

+ Rachel Goldstein has a really giant selection of drawing books for older kids, like Drawing Emojis and How to Draw Word Cartoons. There are 19 books in her series and they all look like fun. +

+ These Young Artist Series drawing books are fantastic for slightly older kids who can follow detailed directions. There are tons of themes to choose from. +

+ Star Wars Doodles is a book of prompts that ask kids to finish the drawing, like ‘What did Yoda lift out of the swamp with the Force?’ It’s a fantastic imagination spark and awesome for any Star Wars + art lover. +

+ What to Doodle? Dinosaurs! is a book of prompts that asks artists to fill in the missing part of the drawing. It’s super clever and would be a hit with any dino lover who already loves to draw their faves. There are a TON of other Doodle Books in every theme under the sun. +

+ How to Draw Unicorns, Mermaids and Other Magical Friends uses a grid method to teach you how to draw, focusing on one square at a time. +

+ If your more experienced artist wants to learn to draw comics, you might as well go straight to the source. In this classic 1984 edition of How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way, artists learn to draw legit comics straight from the OG, Stan Lee. +

+ Alli Koch has a variety of really interesting drawing books, like this How to Draw All The Things or Modern Flowers, for both kids and adults. The subjects will interest kids + teens of all ages and abilities. +

+ We love Heegyum Kim’s ‘Draw 62…’ Books. Her style is less kawaii and more goofy and it’s awesome. There are several fun themes to choose from. My son especially loves the Magical Creatures. +

+ Learn How to draw Manga: Basics and Beyond from actual legit professional manga artists. You’ll learn to draw heads, faces, bodies and poses. +

+ Adventures in Cartooning is a funny book that teaches you how to create cartoons by reading a cartoon. There are several follow-ups, including Characters in Action and Christmas Special. +

+ Drawing Dragons is a stunning book to inspire more experienced artists. The drawings are really detailed and beautiful. +

+ The How to Draw Book for Kids has a huge variety of stuff to draw that will interest just about any kiddo. The steps are easy to follow. +

+ Tap into and strengthen the right side [creative side] of your brain by learning How to Draw Upside Down.Easy-to-follow instructions make it fun to shift perspective and try something new. There’s also a Christmas edition. +

+ Usborne ‘Step-By-Step’ Drawing Books teach you how to make simple line drawings in just a few easy steps. There’s also space in the book to practice, so it’s great for travel. There are several themes to choose from. +

+ How to Draw Anime Faces is the first in a 4-part series of books about how to draw anime that’s designed for all audiences, so no buxom broads in this series. +

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