RE: Melissa & Doug easel or Step2 easel? (Pics included)
We have the step 2 one, bought from our former neighbors for $5 at a yard sale. I'm a huge wooden toy fan, but we've gotten a lot of use out of our big ole honking plastic easel.
DS has used it as a playhouse quite a bit too ;)
The chalkboard side is very plastic-y. Not the greatest but DS doesn't complain (yet). He's been using it since he was 16-18 months old.
What I like about the step 2 one is that I don't have a ton of storage space for the easel, so we often leave it out on our deck, and that's often where DS paints, so less mess and no great tragedy if it doesn't get brought in before it rains, etc. If you go the step 2 route, I routinely see them on craigslist, etc. for $10, or I see them at consignment shops/sales, etc. so you might be able to get one *really* inexpensively. It isn't my dream easel for him or anything but we've gotten tons of use out of it for five bucks, kwim?
Mama to DS-2004
DD-2006
and a new addition-ds born march 2010