Art Easel to recommend??

[skating mom]

I would like to get an easel for drawing/painter for almost 2 yr old DS. I'd like it to have a chalk board too. Any recommendations? I bought (and returned) one from TRU (made by Crayola) because the paper would keep falling out of the clip that's supposed to hold it in place.

[raynjen]

We have the Little Tikes "Hudson Line" wood easel. It is green/blue with a plastic tray in that serves both sides and the middle. They sell them online http://www.littletikes.com/Toys/Toys...gory=FURNITURE at Walmart, and I think on Amazon too. Because the plastic tray piece pops out you can store it folded up. However, we use the tray to hold most of her art supplies and so keep the entire thing set up most of the time (I usually only take it down if I'm entertaining). The clip holds very well, there is a chalkboard side and a "white-board" side, and it cleans up easily (I was even able to clean up crayon from the chalkboard).

I never thought of getting a plastic version (the colors don't match her room which is the light blue/light green), but over the summer I wish I had one - outdoor painting is sooo much easier to clean up and with a plastic easel I could just hose it (and my child) down!

[SunnyShep]

The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio (which I love, as a general rule) recommends these two for toddlers...

http://www.oppenheimtoyportfolio.com...lies:%20Easels

[Melonious]

My reco is the Melissa & Doug deluxe standing easel (about $50).

We have the Little Tikes red plastic easel recommended by Oppenheim Portfolio. We bought it for $2 at a yard sale, and DS LOVES it, but we are giving him the M&D for Christmas for several reasons:

- the Little Tikes "chalkboard" is just a black piece of plastic. It doesn't take the chalk very well and after a while it gets a slick coating on it that prohibits any more chalk from sticking. i am constantly sponging it off, hoping to get it clean, and it never works
- i would rather have a roll of paper than a pad. with a pad, you have to unclip the pad and rip the paper off, and if DS uses a lot of water, it soaks through to the next pages
- the trays come off VERY easily. ds regularly pulls it off and tosses it around, sending its contents flying. i hate finding crushed chalk around my dining room!

i want to encourage his creativity. i don't want his enthusiasm for drawing and painting to be held back by the limitations of this easel, so that's why i'm getting him a better easel.

[Future Mommy]

We purchased the Step2 Easel for Two for our 14 month son from Walmart.com and he loves it. The reason why we picked this one instead of the Little Tikes Double Easel or the Crayola one is because a magnetic whiteboard is on one side and chalkboard on the other. My son loves playing with the magnetic letters.

For less then $40 this was a wonderful investment.


Sandy

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4232152

[tamthemom]

I found a good deal the other day on a Melissa & Doug Easel. http://www.woodtoyfun.com I am still trying to decide which one to buy.

Tamthemom