Encouraging kids to be creative is so much easier when you have a dedicated art easel for them to work at. Having a surface, or two, ready and waiting at all times really encourages their inner artist to be let loose. Conveniently, most kids' easels incorporate storage space for art materials too, and some can even be used for displaying finished pieces.
Whether you're after a folding easel, a chalkboard, magnetic whiteboard or a children's art easel for painting outside, we've found the 10 best easels for young artists in the UK. Available to buy from Amazon, John Lewis, Argos and more, read on for our tips, reviews and advice!
Buying a children's easel can be quite an investment, so you should plan for it to last. Some easels are height adjustable, meaning that the board heights can be altered to accommodate your growing child. This may be in the form of a variety of peg holes, or a lockable sliding mechanism. Do check the small print, as heights can range from 20 - 30 cm, which will make a big difference if you have a tall-for-their-age child.
Do also consider the aesthetic of the easel. Whilst a primary-coloured or cartoon design will delight a toddler, such a bold design is likely to be outgrown by an image-conscious older child, especially once they have friends visiting! Plain wood is also much easier on the eye for you, the adult who has to walk past the easel in your home every day.
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As with most children's play equipment, easels take up a lot of room. Although they are brilliant when in use, they can quickly become a tripping hazard if you're struggling for space. We recommend looking for an easel that folds up. These take up around the same amount of space as an ironing board, so it can be stored out of the way until needed again.
Alternatively, if you have the outside space, you can keep the easel, and the creative mess, entirely out of the house. To do this, you must choose an easel specifically designed for use outside, or else the layers of chipboard or cardboard inside the construction will soon start to rot. Garden easels tend to be made of treated wood, with a natural aesthetic, so will compliment any garden or yard.
Selecting an easel with a magnetic board can be a great way to extend your child's learning opportunities in the home. Some magnetic easels will also come with a selection of magnets. Our advice? If there are only uppercase letters, be sure to buy an extra set of lowercase letters too - their teacher will thank you for this!
For younger children, under the age of three, avoid small letter and number magnets, or put them away until they can be trusted not to try and chew everything in sight. This is because small parts are a choking hazard. In the meantime, there are plenty of larger, imaginary play magnets designed for toddlers.
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For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
This article’s chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Melissa & Doug | 2 ![]() IKEA | 3 ![]() Chad Valley | 4 ![]() Big Game Hunters | 5 ![]() Peppa Pig | 6 ![]() Plum | 7 ![]() John Lewis & Partners | 8 ![]() Great Little Trading Co | 9 ![]() Fisher Price | 10 ![]() Step2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Deluxe Magnetic Standing Art Easel and Chalkboard | MÅLA Softwood Folding Easel | Double Sided Wooden Easel | Outdoor Easel With Perspex Screen | Play & Draw Wooden Easel | Discovery Create and Paint Easel | Wooden Chalkboard & Easel | Children's Wooden Easel | Brightly-Coloured Wooden Easel | Jumbo Art Easel |
Features | A Foldable, Height Adjustable, Magnetic Easel to Grow With Your Child | A Large Easel Suitable for Toddlers | Ideal for Older Children to Practice Time, Numbers and Letters | Perspex Outdoor Easel for Making Art in the Garden | A Fun Peppa Pig Playhouse and Art Easel in One | Gorgeous Outdoor Easel With a 5 Year Anti-Rot Guarantee | Understated Double-Sided Kids Easel From John Lewis | Traditional Plastic-Free Folding Easel | A Brightly-Coloured Easel With Magnets Included | A Huge Easel With Plenty of Room for Art Supplies |
Price | £89.99 | £22.00 | £24.00 | £86.99 | £57.49 | £180.00 | £40.00 | £52.00 | £80.00 | £193.72 |
Adjustable Height | Yes (3 settings) | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Recommended Age | 3 - 8 years | 2+ (with close supervision) | 3+ | 18 months + | 2 + | 3 + | 3 + | 3 + | 3 + | 3 + |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Both | Both | Both | No (Perspex screen) | Chalkboard | No (Perspex screen) | Both | Chalkboard | Both | Both |
Paper Roll Dispenser | Yes (to fit paper roll 30 cm wide or 45/46 cm wide, paper not included) | Yes (to fit paper roll 45 cm wide, paper not included) | Yes (to fit paper roll 36.5 cm wide, paper not included) | No | Yes | No | No (but magnets are included to attach sheets of paper) | Yes (to fit paper roll 45/46 cm wide, paper not included) | Yes (included) | No (but clips are present to attach sheets of paper) |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor | Indoor | Indoor | Both | Indoor | Outdoor | Indoor | Indoor | Indoor | Indoor |
Folding | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Magnetic | Yes (chalkboard) | No | Yes (whiteboard) | No | No | No | Yes (whiteboard) | No | Yes (whiteboard) | No |
Extras | 2 removable trays, 39 letter and number magnets | 2 removable trays | Eraser | - | Doll house area | Paintbrush pens, 3 holders, windchimes, attached garden planter | Chalkboard eraser | - | 52 magnets | 8 storage pots |
Dimensions | 100 - 119 cm H x 69 cm W x 66 cm D | 112 cm H x 66 cm W x 48 cm D | 107 cm H x 65 cm W | 79.5-113 cm H x 90 cm W x 46 cm D | 107 cm H x 47 cm W | 116 cm H | 83 cm H x 53 cm W x 43 cm D | 100 cm H x 55cm W x 39 cm D | 93.5 cm H | 109.2 cm H |
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This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£89.99
Adjustable Height | Yes (3 settings) |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 3 - 8 years |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Both |
Paper Roll Dispenser | Yes (to fit paper roll 30 cm wide or 45/46 cm wide, paper not included) |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor |
Folding | Yes |
Magnetic | Yes (chalkboard) |
Extras | 2 removable trays, 39 letter and number magnets |
Dimensions | 100 - 119 cm H x 69 cm W x 66 cm D |
£22.00
Adjustable Height | No |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 2+ (with close supervision) |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Both |
Paper Roll Dispenser | Yes (to fit paper roll 45 cm wide, paper not included) |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor |
Folding | Yes |
Magnetic | No |
Extras | 2 removable trays |
Dimensions | 112 cm H x 66 cm W x 48 cm D |
£24.00
Adjustable Height | No |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 3+ |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Both |
Paper Roll Dispenser | Yes (to fit paper roll 36.5 cm wide, paper not included) |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor |
Folding | No |
Magnetic | Yes (whiteboard) |
Extras | Eraser |
Dimensions | 107 cm H x 65 cm W |
£86.99
Adjustable Height | Yes |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 18 months + |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | No (Perspex screen) |
Paper Roll Dispenser | No |
Indoor / Outdoor | Both |
Folding | No |
Magnetic | No |
Extras | - |
Dimensions | 79.5-113 cm H x 90 cm W x 46 cm D |
£57.49
Adjustable Height | No |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 2 + |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Chalkboard |
Paper Roll Dispenser | Yes |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor |
Folding | No |
Magnetic | No |
Extras | Doll house area |
Dimensions | 107 cm H x 47 cm W |
£180.00
Adjustable Height | No |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 3 + |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | No (Perspex screen) |
Paper Roll Dispenser | No |
Indoor / Outdoor | Outdoor |
Folding | No |
Magnetic | No |
Extras | Paintbrush pens, 3 holders, windchimes, attached garden planter |
Dimensions | 116 cm H |
£40.00
Adjustable Height | No |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 3 + |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Both |
Paper Roll Dispenser | No (but magnets are included to attach sheets of paper) |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor |
Folding | No |
Magnetic | Yes (whiteboard) |
Extras | Chalkboard eraser |
Dimensions | 83 cm H x 53 cm W x 43 cm D |
£52.00
Adjustable Height | No |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 3 + |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Chalkboard |
Paper Roll Dispenser | Yes (to fit paper roll 45/46 cm wide, paper not included) |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor |
Folding | Yes |
Magnetic | No |
Extras | - |
Dimensions | 100 cm H x 55cm W x 39 cm D |
£80.00
Adjustable Height | No |
---|---|
Recommended Age | 3 + |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Both |
Paper Roll Dispenser | Yes (included) |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor |
Folding | No |
Magnetic | Yes (whiteboard) |
Extras | 52 magnets |
Dimensions | 93.5 cm H |
£193.72
Adjustable Height | No |
---|---|
Age Suitability | 3 + |
Chalkboard / Drywipe Whiteboard | Both |
Paper Roll Dispenser | No (but clips are present to attach sheets of paper) |
Indoor / Outdoor | Indoor |
Folds Flat | No |
Magnetic | No |
Extras | 8 storage pots |
Dimensions | 109.2 cm H |
Written and researched by Lucy Smith
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