When buying a children’s easel these days, you might not want to buy the first A-frame model you see at a good price. Given recent developments in the art world, there are a plethora of models and accessories to choose from. Here’s a quick rundown to assist you in making the best decision.
When purchasing a children’s easel, it’s critical to consider the available space. To begin, determine whether you want a standing easel, a tabletop easel, or a wall-mounted easel. Standing easels may fold up, but they are also flimsier and more likely to be knocked over a child. They take up a lot of room even when folded, especially if they have multiple sides for multiple children. Tabletop easels are more compact and portable, but they require a surface to sit on in order to be used at chest height. There’s also the question of where you’ll keep them.
For children, there are two types of wall-mounted easels. The first has a hanging system on which the board is mounted, so that the height of the easel changes as the vertical height of the mounting changes. This isn’t something you’d want to do on a regular basis. The easel is flush with the wall, which means it is at a 90o angle, which may or may not be the best option depending on the media the child will use. Other factors to consider include the possibility of art supplies getting on the wall and the artist’s need to stand close to the wall in order to access the easel.
The other type of wall easel has a movable arm that allows it to be moved closer to or further away from the wall, as well as to different heights and angles. When purchasing a children’s easel for a child with a disability, keep this in mind. A child in a wheelchair, or who uses a walker or other adaptive device that prevents them from approaching the wall closely, will benefit from an adjustable wall-mounted easel on an arm.
When purchasing a children’s easel, media should also be considered. Consider which types of art experiences you’d like the easel to accommodate:
– painting
– markers, crayons, or pastels
– chalk
– magnets
– dry erase board
– flannel board
This will assist you in determining which surface(s) to search for. It will also assist you in deciding whether you require built-in storage for art supplies, a paint tray with cutouts for paint cups, a ledge for chalk or markers, a paper roll attachment, and other ancillary items.
There are a few other things to consider when purchasing a children’s easel for multiple children. Easels used to be one-sided or two-sided, and that was the extent of the options. Three-sided and even four-sided easels are now widely available. A larger board, such as one designed as a whiteboard or for flip charts that can be shared multiple children, is another option to consider when working with multiple children.