Coloring is a great way to encourage children’s artistic abilities. However, your children may find it difficult to use paintbrushes just yet. Thus, you could give them the best colored pencils for kids to start with. Crayons and colored pencils are a must-have for children, whether at home or school. These come in sets of primary colors, ethnic colors, and special effect colors. In this post, we bring you a selection of some high-quality colored pencils that you may get for your children to boost their creative and motor skills.

10 Best Colored Pencils For Kids

1. Best With Thick Tips: Sargent Art Premium Coloring Pencils

The pack of 50 assorted colors is suitable for children aged three years and above. The pencils have thick lead tips of 3.3mm diameter. The colors are subtle and nice, with a variety of shades and hues. There are 48 different shades with an extra black and white pencil. It comes in a fixed see-through window box. Check out this video to know more about this product. Pros

Environment-friendly Non-toxic Pre-sharpened pencils Ideal for illustrating and drawing purposes

Cons

May not be adequately pigmented Some shades may be pretty similar

2. Best Non-Toxic: Crayola Colored Pencils

Your child would love these vibrant colors that could highlight details of an image in coloring and drawing books. It includes a set of 50 different colors that could be used for school assignments and home crafts. They are durable and give a long-lasting smooth finish. They are safe to color and non-toxic and are recommended for children of ages 12 and above. Before buying, have a look at this video for more details. Pros

Ideal for DIY projects and crafts Pre-sharpened Smooth leads are easy to shade with Sharpens smoothly without breaking the lead

Cons

May have similar shades Shades like gray and grayish purples may look dull

3. Best Break-Proof: Staedtler Ergosoft Colored Pencils

Give your kids the Staedtler Ergosoft coloring pencil set to brighten up their coloring books. They are triangular soft lead pencils with vibrant colors. Made from wood certified by sustainable forestry, these pencils are break-proof. They come packed in a patented easel case for ease of organization and to prevent damage during transit. Pros

Comes with a color display window Offers a great grip Hanging provision for the pencil box Come sharpened

Cons

Lead may break while sharpening Some shades are hard to differentiate

4. Best For Soft Strokes: Stabilo Woody Multi-talented Pencil Set

The Stabilo pencil set is suitable for drawing and painting on many surfaces apart from paper and cardboard. The woody 3-in-1 has 18 coloring pencils that can be used as watercolors and wax crayons too. The thick-shaped standard pencils allow a good grip while giving thick and soft strokes. They offer high opacity, vibrant color intensity, and are break-proof. Pros

Kit includes a brush and a sharpener Can be used on glass surfaces as well Easy to remove the color from glass surfaces Intense color on dark surfaces

Cons

Pencils may bleed when they come in contact with wetness May stain if used on dry-erase board

5. Best Easy To Blend: Scriptract Oil Based Colored Pencils 24 Count Set

This is one of the best colored pencils set for kids that enables drawing, painting, shading, and sketching. The 24 different colors provide an extra-smooth finish, are easy to blend, and give a good grip. They are break-resistant, smudge-free, and save time needed to sharpen them often. Black barrel packaging and a silver lining make this set an ideal gift for kids. Pros

High-quality refills prevent breakage Suitable for professionals Offers great coverage 30-day refund guarantee

Cons

May get dull quickly Certain shades may look alike

6. Best For Smooth Finish: Faber-Castell Triangular Colored EcoPencils

The range of 24 colors in Faber-Castell’s eco pencils is suitable for everyday drawings and coloring books. The triangular-shaped pencils are easy to hold and give better control. The vibrant and specially formulated colors provide a smooth finish and do not flake. The wooden barrel made from reforested wood makes these coloring pencils break-resistant and more accessible to sharp. They are recommended for children aged over five years. Pros

Dual display windows Non-toxic Prevents hand fatigue Conforms to ASTM standards

Cons

May not be easy to sharpen May have limited shades

7. Best Eco-Friendly: Faber-Castell World Colors EcoPencils

Another set of Faber-Castell colored pencils for kids that come with skin tone and traditional color shades, these allow your kid to create illustrations, portraits, and more. The set contains 12 colored pencils, three super-soft portrait coloring pencils, and a grip trio sharpener.  Made of wood certified from sustainable forestry, these eco pencils have break-resistant leads, are easy to sharpen, and last long. Pros

Made of graphite material Comes in ready-to-use pieces Sharpener sharpens smoothly Available in 12, 27, 40, and 300 counts

Cons

Blending colors may not be easy May be hard to find the right shade

8. Best Durable: RoseArt Mini Colored Pencils

The Roseart set of mini colored pencils could be an ideal set for home and school. Your kids would love these easy-to-hold miniature pencils that measure 3.5 inches long and give quality art. The non-toxic, durable and quality guaranteed product will not break with pressure or fall, making them long-lasting. Pros

Pre-sharpened Suitable for detailed line work and coloring See-through window Available in 12 and 24 counts

Cons

May only have basic colors Lead may break easily

9. Best For Beginners: Crayola 68-4112 Colored Pencils

The Crayola colored pencils are the best colored pencils for beginners and suitable for classroom and group drawing projects. It is a set of 12 vibrant and bold crayon-length pencils that are pre-sharpened. It is recommended for children up to eight years of age. They are art-quality pencils, and their wide barrel makes them easy to grasp by little hands. Pros

ACMI-certified Round-shaped pencils Compact size for easy storage Provides break-free drawing

Cons

May be too small for some May be difficult to sharpen

10. Best Multicolored: Ooly Kaleidoscope Multi-Colored Pencils

Give your kid a colorful surprise with this set of ten magical kaleidoscope pencils. These 5-in-1 multi-colored pencils would bring fun to any piece of drawing or art your child creates. Every stroke of these pencils gives a magical feel when the child sketches with them. The pencil barrels are thick and hexagonal for a comfortable hold and will not roll away. Pros

Offer adequate coverage Blending colors is easy Vibrant colors Do not break while sharpening

Cons

Compatible with large-barrel sharpeners May be slightly thick

How To Choose the Right Colored Pencils For Children?

There are many types of colored pencils available but picking the right one could help your artistic child. Some tips that might be helpful are listed below:

Oil-based over wax pencils: Oil-based coloring pencils are vibrant, soft, give bright color, and easier to work. Thick pencils: Thicker pencils are easy to hold and are better for little hands. Also, at the beginners’ stage, it is good to start with thick pencils. Short pencils: Consider shorter pencils, which are the size of your kids’ fingers or smaller as they are easier to control between the thumb and index finger. Bright and dark colors: Colors that are bright or dark are better than soft colors. Your children would be fascinated to see what they are coloring or drawing. Triangular pencils: They encourage a solid tripod grasp. The three fingers hold the three sides of the pencil.

Why Trust MomJunction?

Wedetso Chirhah is knowledgeable about kids’ products, household items, and books. After researching and comparing several online products, he collated the names of the best colored pencils for kids. These pencils are sure to please the artist in every child. Wedetso discussed their specifications, such as the number of shades, the vibrancy of colors, opacity, and more. He also provided a buying guide talking about important factors to consider when choosing the right color pencils for your child.

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