My 3-year-old son might be the next minimalist art sensation; Legit, the kid may be the next Frank Stella. The little guy draws three squiggly lines in two different colors on a blank paper plate, and boom — we got art. Today my fridge, tomorrow the Smithsonian.
Okay, fine maybe he’s not the next minimalist ingénue, but who says he couldn’t be? He loves his crayons, loves drawing with them, loves snapping them in half and even loves eating them. I am pretty sure that Picasso had a similar start.
If you have a blossoming young artist in your home, the space to create and imagine is key, says certified K-12 art teacher and professional artist Jessica Green. “If you can find a dedicated space in your house for art activities, that's ideal,” Green tells Shop TODAY. “I know that's not feasible for everyone. So maybe even a big, plastic art tote that you're okay with being a mess, and is something you can just stow away when it's not in use, that would work nicely as well."
You want your child to feel the joy of limitless creativity, but you don’t want to overwhelm your blossoming artist with too many choices either, according to Green. “Having lots of supplies and options can be stressful and a total mess,” she says. “So I’d only set out certain supplies for a particular art-making session. Creativity thrives within limitations, so buying a zillion supplies isn't the answer and can also gridlock creativity.”
There are endless reasons to introduce art into the home if you haven’t already. “Art projects lead children to lengthen their attention space and build a habit of focus. It effortlessly bolsters the understanding and enjoyment of other subjects and disciplines, and it’s communal and inclusive," summarizes Green.
If your child is ready to take a plunge into the art game and you’re ready to cover your fridge with their latest masterpieces, here are interesting crafts and creative tools to help them put their mark on the art world, chosen by craft experts and our editors here at Shop TODAY.
Best art gifts for kids
This exciting craft allows your kid to fully express themselves and have fun with paint. Deputy managing editor Jess Bender says, "this is a cool little stocking stuffer for the kid or tween who’s looking to express themselves through their accessories. The marbled detail you end up with looks complex to pull off, but designing this little bear is as easy as mixing some paint colors together and letting it drip all over it."
While colored pencils are fun, colored pencils that smell good are even better. This pack of colored pencils comes with scents, including orange soda and jelly donut.
When it comes to a beginner’s art supply kit, start simple, says Green. A sketchbook, some colored pencils and some simple paints are always a great way to go … especially if they are washable. This sparkly, personalized and customizable sketchpad can be purchased as a hard or soft cover, and includes 120 pages for your child to sketch their latest and greatest idea.
With crafts ranging from beginner to master, this mini pottery studio includes a variety of projects for your little one to tackle along with all the tools they need to take their pottery skills to the next level.
This tub of Crayola crayons has over 250 crayons, including limited-edition colors that you rarely see from the brand. These will last them a long time and they can easily be stored in a cabinet.
New craft, who dis? It’s your kiddo at their very own sculpting station. Let your child get behind the wheel — the pottery wheel, that is — and create a bevy of fun characters or their own pinch pot. This sculpting station includes 12 paint pots, four air dry clay pouches, two paint brushes, two texture plates, a clay sculpting tool, a built-in pottery wheel, a reusable storage case and every parent's favorite thing: easy-to-follow instructions.
If you have a child that doesn’t seem to really dig sketching or coloring, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a budding artist just waiting to bust loose, according to Green. “It’s a myth that drawing and art are synonymous. There are many options when it comes to art; digital art, sculpture, painting, fiber arts, sewing, weaving, knitting [or] car design.”
Quilling is a great creative outlet for the child who is in search of their artistic niche. It involves taking strips of paper and glue and turning those pieces into works of art. This cute first quilling set helps your little artist create sweet and custom cards featuring adorable bugs. This activity helps kids ages five and up express creativity and further develop fine motor skills.
Best art kits for kids
Paint marbling has been popular for the last couple of years and now your kids can make their creations with swirling and moving around the paint in this tub.
This craft kit isn't just an amazingly unique piece, it makes having an artsy kid a little bit easier. Bender says, "Art without the mess! Ooly has several scratch and scribble kits to bring vibrant scenes to life, including this collaboration featuring Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang, using just a wooden scratch tool."
Tickle their curiosity with this glow-in-the-dark-themed art kit. Elmer’s created this Squishies kit, so your crafty kiddo can create collectible creatures out of mystery solutions. Once they combine two secret solutions with Elmer’s glue, they just need to wait 60 minutes for their creature to form. This art gift is ideal for 6-year-olds and older.
This year, we’re seeing a resurgence of friendship bracelets and nostalgic gifts. This bracelet-making kit is best for children 8 years old and older. While the Rainbow Loom bracelets were all the rage in the 2010s, they’ve maintained popularity throughout the years. With the included loom, metal hook and rubber bands, the child you’re shopping for can create rings, necklaces and bracelets.
Any crafty kid is probably obsessed with slime, and for good reason. This 2025 Gifts We Love pick is a fun DIY way to get in some sensory play and stay off of screens.
While Mike Kennedy, VP and GMM of Craft & Seasonal at JOANN, says “it’s dealers choice” when deciding what beads to create friendship bracelets with, this 2,300-piece box of pony beads is a classic route to go when searching for a friendship bracelet-themed gift.
“You can go everything from kids’ pony beads and traditional letter beads to we’ve got some really nice glass check beads and then a whole jewelry section of kind of nicer more gem-type, strung beads that you can pull apart and use,” Kennedy says. “So it’s a little bit of just the look that you’re going for.”
If you’re shopping for a kid who can’t decide between the court and the studio, gift them this customizable basketball so they won’t have to choose. While perfecting their three-pointers, they can show off their artistic side with an art-themed basketball.
This unique craft set uses the coolest medium to produce the final piece: foil paper. "I actually gave this to my friend’s five-year-old and she absolutely loved it," says Bender. "Her parents just started teaching her about the solar system, so she really enjoyed making this solar system mobile with all the different planets and constellations she was learning about in real time. The final product was, dare I say, out of this world with how cool it looked."
If they’re over the coloring books and want to try something new, this kit as everything they need and more. It’s a great introductory to three new art forms, including air-dry pottery, mosaics and marble painting.
This tech-adjacent gift is ideal for the young visionaries in your life, but also a great gift for artists of any age. Using the Cupixel studio app, your little one can project their creations onto any surface that they want to create on.
“There’s a whole app and learning experience back behind it where you can go in and do all kinds of how-tos and learn-tos,” Kennedy says. “What’s pretty cool is you can upload your own photos, and then it will project it down and then you can trace it.”
JOANN editorial director Valerie Ott keeps her eye on what’s hot in the crafting world and says that the Woobles crochet kits are “really trending right now.” The brand has everything you need to make cute little crochet creatures, including yarn, a crochet hook and stuffing. “My crafty daughter wants to learn how to crochet, and it seemed like a nice way to get into amigurumi making,” she says.
This kit takes your most treasured photos and turns it into a work of art with a helpful blueprint. It includes two canvases, two paint brushes, 48 paint colors and a frame for your finished work!
For an artsy gadget with some STEM sprinkled in, this 3D printing pen is just what you’re looking for. Recommended for ages 6 and up, this tool is great for the future architect or artist, allowing them to engage in a unique drawing experience (with child-friendly filaments and no messy glue or resin).
These are no ordinary pajamas ... Surprise your kiddo with a cool pair of PJs that they can design themselves! These 100% organic cotton long johns come with 10 Crayola fabric markers, which they can use to color in the holiday-themed pictures printed right on the fabric.
This art and craft supply center has everything a parent and child could ask for. With 20 see-through drawers and hundreds of handy craft supplies, there is no limit to what you and your child can create.
If are into jewelry, they can make their own creation with this impression kit. They can press in a special flower or stone and make it last forever.
Best art stations for kids
Whether it's for crafts, reading or homework, this work desk is a functional space for kids to study and create. It's fully adjustable to fit your little (or tall) one's height and can even be tilted for account for their posture.
This play set offers your little artist the perfect spot to let their imagination run wild. Not only does it have multiple storage spaces to place coloring books, paper, art supplies and more, but its surface can also easily transform into an easel!
Now they can paint any time and anywhere — parent permitting, course ... This easel is designed with wheels and storage space, so you can easily transport it throughout your home. It also includes a built-in chalkboard and whiteboard, opening up so many creative opportunities!
Frequently asked questions
Green summarizes that "art projects lead children to lengthen their attention space and build a habit of focus. It effortlessly bolsters the understanding and enjoyment of other subjects and disciplines, and it’s communal and inclusive."
Green says, "I’d only set out certain supplies for a particular art-making session. Creativity thrives within limitations, so buying a zillion supplies isn’t the answer and can also gridlock creativity.”
"If you can find a dedicated space in your house for art activities that’s ideal," says Green. "I know that’s not feasible for everyone, so maybe even a big, plastic art tote that you’re okay with being a mess, and is something you can just stow away when it’s not in use, that would work nicely as well.”
How we chose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers searched the internet to find the best art gifts for kids. We used our own personal experiences with gifting products and brands to make shopping easier for our readers, including bestselling items that customers and reviewers loved. We also asked experts about what we should be looking for and chose products based on their guidance.
Meet the Experts
- Jessica Green is a certified K-12 art teacher and professional artist.
- Mike Kennedy is VP and GMM of Craft & Seasonal merchandise at JOANN. He takes inspiration from his wife and 7-year-old son who are always creating, especially during the holidays.
- Valerie Ott is the editorial director at JOANN. Aside from guiding the editorial calendar and many creative teams at JOANN, she crafts, knits and sews in her free time.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect present for every kid on your list including babies, 1-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds.
