This page shares general information about drawing supplies for beginning art students. From time to time, this page may be updated to reflect current art materials commonly used by children.
Basic Drawing Supplies for Beginning Students – Kids
Sketching Pad
Nature of Art for Kids® – Selected (Art Teacher Approved)
When choosing a sketching pad for children, look for one that is easy to use, durable, and comfortable for drawing over longer periods of time.
Features many families appreciate include:
- Smooth white drawing pages
- Acid-free paper
- Perforated pages for easy, clean removal
- A firm front and back cover for drawing support
- Spiral binding for easy page turning
- A format suitable for indoor or outdoor drawing, doodling, and observation
Sketchbooks like this are widely available at art supply stores and online.
Sketching Pencils
Graphite pencils come in different hardness and softness levels, often labeled with letters and numbers such as:
- H – hard lead
- B – soft lead
Harder leads create lighter lines, while softer leads create darker lines. Many beginners enjoy having access to both types so they can notice the difference in how each pencil feels and marks on paper.
Kneaded Artist Eraser
A kneaded artist eraser is a flexible eraser that can be shaped by hand. It’s commonly used to lift graphite gently from paper and can also be used to lighten areas of a drawing.
These erasers are reusable and help reduce smudging, making them a popular choice for drawing and sketching.
Choosing Drawing Journals
Drawing journals and sketchbooks can be found in most art supply stores and are available in many sizes and styles. Many people prefer spiral-bound journals because they lay flat and are easy to flip through while working.
Choosing a format that feels comfortable for a child can make drawing time more enjoyable and accessible.
If you’d like to explore drawing materials and art experiences more deeply, I share additional guidance in my books and resources created for parents and educators supporting children’s visual art learning.
Happy drawing!
All rights reserved © 2026, Nature of Art®
Nature of Art® provides art pedagogy
This website and its blogs supports individual educators in teaching children visual arts. It does not authorize professional development, staff training, or adaptation of the Science Art Method™ for institutional use.
No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.