What kind of drawing paper is best for children?

Everything related with kids should be no brainer and choosing a paper for drawing is no exception. Quality first, right?

Well, kind of … Sure, quality is important and we all want to give only the best to our children, but in reality we almost always limited: with time, space, money, experience, … You name it!

So this post is not about the obvious theoretical part – give kids the best possible material, but rather how to make the best out of real life situation. Here are the main points to consider:

Quality counts

Yes, just like kids (and everybody else) need quality color pencils, they need quality paper too. One simple method to compare different sorts of paper is their weight. 80 g / m2 is standard office paper and it is probably a standard for children’s drawings as well. But this kind of paper is barely good for color pencils and it is not useful for markers or watercolors.

So always try to have something of better quality at least for special occasions. If you already know you need drawing sheets of better quality, try to buy them when they are on discount or get them in bulk or in roles where you can save a lot of money if you cut the sheets accordingly to your needs.

Less is more

Kids love to see a lot of different colors, but have too much at the same time will confuse them and they will make a mess of them. Twelve colors is good for start, twenty four is for advanced projects and some experiments.

Same is true with paper. Stick to one or two kinds and occasionally test something new. Sometimes try something fancy, but in most cases every change will be appreciated. Envelopes, colorful wrapping paper, old boxes, paper bags, old forms, … , everything counts!

Just don’t exaggerate. Too much of everything can be confusing.

Mix

Instead of adding new colors, you will very likely achieve more with addition of new drawing tools as crayons, chalks or temperas. Instead of adding new sorts of paper you should probably think about new surfaces like glass, pavement, wood, … All this can be endless source of inspiration.

Don’t forget collages. Kids love to explore new techniques, so a pair of scissors (well, we can make full article about them too, right?), scotch tape and some universal glue will make valuable addition to your drawing adventures. to make impressive collages, always have some old magazines handy and if you have some old playing cards, stickers and similar items, you are already on your way to create something memorable.