Art projects boost kids’ creativity and fine motor skills — not to mention unlock your child’s unique artistic expression. Kids chalkboards check off all those boxes!
Most children are ready for a chalkboard and easel starting at 3 years old — or sometimes as early as 18 months.
When that creative spark happens inside your little one — be ready with a wooden kids chalkboard. Most parents opt for an all-in-one art easel with a chalkboard, whiteboard, and paper roll — and I’ve curated the best wooden models for you to browse today.
It’s never too early to introduce artistic activities into your child’s home routine.
Even for little ones who are a little reluctant to start drawing — having the right equipment will encourage them to draw their first doodle.
Cheers to your child’s art and learning — and finding the perfect chalkboard for your family!
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In a hurry?
We’ll be showcasing all different kinds of awesome children’s chalkboards you should know about…
But if you need a last-minute gift for your creative little someone — here’s your fast track to finding the right one.
- Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Art Easel is the world’s most popular kids wooden chalkboard and easel.
- Crayola Kids Wooden Art Easel is easily height-adjusted to fit toddlers and kids of all ages.
- KidKraft Deluxe Wooden Easel With Chalkboard & More is a premium-grade wooden chalkboard easel for young artists.
- Hape Eco-Friendly Kid’s Art Easel is a sustainably manufactured wooden art easel with chalkboard & adjustable legs.
- Step2 “All-Around” Easel for Two Children is made of plastic but still worth a peek.
- Melissa & Doug Wooden Tabletop Chalkboard is a space-saving and full-featured kids chalkboard option.
- Schylling Briefcase Wooden Travel Chalkboard is a convenient travel-friendly pick for busy tykes on the go!
- Wishwood Pretend Play Wooden Laptop Computer Chalkboard is a screen-free way for your kids to pretend work from home.
- Plaid Store Simple Handheld Wooden Chalkboard is a back-to-basics handheld wooden chalkboard perfect for preschools, daycares, or lots of kids.
- Honey Dreamers Wooden Kids Chalkboard For Wall is a beautiful Montessori chalkboard that hangs on your wall.
- Montana Sass Boutique Kids Wooden Chore Chart Chalkboard helps kids build good habits and cross chores of the list.
Top 5 Wooden Kids Chalkboards With Easel
(01) Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Art Easel
The world’s most popular wooden kids easel with a chalkboard (ages 3+).
Top Features:
- Chalkboard
- Dry-erase board
- Paper roll (with lock & paper cutter)
- Easy-grip clips
- Plastic equipment tray
- Stands 47” inches tall
Melissa & Doug brand’s kid’s wooden standing art easel is a full-featured package deal with everything your kid needs to get creative.
The easel stands perfectly double-sided so two kids can doodle at once — on opposite sides with one on the chalkboard and the other on the dry-erase side.
Both sides have plenty of space to keep your little art supplies — chalk & eraser, non-toxic whiteboard markers, or paint & brushes for a lasting piece of art.
You’ll enjoy the best cost-to-value ratio of all chalkboards and easels we reviewed. We even compared this one with the Amazon Basics offering — usually the best value for your buck — and Mellisa & Doug is clearly the better value.
For most first-time easel and kids art supply buyers, Melissa & Doug is my best recommendation to get your foot in the door.
(02) Crayola Kids Wooden Art Easel
Most age-adjustable wooden kids chalk and dry-erase board easel (ages 3 to 12).
Top Features:
- Chalkboard
- Magnetic whiteboard
- Adjustable 37” to 42” inch height
- Paper roll
- Plastic art clips
- Tray with 3 paint pots
Crayola is a household name for children’s art supplies — most popular for their world-leading series of crayons. Their entire business revolves around kids’ art supplies.
It comes as no surprise that the Crayola brand’s easel promotes your child’s artistic ability.
To compare — you could say Mellissa & Doug’s focuses on “play”, but this one focuses on “art”.
First, you can easily adjust the height — which means you can find the perfect fit for young toddlers as well as older kids. Your little artist needs the most comfortable setup to express themselves through visual art.
This one is double-sided too — so two kids can use it at the same time.
The tray at the bottom extends across the crux of the easel, allowing for extra storage between the chalkboard and dry-erase board.
It basically covers the same bases as the Melissa & Doug — except you’ll miss out on the paper cutter — but it’s got everything your little one needs to draw with chalk to their heart’s content.
If you already like Crayola, but are looking for an even more fine-art setup, try Crayola brand’s larger-sized deluxe wooden easel depending on your child’s age and artistic skill level.
(03) KidKraft Deluxe Wooden Easel With Chalkboard & More
Most professional wooden easel with chalkboard for young artists (ages 3 to 8 years).
Top Features:
- Chalkboard
- White-erase board
- Paper roll
- Double-sided design
- Double-level storage shelves
- Stands at 48” tall
The first thing you’ll notice is KidKraft’s chunky heavyweight design focused on dark-stained natural wood.
Basically, it’s an all-natural artist’s easel just like art students and professionals use — this time made specifically for toddlers and kids.
I call it the best wooden easel for young artists.
You’ll love the paper roller, where your kid can easily roll down the paper overtop the dry-erase or chalkboard to turn it into a painting surface.
At 26.5 pounds, this easel is made to stay in place. For example, Melissa & Doug’s weighs just 14.5 pounds — almost half of KidKraft’s.
A tiny word of warning — assembly of this one might be a tad more difficult than the other easels and chalkboards we’ve looked at. Assembly instructions are included, but some reviewers just about lost their nuts and bolts trying to put their KidKraft together.
(04) Hape Eco-Friendly Kid’s Art Easel
A sustainably manufactured toddler-friendly wooden art easel with chalkboard, paper roll, and dry-erase board.
Top Features:
- Chalkboard
- Magnetic whiteboard
- Adjustable height from 37.5 to 43.5 inches
- Dual-sided activities
- Easy-adjust legs
- Paper roll
As a global brand with an A-class reputation for sustainable toys — I just can’t help by say Hape is one of my favorites.
Standing between 37.5″ to 43.5″ inches in height — the Hape brand’s easel is shorter than others we’ve looked at — but that just means it’s more appropriate for those younger years.
On the box, it writes 3 to 8 years — but with close supervision, I think some toddlers might be ready for an easel as early as 18 months old.
It’s two-sided so two can paint together — a blackboard & chalk on one side and a whiteboard & dry-erase markers on the other side.
As an eco-friendly all-in-one wooden toddler chalkboard easel — it’s an excellent join to jumpstart your little one’s painting, writing, or drawing — and don’t forget finger painting!
(05) Step2 “All-Around” Easel for Two Children
Albeit not as eco-friendly as the other children’s easels — this plastic toddler easel is highly functional.
Top Features:
- Made of plastic
- Chalkboard
- Whiteboard
- 90-degree drawing surface
- 2 easy-clean removable trays
- Stands 41.5” inches tall
At Oddblocks, we try to recommend environmentally-friendly toys and kids’ products — we love (and review) wooden toys!
Sometimes, I think it’s worthwhile to understand all your options though. While Step2’s easel is made of plastic — it does have a very unique design.
Since the chalkboard-and-whiteboard dual-sided board stands perfectly 90 degrees from the ground — your toddler is accustomed to the 90-degree angle, so can quickly adjust and start doodling on the other side of the board.
That means the “All-Around Easel” is an “Easy-To-Step-Around Easel”.
Other Chalk-Worthy Types Of Wooden Chalkboards For Kids & Toddlers
(A) Tabletop Chalkboard
All the features of a full-sized chalkboard — now in a smaller tabletop package.
It’s true — even if the full-sized easel chalkboard you buy folds up — it still takes up significant storage space.
Tabletop chalkboards are a smaller, typically less expensive alternative to kids’ easel chalkboards. As long as you have a sturdy table for your child to sit at — you’re 100% prepared for artistic playtime.
Melissa & Doug brand’s Double-Sided Magnetic Tabletop Art Easel easily fits on your tabletop — and has a ton of creative activities for your child to explore.
It’s a two-sided chalkboard and dry-erase board — plus a built-in wooden paper roll holder for kids who prefer the feel of drawing on paper.
The kit comes with all the accessories you could imagine — of course, colored chalk included, an erasure, and an entire set of educational letter and number magnets.
With the added convenience of table play, this is a wooden tabletop chalkboard appropriate for toddlers and kids ages 3 and up — complete with all the kids’ chalkboard accessories.
(B) Briefcase Travel Chalkboard
A convenient travel-friendly pick for busy tykes on the go!
Schylling brand’s wooden chalkboard briefcase for kids is shaped just like a briefcase, has a briefcase handle, and stores artistic materials inside just like a briefcase can.
Planning a day in the car or a lengthy visit to the park — this wooden chalkboard packs easily right along for the trip! It conveniently sits in your child’s lap for long periods of sit-down time.
Now I think you see what I mean when I say there’s much more than chalkboards with easels.
(C) Pretend Play Laptop Computer & Smartphone Chalkboards
Quirky, geeky, great for imagination — and oh so fun!
I’m sure you’d agree with me when I say “screentime” take up too much time — and that goes for our kids too. Modern families are bound to have devices and screens, and our kids are bound to get some “screentime”.
As a creative solution, these Montessori chalkboards are shaped exactly like electronic devices — made “screen-free” from all-natural wood.
Instead, turn the same tech-forward lifestyle your child sees mommy and daddy do into an artistic outlet for your child.
After all, wooden laptops and cell phones are so unique! What a pleasantly surprising children’s gift? (One the parents will love as much as the kid.)
(D) Simple Handheld Chalkboard
A back-to-basics handheld wooden chalkboard — just like you used in kindergarten.
Wait a second here — let’s get back to basics!
Remember when you were in preschool and kindergarten — the kind of chalkboard your teacher handed out in bulk to your entire class?
Stackable, minimal, and nothing but a simple wood frame and chalkboard — this kind of chalkboard offers the doodle-ability of other chalkboards at a much lower cost.
Got lots of kids or a daycare — buy a 6-pack to save money and have a creative station for all your little ones.
(E) Chalkboard For Wall
For a permanent creative space for toddlers & kids to learn and create.
Yes, you can hang chalkboards up in your home just like chalkboards are hung in classrooms around the globe.
The Board Dudes brand does nothing but make quality wall boards — exactly what we’re looking for here. Their basic wooden-framed chalkboards for the wall require installation — but after that, it’s a large-surface chalkboard that’ll last through years of your child’s home education.
Depending on how fancy you want to take it — you can find fashion-forward Nordic style wall chalkboards like Honey Dreamers brand’s house-shaped kids wall chalkboard
You’ve got options! From a functional homeschooling chalkboard to an at-home decorative play wall — you can make it happen!
(F) Kids Chores Chart Chalkboard
A chalkboard made for crossing chores off the list — and teaching kids responsibility!
When did “accountability” become a value we only talk about at work — and not at home?
Teaching your little one a little responsibility — most parents would agree is good practice even starting from an early age.
Here’s a wooden children’s chalkboard made specifically for keeping track of your child’s daily and weekly chores.
It’s available in your choice of green or pink permanent pastel-colored chart. Put it in a place accessible to your child, so that they’ll be able to update the chart when they have a chore to cross off the list.
Colorful Chalk For A Colorful Life!
And one more thing just in case — check out these wooden chalkboard erasers if you’re in need of a replacement.
Most chalkboard-and-easel sets we showed you include a perfectly working chalkboard eraser.
But if you remember how dusty and distressed classroom chalk erasers get after years of use — you’ll know sometimes it’s time for a replacement (or an extra).
Uncle Paul brand’s wood eraser and Lelin brand’s blackboard duster are two eco-friendly chalk erasers to consider.
Especially if you have multiple kids drawing with chalk at the same time or your current eraser has seen better days.
That’s a wrap! Time to start with a clean slate!
There are tons of reasons to love wooden chalkboards. They help boost your child or toddler’s artistic ability and fine motor skills — not to mention empower your child to express themselves through visual art.
The best age for a chalkboard starts at 3 years old — or even earlier. When you see that creative spark in your child — you’ll know.
Thanks for stopping by and have a chalk-tastic day!
