Overwhelmed by Black Friday deals (which have somehow turned into over a week of deals?) and what you should actually buy? Black Friday is the perfect time to stock up on art supplies for the holidays without blowing your budget. I admittedly have been trying to knock out all of my Christmas shopping this week so I can just relax the rest of this season!! As a mom and art educator, I’m pretty picky about what I put in front of kids. Not all supplies are worth buying… and some are better when you don’t get the cheapest option! So instead of overwhelming you with a giant list, I hand-picked a few deals that are high-quality, developmentally appropriate for most ages, and spark creativity.
Best Black Friday Deals for Kids’ Art Supplies
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Mixed Media Sketchbooks
I have a whole blog post on why your child NEEDS a sketchbook here, but the gist is that Sketchbooks make kids feel like real artists. Mixed-media books can handle paint, glue, pens, and markers all in one place — no ripping, no bleeding, no frustration. They also help children build a creative habit over time instead of random sheets piling up. My favorite sketchbook of all time is here.
Great for:
Travel, quiet time, weekly art journaling, project-based learning, process and experimentation.
Acrylic Paint Pens
These are game-changers for detail work. They write on rocks, cardboard, wood, and canvas — making them an incredible choice for winter gifts, rock art, and mixed-media drawings. Parents love them because they actually work. I love them because we call them paint pens (which they are) so when we use them I feel like I am letting them “paint” without busting out water and smocks and mess. They are featured in this pumpkin post, too! These are the ones I keep buying over and over again as I think of more projects to do with them and more art classes to bring them to! (At an amazing price right now!)
Great for: “Painting” on surfaces other than paper (rocks, pumpkins, cardboard, etc!) and allow kiddos to get detail in with paint!
Expanded Watercolor Palettes
More colors = fewer muddy messes for beginners. A quality palette keeps pigment vibrant and encourages experimentation in layering, resist, and blending techniques. These last forever. I have even left one of these exact palettes outside in the blazing Colorado sun all summer and it still works great. Money very-well spent! I am buying another one so I can leave one outside and one inside! This brand is my favorite because they sort them in a nice rainbow-ish order. The ones pictured in the cover photo of this post are a different brand and not sorted and it drives me nuts, haha.
Glitter Gel Pens
Kids LOVE sparkle. Glitter pens add magic without loose glitter explosions all over your carpet. They’re perfect for line work, journaling, and holiday card making and this particular set is SO GOOD. We ended up buying the huge pack because we loved this pink and purple pack so much, but he expanded pack is not on sale (but a great wishlist add because again, so good!).
Washable Click Markers (No Caps!)
No lost marker caps = no drying out. These are life-savers with toddlers and preschoolers, but even older kids love how smooth they feel. Affordable, washable, and long-lasting. I prefer them so much more over scrambling on my knees looking for marker caps under the table. 😅
Prismacolor Pencils
The actual best colored pencils. If you want your kiddo to feel like the fanciest artist out there, these are it! Super soft led, easy to blend, and great color deposit on paper. They are generally very expensive, this big pack is 33% off which is so good Amazon doesn’t even let me commission off this link, hah!
Watercolor Gel Crayons
Soft, highly pigmented, and blend like paint with just a little water. These are magical on all papers and create instant success for even the youngest artists. They don’t require much pressure to use so they are easy for our tiniest artists to make a big impact with.
Paint Sticks
All the fun of paint without the mess. Perfect for days you want creativity but not mess. They blend beautifully, dry lightning fast, and are ideal for little artists with big ideas. These are by far in my top three favorite art materials for kids, ever. Admittedly, this BF deal isn’t that life-changing, but it’s affordable and the brand I use! A better deal is here, with great reviews, but I have not personally used that brand yet.
Final Tip
Good supplies outlast cheap kits every time. When kids have tools that work like real art materials, they stay engaged longer, take creative risks, and build confidence. Now, want a shortcut to what’s best by age?
Grab my FREE Ultimate Guide to Age-Appropriate Art Supplies by clicking the button below!