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Painting with children: the best products for children from the age of 4 upward

Painting with children: the best products for children from the age of 4 upward

They like to laugh and play a lot – and they are incredibly creative: kindergarten children love to use different materials for crafting. They love painting and creating wonderful artworks with colours, pencils and sheets of paper. Since their hands are still small and they still have to practice how to hold a pen correctly, brands have developed products that are specifically designed to meet the needs of little, creative minds. They turn painting and crafting with children from the age 4 upward into the perfect activity – not only on rainy days.

Noris jumbo logo with products from the assortment

Discover the Noris jumbo assortment by STAEDTLER that has been specifically designed for painting and crafting from the age of 4 upward: conceptualized as an extension of the Noris junior assortment (painting and craft supplies for kids from the age of 2 upward), it has been adapted to the needs of 4- to 6-year-old kindergarten and preschool kids.

Our products are high-quality, safe for health and eco-friendly, and they are suitable for painting, drawing and crafting: from the perfect first beginner’s pencils, coloured pencils and felt-tip pens with an ergonomic jumbo with a triangular shape to soft plasticine modelling clay for kids – our assortment offers a wide range of products.

The Noris jumbo assortment stands for joy in exploring personal creativity, and it is safe as well as easy to use. Our painting equipment for children is produced environmentally friendly and sustainably. Their packaging is made of at least 80 percent recycled materials, it is recyclable and reusable.

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Infographic explaining the Noris jumbo assortment’s core values
Learning how to draw from the age of 4 upward: why you should encourage children’s artistic streak

Sports and movement are important for children’s physical health, friendships promote their attachment capabilities, and their family gives them a sense of stability in their lives. And what about art? If children have a chance to express their creativity, it strengthens their imagination. And last but not least: if you allow your children to explore and express their creativity, you will give them an opportunity to grow on a personal level.

  • Painting promotes concentration and patience.
  • Their hand-eye coordination and dexterity are trained.
  • Creative expression strengthens their ability to handle cognitive work.
  • Children can practice the free expression of ideas and accessing their own imagination.
  • Creativity has a calming effect and reduces stress.
How can you increase kids’ interest in painting – from the age of 4 upward?

When painting and being creative, a 4-year-old can use many different tools. Finger paint offers a completely different haptic artistic experience than wax crayons or pencils for toddlers. The wide range of products that perfectly fits their development is particularly exciting.

Offer your child a large selection of colours, brushes, paper and other painting utensils. Also make sure that materials as well as coloured pencils for toddlers are non-toxic and safe. It is important that your kids have fun and enjoy the process – to ensure that, we offer you a wide range of ideas, templates and colouring pages.

Painting at 4 years old: tips for parents and caregivers
  • Don’t forget to supervise your child, especially when they use scissors, glue or pointed pencils.
  • Make sure that all materials are non-toxic and child-safe.
  • Prepare the crafting and paint area with a cover to protect it from dirt.
  • Allow your children to design and experiment freely, and never criticize their artworks.

Which pencils are suited for children from the age of 4 upward

Even the first scribblings that toddlers create help them practice how to hold a pen, as well as how to write fluently. In the beginning, little ones hold their pen with the so-called fist grip. During this phase, thick wax crayons or coloured pencils are ideal tools. Usually, they then start implementing the slightly more coordinated paw grip, holding their pen between their thumb, index finger and middle finger. Around the age of 4, children start holding their pens increasingly with a tripod grip. The tripod grip, also called pinch grip, is the optimal pen position. The thumb and index finger hold the pen that rests on the middle finger’s front part.

The tripod grip with a pen

The Noris jumbo assortment that seamlessly continues the Noris junior 2+ assortment has been developed to suit the needs of children from the age of 4 upward. Thanks to the pens’ triangular shape, children learn the so-called tripod grip that is a must in school.

Benefits of triangular grip pens

  • They get your kids ready for school: the pens’ triangular shape helps 4-year-olds learn the “three-point grip”.
  • Since they are easy to use, your little ones can practice drawing circles, lines, contours, pictures and writing.
  • The jumbo format suits little children’s hands perfectly and provides fun while painting and drawing.
  • The Noris jumbo assortment allows children to express their own creativity.
Small children drawing together with coloured STAEDTLER pencils

Creative tip: Draw waveforms, figures and contours that your child can trace and continue. This way, it can practice its first swing exercises in a playful way.

Our assortment of crafting and painting equipment for kids from the age of 4 upward at a glance

With a wide range of materials and coloured pencils for children, even 4-year-olds can create artworks and develop their creativity as well as their fine motor skills. Check out this overview of our range of colouring and crafting equipment for children from the age of 4 upward:

Noris jumbo

Coloured jumbo pencils for children

Noris® jumbo 128

Coloured pencils with an ergonomic triangular shape ensure a relaxed painting experience and help learn the correct pen position.

  • Coloured jumbo pencil with an ergonomic triangular shape for relaxed painting
  • Ideal for swing and painting exercises
  • A·B·S – their white protective layer strengthens the lead core and increases their break resistance
  • Beautiful star pattern with name field
  • Available in 12 colours
  • Wood made of FSC certified, sustainably managed forests
  • Recommended pencil sharpener: Noris twin sharpener box 512 128 or metal double sharpener 510 20 for perfectly sharpened writing utensils
Noris® jumbo 128 Jumbo coloured pencil Cardboard box containing 6 coloured pencils in assorted colours
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Noris jumbo

Learn-to-write pencils

Noris® jumbo 119

Non-slip learn-to-write pencils with high break resistance – the perfect first pencils for learning to write and draw for children from the age of 4 upward.

  • Jumbo pencil with an ergonomic triangular shape for the first swing and painting exercises
  • Made from upcycled wood: manufactured from recycled wood chips
  • Beautiful stripes and star pattern with name field
  • Available in HB
  • Lead diameter: approximately 4.0 mm
  • Soft non-slip surface and high break resistance for the kid’s first writing exercises
  • Wood made of PEFC certified, sustainably managed forests

tradition® jumbo 1285

  • Jumbo pencil with an ergonomic triangular shape for the first swing and painting exercises
  • Made from upcycled wood: manufactured from recycled wood chips
  • Beautiful stripes and star pattern with name field
  • Available in 2 hardness levels: 2B, HB
  • Lead diameter: approximately 4.0 mm
  • Soft non-slip surface and high break resistance for the kid’s first writing exercises
  • Wood made of PEFC certified, sustainably managed forests
tradition® jumbo 1285 tradition® jumbo 1285 Learner's pencil Counter display containing 50 Learner's pencils 2B
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Noris jumbo

Triangular shaped jumbo felt-tip pens

Noris® jumbo 328-B

Felt-tip pens in a jumbo format with an extra thick tip are perfect for colouring large areas. The colours cover well, can be easily washed out of most textiles and are dermatologically tested.

  • Ergonomic pen barrel in a jumbo format that is perfectly suited to children’s hands
  • Cap with breathing canal according to ISO 11540 and BS 7272-1/2
  • Easy to wash out of most textiles
  • Dermatologically tested
  • Line width: approximately 3.0 mm
Noris jumbo

Jumbo wax crayons

Noris® jumbo 228 14

Wax crayons enables first swing exercises thanks to their ideal shape, and can spark your child’s imagination with their bright colours.

  • The particularly thick 14 mm lead and the ergonomic triangular shape of the Noris jumbo wax crayons ensure a fatigue-free as well as relaxed painting experience – perfect for your child’s first swing exercises
  • The bright colours ensure a lot of fun when trying experimenting with creative ideas
  • For a wide range of applications
  • Paper cuffs with a beautiful striped Noris jumbo design encase each chalk – for a hygienic use and clean fingers
Noris jumbo

Plasticine modelling clay for children

Noris® jumbo 842

In addition to painting and writing with pencils, modelling clay is a creative activity that is very popular amongst kindergarten and preschool kids, and it enables them to create many imaginative artworks. The coloured plasticine modelling clay remains soft and is dermatologically tested. 

  • Sets are available in the following variants: basic colours, glitter colours, pastel colours, neon colours.
  • Ideal for school and kindergarten
  • Remains soft and is stable in shape
  • Colours can be mixed
  • CE-compliant
  • Dermatologically tested

Noris® jumbo plasticine modelling clay 8421

  • Plasticine modelling clay for children
  • Ideal for school and kindergarten
  • Remains soft and is stable in shape
  • Colours can be mixed
  • CE-compliant
  • Dermatologically tested
Noris

Craft scissors for children

Noris® 965

The colourful craft scissors are suited for children’s hands – thanks to their soft and ergonomic grip zone – and they are available in many different colours.

  • High cutting power
  • Rust-proof, rounded blades
  • Soft, ergonomic grip zone
  • Long product life
Noris jumbo

Stylus

Noris® digital jumbo 180J 22

  • Soft writing, drawing and erasing on displays with electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology
  • Ergonomic triangular shape for a natural drawing and writing experience
  • Exchangeable 0.7 mm precision tip and 4.096 pressure levels
  • Soft digital eraser
  • No charging or pairing
  • Palm rejection: only the tip of the pen is recognized, whilst the palm is ignored
  • Wood from PEFC certified German forests
  • Made in Germany
  • Further information
Noris® digital jumbo 180J 22 Noris® digital jumbo 180J 22 Stylus pencil Cardboard box containing 1 Noris digital jumbo stylus pencil, 5 replacement nibs and tool
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Noris jumbo

Painting and crafting sets for kids

Did you know?

STAEDTLER offers the right product for every age

Need inspiration for your next painting or crafting project?

Whenever you lack inspiration: you can find many exciting craft instructions, printable colouring templates and so much more here: