Mini Easel

The Mini Easel is a low-level, double-sided creative resource designed specifically for children under three. A chalkboard on one side and a dry-erase board on the other give young learners two distinct mark-making surfaces, making it easy to vary drawing, early writing and visual exploration within the same compact piece of early years furniture.

A broad base provides stability during use, while the accessible height allows younger children to approach the board comfortably. The Mini Easel also includes hand holes for straightforward repositioning by an adult, so it can move between a nursery creative area, classroom provision and a home playroom as activities change.

Constructed from 15 mm covered MDF, the easel has an ISO 22196 certified antibacterial finish and is made for regular use in busy learning environments. It is supplied flat-packed with assembly instructions, combining versatile creative play with practical storage and setup considerations.

What makes this early years easel special

The Mini Easel places mark-making at an appropriate level for very young children. Its low format removes the need to reach a full-height classroom easel, while the broad base creates a dependable platform for chalk and dry-wipe activities. Children can stand or position themselves comfortably according to the activity and setting.

The reversible design expands the range of experiences without requiring two separate units. Practitioners can offer chalk marks on one occasion and dry-erase drawing on another, or turn the easel as part of a planned creative session. Each surface provides a different feel and visual result, encouraging children to explore how their movements appear.

Key features

• Low-level easel designed for children under three
• Reversible panels provide a chalkboard and a dry-erase board
• Broad base supports stability during creative activities
• Integrated hand holes help adults reposition the easel
• Made from 15 mm covered MDF
• ISO 22196 certified antibacterial finish
• Suitable for nurseries, early years classrooms and home playrooms
• Supplied flat-packed with assembly instructions

Creative expression and early mark-making

The Mini Easel gives children a clear vertical or near-vertical space for making lines, curves, dots and larger sweeping marks. These first experiments are valuable forms of creative expression: children can choose where to begin, how much of the surface to use and when their picture or pattern feels complete.

Adults can model simple marks, name colours or talk about what a child has created without directing every outcome. The reusable surfaces encourage experimentation because drawings can change from one session to the next, supporting open-ended learning through play.

Fine motor and gross motor development

Drawing on an upright surface involves the hands, wrists, arms and shoulders. The Mini Easel encourages young children to coordinate these movements as they control chalk or a suitable dry-wipe marker. Small marks support developing precision, while larger movements allow the whole arm to take part.

Visual attention and hand-eye coordination are involved as children watch the mark appear in response to movement. Repeated opportunities can help them adjust pressure, direction and speed, building foundations that later contribute to controlled drawing and writing.

Language and shared learning

A finished mark can become a starting point for conversation. Children may name what they have drawn, respond to an adult’s description or add further details to a shared idea. The easel creates a visible focus for this interaction, supporting vocabulary and communication around colour, shape, position and action.

In an early years setting, practitioners can use the board for simple group prompts, familiar symbols or turn-taking drawing games. Children can observe one another’s approaches and learn that different marks and pictures can represent different ideas.

Flexible nursery and classroom use

The two surfaces make the easel adaptable across continuous provision and adult-guided activities. The chalkboard can be used for contrasting marks and rub-away exploration, while the dry-erase side supports clean, changeable drawing with compatible resources. The Mini Easel can complement art topics, storytelling, shape work and early literacy activities without limiting children to one prescribed task.

Its hand holes are helpful when an adult needs to alter the room layout or rotate the panel. The low height also helps maintain a child-centred environment in which resources are presented at an accessible scale.

Why choose the Mini Easel

The Mini Easel combines two reusable drawing surfaces, an under-three design and robust covered-MDF construction in one practical early years resource. It supports creative expression and developmental movement while helping nurseries and families make effective use of limited floor space.

For practitioners, the reversible panel offers variety across planned and child-led sessions. For parents and carers, it provides a dedicated place for early artwork without requiring a full-sized easel. The antibacterial finish, broad base and supplied assembly instructions add useful practical benefits for regular use.

Perfect for

• Nursery and early years creative areas
• Children under three beginning to explore mark-making
• Chalkboard and dry-erase drawing activities
• Fine motor, shoulder and arm movement
• Colour, shape and early language activities
• Home playrooms and compact learning spaces

Gift suitability

This double-sided easel makes a substantial educational gift for a younger child who enjoys drawing and experimenting with marks. Its reusable surfaces allow creative activities to be revisited, while the accessible format is designed around the needs of children under three.

Specifications

• Product name: Mini Easel
• Product code: 7400
• Contents: One reversible easel supplied flat-packed with assembly instructions
• Panels: Chalkboard on one side and dry-erase board on the other
• Material: 15 mm covered MDF
• Finish: ISO 22196 certified antibacterial finish
• Design: Low height, broad base and integrated hand holes
• Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use
• Assembly: Required; supplied with instructions
• Batteries: Not required
• Learning focus: Creative expression, early mark-making, fine motor skills, gross motor movement, hand-eye coordination and communication
• Recommended age: Children under 3 years