[Ad-gifted[ My creative five-year-old loves anything involving paints, pens and crafting, so the Art Lab Watercolour Case from Canal Toys was an instant hit! This all-in-one art set contains everything children need to experiment with watercolours and try out some fun new painting techniques.
The set comes with six brightly coloured watercolour paints, 12 sheets of watercolour paper, a paintbrush, double-tip marker pen, pencil, three stencils, an eraser, sponge, pot and a handy guide. Best of all, everything packs neatly away inside the case, which also doubles as a workstation for painting.
The set is aimed at children aged six plus and is designed to encourage budding artists to experiment with different watercolour techniques, either by following the guide or coming up with their own creations.
What we thought of the Art Lab Watercolour Case
Jemma absolutely loved getting creative and particularly enjoyed the bright paint colours and fun stencils – including a dolphin jumping out of the ocean at sunset, and cute stars, hearts, and letters. She loves anything that gives her the freedom to use her imagination, so there were plenty of opportunities to create her own colourful masterpieces.
The stencils were a particular favourite and were great for helping her to create pictures that she could then personalise with the paints and other tools. My tip would be to use some washi tape to secure the stencil in place on the paper before you start.
However, one of the things that really makes this set stand out from a standard watercolour set is the handy guide. It explains six different painting techniques and gave Jemma lots of inspiration for things she hadn’t thought of trying before.
She particularly enjoyed discovering that she could use salt with the watercolours to create effects such as clouds or waves, while using washi tape to make different patterns was another fun idea. I loved that the guide encouraged her to experiment rather than simply showing her pictures to copy.
The tools included in the case are good quality too, making it feel like a proper little art set rather than just another children’s painting kit. There’s plenty for children to experiment with and it is a lovely way to introduce them to different watercolour techniques.
From a parent’s point of view, one of my favourite features has to be the case itself. I love children’s art sets, but I don’t love trying to find somewhere to store all of the individual paints, brushes, pens and other tiny accessories afterwards!
Everything in the Art Lab Watercolour Case has its own place, so once Jemma had finished painting we could simply pack it all away together ready for next time. The case also doubles as a handy workstation while she is painting, which makes the whole set really practical.
It’s also compact enough to easily put away between uses and would be handy for taking with you to grandparents’ houses or on trips when you want a creative activity to keep children entertained.
Overall, we were both really impressed with the Art Lab Watercolour Case. Jemma loved the bright paints and stencils, while the guide encouraged her to try some completely new ways of painting. I loved the quality of the tools and, perhaps most importantly, the fact that everything packs neatly back into one case! I would have like a few more colours in the set, but for the price it’s a perfect starter kit.
Where can you buy the Art Lab Watercolour Case and how much is it?
You can buy the Art Lab Watercolour Case from Very priced at £14.99, although at the time of writing it is on sale for £12.99.
About Art Lab
Art Lab is a range of products from Canal Toys, the arts and crafts specialist. The all-in-one studios are designed to enable children to experiment, mix, and create endlessly.
Review by Danielle Booker
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* We were sent the toy in return for a review. All opinions are our own.
