Best Drawing Boards for School, Drafting, and Sketching
Are you looking for the best drawing board? If yes, then you have chosen the right page to acquire ample information. Whether you are drawing, sketching, or painting, drawing boards can be the best choice. These are compact, and their flat surface can make them work for every drawing purpose.
However, if you take a look on the internet, you will probably find a lot of them. The varieties of drawing boards available in the market, claiming to be the best, can make it really hard to purchase. So to make sure that you can choose the best, we will look into the top drawing boards.
Note that we have checked the features and their benefits. We can tell you that these are simply an excellent choice for office use or personal use. So, without any further talking, let us find the best drawing boards available in the market.
Discover the best drawing boards for school, drafting, sketching and more below.
This drawing board can easily hold papers and offer a portable and sturdy writing surface. It can be a great choice for multiple reasons – from work applications to medical to inventory sheets. You can use this board to write comfortably. The smooth and hard writing surface makes it a great option for offices and schools.
The use of quality pine wood material makes the drawing board long-lasting, reliable and offers strength. It is absolutely the best choice if you are always on the go.
This drawing board is manufactured with the best quality materials like seasoned pinewood. This makes the drawing board an excellent choice for you. You get a fantastic drawing surface that can help you to work seamlessly.
It comes with pinewood battens on its back that offer additional support to the board. The availability of battens makes this board a portable choice and ensures seamless transportation. The unique wood, texture, luster, and grain of this board make it the right choice.
The best part about this fantastic drawing board is that it has a laminated surface. It makes it seamless to use and maintain the drawing board. Keeping in mind the multipurpose use, it has rounded corners to prevent hurting.
It has a working surface of 16″ x 24″ that will provide you with an adequate workspace. Whether you want to use it as a sketch board, study board, lapboard, or architect board, you can use it. This multipurpose drawing board is a great choice for different tasks.
The premium quality portable board is made in India. So, if you are looking for a sturdy surface, you have a POPULAR Multipurpose Drawing Board.
It is included with the natural battens on its back which prevent warping and offer additional support. The board edges as enamel corners and paints with a round shape to make it harmless and easy to use.
The use of MDF makes it light, and the 16″ x 23″ makes it an apt choice for a multitude of work.
It consists of an 8mm surface with robust build quality to become your lifetime partner. This board comes with battens and a magnet for paper holding. You can use it for infinite purposes and stay assured that the drawing board will remain safe.
It has a huge working area of 17″ x 24″ along with 8mm of thickness. It offers ample space for convenient and comfortable working. Besides, rounded corners and made in India, makes it a great choice when it comes to choosing the best drawing board.
It is made with the best quality MDF materials, which makes this drawing stand a great choice. You can simply use it for a range of purposes.
It has finished edges and rounded corners to make it suitable for kids’ use as well. Enamel painting on the drawing board makes it a lifetime choice.
Superior quality hardwood on edge offers the use of T square. It consists of robust MDF battens that help to avoid warping and offer additional support to the board. It also makes the drawing board easy to transport.
It consists of an area of 16″ x 23″, making it ample for any use. So, whether you are looking for a drawing stand or sketch board for personal or professional use, you can choose Vishal Drawing Board (MDF).
So, now that you know some of the best drawing boards in the market, you can choose one. Irrespective of the purpose, you can choose anyone and make them work as per your requirements. These versatile drawing boards are certainly a lifetime choice.
The Best Kid’s Drawing Boards of 2022 Are Safe and Mess Free
It’s vital for young children to express themselves, but their art can be difficult to love when it’s on your clean walls or all over their clothing. Drawing boards, which typically involve a stylus and a responsive surface, are a great addition to any toy box. Endlessly reusable, they are eco-friendly, mess free, and safe—your toddlers won’t be eating crayons or sticking paint in their mouths. Our picks below will provide your child with hours of fun while encouraging imagination and learning.
1. Jasonwell Kids Drawing Pad This battery-powered LCD board offers a smooth drawing experience and lets kids create a multicolor design on a black background. The flexible, pressure-sensitive screen can record thin or thick lines, and the sturdy plastic frame absorbs shock to prevent damage. It also offers an expansive drawing area that measures 10.6 inches along the diagonal. If your child creates a design and wants to keep it for a while, the screen can be locked to prevent new marks and guard against erasure. Buy: Jasonwell Kids Drawing Pad $16.99 Buy it
2. Fisher-Price DoodlePro This magnetic drawing board has four included stamps in highly usable shapes: a triangle, a square, a circle, and a star. Little hands can easily slide the eraser across the screen, and the magnetic pen is attached to the board with a cord to prevent loss. Lines show up clearly and erase without ghosting. Note that the stamps are a possible choking hazard for very young children. The simple, rectangular design features a handle so kids can carry it like a briefcase. Buy: Fisher-Price DoodlePro $32.00 Buy it
3. Wellchild Magnetic Drawing Board Designed with round corners, this small but hard-wearing magnetic board is perfect for toddlers. It’s flashy and easy for little hands to grip, and the stylus is short and tapered to help with beginner pencil grasps. Each quadrant of the board showcases a different color (bright red, yellow, blue, and green) to make the doodling experience fun and surprising. Wellchild’s product comes with three magnetic stamps in playful shapes—a rabbit, a heart, and a star—that can be attached next to the drawing area. While these have a tendency to come loose, you can always keep them safe in the included drawstring backpack. Amazon Buy: Wellchild Magnetic Drawing Board $7.99 Buy it
4. Boogie Board eWriter Tablet A drawing board is a great choice for older kids as well, but the juvenile designs of our other options could make an 8-year-old cringe. This all-black LCD board looks mature and works well. The screen responds to varying pressures just like a traditional pencil and paper. Also included are a stainless steel stylus housed in a handy slot on the back of the board, and a neoprene sleeve to keep the board safe during travel. While the watch battery that powers this board is encased in the body, it can be replaced with the help of a mini screwdriver. Amazon
The best drawing tablets for kids in 2022
When choosing the best drawing tablets for kids, it can be hard to work out exactly what you're looking for when there's so many options available. Fortunately, our below list features a range of tablets for all ages to allow your young budding artist to best explore their creativity.
We've split our picks below into handy categories based on what age we recommend for each product for you to easily navigate. We kick it off with ages 0-4 before moving onto more advanced options for little artists aged 5-12, and finally we round up with tablets best suited for teens. It's important to remember the older the child you're buying for, the more pricey the tablet will be as you'll be looking for more features.
When choosing the best drawing tablets for kids, you don't need to compromise on quality. We've made sure to include plenty of options that include big names in the digital art world like Apple, Wacom, Huion and XP-Pen as there are plenty of entry-level tablets from these brands. We look at features like build, specs and pen pressure for each product, but if you want to know more about our testing process check out how we test and review here.
Wanting to check out some other creative avenues your young artist can explore? Check out our guides to the best cameras for kids and the best 3D pens. If you don't find something below and fancy checking out a broader range of digital art tabs, we have a definitive guide to the best drawing tablets overall. And finally, see our pick of the best digital art software if you're looking at different ways to create.
If you're unsure about the differences between the varying kinds of tablets, we had detailed breakdown at the bottom of this page to help guide you as well as a few extra tips about drawing tablets.
The best drawing tablets for kids available now
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The best drawing tablet for kids: ages 0-4
(Image credit: Richgv)
01. Richgv LCD Tablet An amazingly cheap tablet for avid little doodlers Specifications Type: Pen display tablet Active drawing area: 8-inch Pen pressure sensitivity: No Connections: No OS: None Suitable for ages: 5-9 Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Terrific value + Some waterproofing Reasons to avoid - Can't save pictures - Very simple interface
If you need a drawing tablet that's suitable for really tiny hands, you won't go far wrong with the Richgv LCD Tablet. Available in a choice of bright colours, it's the perfect tablet for small children who are just beginning to enjoy drawing; it's easy to use, it's cheap and it's impressively rugged and splash-resistant.
Functionally the Richgv LCD tablet is a step up from an Etch-A-Sketch. It's powered by a single CR2016 coin battery, and with the included stylus kids can write or doodle on the screen with clear, sharply delineated lines, and then hit the clear button to refresh the screen whenever they like. The tablet is compact enough that you can take it pretty much anywhere, making for a good emergency distraction when you're out and about.
There's no internal memory, so the tablet won't be able to save any doodles. If your kid is old enough to be bothered about that then they're likely ready for one of the next tablets on our list. For the littlest ones, this is the ideal starter drawing tablet. Read more in our detailed review of the Richgv LCD tablet.
The best drawing table for kids: ages 5-12
(Image credit: Wacom)
02. Wacom One The best drawing tablet for kids who want a grown up device Specifications Type: Graphics tablet Active drawing area: 21 x 14.6 x 0.87 cm Pen pressure sensitivity: 2,540 levels Connections: Micro USB, Bluetooth OS: Windows/macOS/Android/Chrome Suitable for ages: 10 and older Today's Best Deals View at Laptops Direct (opens in new tab) View at Wex Photo Video (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Simple yet reliable design + Comes Wacom's excellent stylus + Now works with Chromebooks Reasons to avoid - Needs an external screen/monitor
The Wacom One packs much of the same great tech you'd find in the larger, more expensive Wacom drawing tablets into a small package. This is a great drawing tablet for kids, particularly ages 10 and up, because it's perfectly sized to drop into a school bag or college backpack.
While originally released for Windows and Mac the One by Wacom is now compatible with Android devices and most importantly Chromebooks; just plug it in, download the drivers and you're off. As more students and kids now use Chromebooks for school and college work, this is a huge advantage.
While younger children will only need the small edition, older kids will prefer the larger medium model and you can connect a Logitech keyboard to make more of this tablet, particularly if you're using it with a display tablet or smartphone.
(Image credit: iskn)
03. Iskn Repaper Tablet Faber-Castell Edition Another hybrid of analog and digital, a pen-and-paper tablet Specifications Type: Graphics tablet Active drawing area: 210 x 148mm Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels Connections: Micro USB, Bluetooth OS: Windows/macOS/Android Suitable for ages: 10 and older Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Good pressure sensitivity + Comes with pencil and stylus + Feels like drawing with real pencil Reasons to avoid - Comparatively expensive - A5 drawing area
Another hybrid tablet similar to the Wacom Bamboo Slate, the Repaper is the latest option from iskn, which has been making similar tablets for quite a while now. They've proved p;opular with both kids and adults, and this model adds pressure sensitivity to the mix, giving it a much more analogue feel and bringing it more in line with professional graphics tablets.
In the box you get both a 9000 2B Faber-Castell pencil and the Repaper Stylus, meaning your child has the option of drawing on paper, or directly on the tablet. Either way, their drawings can be easily exported to a digital device running Android, iOS, MacOS or Windows, and the tablet is also compatible with most common drawing software. It's a little complex for young kids, but budding artists of 10 and up will have a terrific time with the iskn Repaper.
04. Wacom Bamboo Slate The best tablet for kids for that proper paper feel Specifications Type: Graphics tablet Active drawing area: 8.3 x 11.7in Pen pressure sensitivity: 1,024 levels Connections: USB-C, Bluetooth OS: Windows, macOS, iOS or Android Suitable for ages: 6-12 Today's Best Deals View at Wex Photo Video (opens in new tab) View at Laptops Direct (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Good build quality + Satisfying tactile surface Reasons to avoid - More for doodles than art - Requires physical paper
The Wacom Bamboo Slate isn't a graphics tablet as such; Wacom describes it as a 'smartpad', designed to turn sketches and handwritten notes on paper into digital files in a variety of formats, which can then be sent to a tablet or PC via Bluetooth or USB. As such it provides the best of both worlds; your child can enjoy the tactile pleasure of drawing on paper than then see the results transferred to a screen.
It really feels like using a pad, because it effectively is. Your child clips the paper in securely, then draws on it, and whatever they create will be captured digitally. If you've got an avid paper scribbler on your hands and would like to induct them into the digital world, this is a great way to bridge the gap.
Well built and satisfying to use, the Wacom Bamboo Slate is an older product, but still well worth picking up. Just remember to keep your little one well supplied with paper!
(Image credit: Amazon)
05. Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition The best affordable tablet computer for kids Specifications Type: Tablet computer Active drawing area: 10-in Resolution: 1920 x 1200 Connections: USB, Bluetooth OS: Amazon Fire OS Suitable for ages: 3-12 Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Protective case + Useful parental features Reasons to avoid - Stylus sold separately - Relies on Amazon app store
Considering a proper tablet rather than a drawing tablet for kids? While Apple and Samsung's tablets are reasonably solid and kid-friendly (find out more further down this list), they're not specifically designed for children. For a tablet that's properly suitable for little hands, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is an excellent choice. It's a general purpose tablet made with children in mind, and it just happens to provide a decent drawing surface, too.
The tablet comes with a year's subscription to Amazon Fire for Kids Unlimited, meaning you can pick from the various drawing and doodling apps in Amazon's appstore to get your child started on an artistic adventure – though do bear in mind that you'll need to pick up a stylus separately, as it doesn't come in the box. The Fire HD 10 Kids Edition doesn't have pressure sensitivity or other advanced drawing features, meaning any cheap stylus will do the trick. See our guide to the best Android styluses for some ideas.
Also, while the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition does have internet access, it comes with plenty of handy parental controls that let you control what content your child can access, and even set screen time limits.
The best drawing tablet for kids: ages 12+
(Image credit: Future)
06. Wacom Intuos S Wacom's baby tablet, great for teens just starting to draw Specifications Type: Graphics tablet Active drawing area: 6.0 x 3.7 in Resolution: 2540 lpi Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels Connections: Micro USB OS: Chrome OS/Windows/macOS/Android Suitable for ages: 12 and older Today's Best Deals View at Laptops Direct (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Wex Photo Video (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Premium drawing experience + Easy to carry Reasons to avoid - Might be too small - Pricier than others
For a fully-fledged graphics tablet that's suitable for kids and young teenagers, you can't go far wrong with the Wacom Intuos S. The smallest member of the Intuos family, it's a great all-rounder that doesn't cost a fortune; bear in mind, though, that it needs to be connected a computer or tablet with its own display. With the Intuos s you get a flexible range of drawing options, and it comes with the Wacom Pen 4K, which is battery-free and delivers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity.
The Inuos S has four ExpressKeys, which can be customised to preferred functions, and four rubber feet to help it stay still on flat surfaces. If you're aware of Wacom's reputation for expensive gear then the relatively slender price of the Intuos S may come as a pleasant surprise; the tablet is also a couple of years old, so discounts do tend to pop up not infrequently. Keep an eye out.
The only real bugbear with the Intuos S is that its drawing surface might simply be too small for some ambitious young artists (see our Wacom Intuous Pro Small review for more details). There are larger Intuos models available if you suspect that might be the case, though be aware that these do come at higher prices.
(Image credit: Future)
07. Apple iPad mini (2021) The best premium drawing tablet for kids Specifications Type: Computer tablet Screen: 8.3-inch Retina display Resolution: 2266 x 1488 Pen pressure sensitivity: Not specified Connections: USB-C, Wi-Fi OS: iPadOS Suitable for ages: 16 and older Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Jessops (opens in new tab) View at Laptops Direct (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Crisp, high-quality screen + Fantastic performance Reasons to avoid - Expensive; Pencil costs extra - Battery life could improve
Ever since Apple Pencil support came to the iPad Mini, the littlest iPad has been our top choice as a pocket-sized all-in-one drawing platform, and its petite dimension mean that it also ranks as a brilliant – if expensive – drawing tablet for kids. Obviously you'll have to buy an Apple Pencil separately – find the best Apple Pencil deals here – but it's well worth the investment, bringing a flawless drawing experience in any app you like. Apple's never put a number on its pressure sensitivity, but it feels good, and it's even suitable for precision drawing rather than sketching.
The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display of the 2021 iPad Mini is crisp and high-quality, with a resolution of 2266 x 1488 and a smooth 60Hz refresh rate. While this isn't what you'd want for high-end gaming, it's perfectly good for digital art. The only real downside to this superb tablet is its price, and the fact that you have to tack the price of the Pencil on to the end; if you need convincing, get all the details in our Apple iPad mini (6th Gen) review. If it's too expensive but you like the sound of an iPad for your kid, consider previous versions like the older 2019 model. It's less fancy, but it'll still do the job; find out more about it from our iPad mini (2019) review.
(Image credit: Future)
08. XP-Pen Deco MW An affordable yet stylish graphics tablet perfect for young artists Specifications Type: Graphics tablet Active drawing area: 8 x 5-inch Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 Connections: USB, Bluetooth OS: Windows/macOS/Android Suitable for ages: 12 and older Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Fantastic value + Stylish colour options + Customisable quick keys Reasons to avoid - Bluetooth connection can be unreliable
XP-Pen are a fantastic alternative to bigger brands like Huion and Wacom that offer fantastic products that cover a range of needs. The XP-Pen Deco MW is no exception: in our detailed XP-Pen Deco MW review (opens in new tab), we found this tablet to be easy to use and a great tool for digital art.
It comes in four stylish colour options too, which is a nice plus that you don't see in many drawing tablets. The 8 quick keys are fully customisable so you can assign quick commands/tools to those to help speed up your workflow.
The medium size is also perfect for slipping into your bag if you're off to school or college, and it easily slots away in a workspace like a desk. The rubber grips on the bottom make sure the tablet doesn't slide around whilst drawing, and the option to switch between Bluetooth and cable connection makes it easy to use with a multitude of devices.
(Image credit: Samsung)
09. Samsung Galaxy Tab A (8-inch) The best Android drawing tablet for kids Specifications Type: Tablet computer Active drawing area: Approx 210 x 124.4mm Pressure sensitivity: 2,048 levels Resolution: 1280 x 800 Connections: micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth OS: Android Suitable for ages: 12+ Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Lots of app choices + S-Pen feels responsive Reasons to avoid - S-Pen costs extra - Relatively low resolution
With an Android tablet your kid can get plenty of flexibility when it comes to drawing and painting, with loads of different apps available to try. However if they want to do things properly, you'll find it difficult to get an Android tablet with a decent stylus. That's why we'd suggest opting for a Samsung tablet; it's compatible with the company's own S-Pen, which is a well-built stylus complete with pressure sensitivity. The only downside is that it's not included with any tablets, so you'll have to pay for it separately.
As far as kid-friendly Samsung tablets go, we'd plump for the Samsung Galaxy Tab A (8-inch). It's a smaller tablet and highly affordable, with Samsung clearly gunning for the budget market, and the fact that it's a couple of years old means it's only become cheaper.
The screen resolution, at 1280 x 800, is a little low, and the connection is only micro USB rather than the faster USB-C. But for a kid who just wants to draw, this is all unlikely to matter, and drawing with the S-Pen is a wonderfully intuitive experience. It works seamlessly with various sketching and illustration apps, and makes for a fantastic gateway into digital art.
(Image credit: Ben Brady)
10. XP-Pen Deco Pro A tablet for kids offering fantastic value Specifications Type: Graphics tablet Active drawing area: 10 x 6.25-inch Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 Connections: USB, Bluetooth OS: Windows/macOS/Android Suitable for ages: 12 and older Today's Best Deals View at Wex Photo Video (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Fantastic value + USB-C plug and play + Reversible buttons Reasons to avoid - Software not well integrated
The XP-Pen Deco Pro is a brand and tablet that is giving Wacom a run for its money, this is a quality tablet at a slightly lower price than an equivalent Wacom, making it a great choice for anyone heading to college or back to school.
This is a bargain drawing tablet when compared to Wacom's devices, and at its price point even the niggling faults can be overlooked. Though let's not completely park them, as in our XP-Pen Deco Pro review our writer found some sacrifices have to be made, including inconsistent drivers that can make it a bit of a chore with Apple computers.
If you're using a drawing tablet for hours on end this fault could be irritating, but if you're using one for class or after school, and want a tablet you won't worry about when on the go, then the XP-Pen Deco Pro is a good choice. The extras, such as the excellent stylus, robust build and responsive button more than make up for any flaws.
(Image credit: Ben Brady)
11. Huion Inspiroy H430P The best compact drawing tablet for kids Specifications Type: Graphics tablet Active drawing area: 6.3 x 3.9in Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels Connections: USB OS: Windows or macOS Suitable for ages: 12 and older Today's Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Small and light + Good drawing experience + Pen doesn’t need a battery Reasons to avoid - Might be a bit too small for some
At just just 4.8 x 3 inches the Huion Inspiroy H430P is a really nice drawing tablet for kids. The size means it's perfect for small hands and is portable enough to fit into a backpack or school bag. While it's compact and slim it still features the shortcut keys you find on more expensive, larger drawing tablets.
The pen that comes with this tablet features 4,096 levels of pressure, which we found more than enough in our Huion Inspiroy H430P review. The pen is easy and comfortable to use and is a battery-free pen, so it's uncomplicated and approachable for young artists. It's considered a 'basic' stylus, but in our review we found this pen more than capable.
This is a pretty competitively priced tablet as well, which makes it an ideal choice for young beginners. It's a nice size, light and extremely portable and can work with ChromeOS and Android too, which means you can connect it to a cheaper Chromebook or a mobile.
Best drawing tablets for kids: what to look for
When you’re buying a drawing tablet for kids, it’s worth thinking about exactly what you need in order to narrow down your options. Below, we’ve aimed to elucidate some of the specs above by providing you with a little more information about the main things to look for when tablet shopping.
Age suitability
This is going to be your main priority, but getting this right could be a little more complex than you might think. Naturally you wouldn't give a toddler a full-blown iPad, nor would you present a teenager with a fun kids' tablet that's completely lacking in sophistication. But there are plenty of grey areas in-between, and you may also want to think about future-proofing; it might be better to buy a slightly more advanced tablet for your child so that they'll get more use out of it in the long term.
We’ve included age guides on the tablets we’ve included here as a rough guide, and divided our list into sections to make it easier for parents to navigate. But don’t be afraid to colour outside the lines (pardon the pun) – if you think your child may benefit from a tablet aimed at older kids, consider taking the plunge. Worst case scenario, it takes a couple of years before they really start using it.
Drawing tablets for kids: key features
Different tablets will offer different features. The more of these the better, but of course, more sophisticated tablets are more expensive, so it's a balancing game. Here are some key features you may want to look out for.
Pressure sensitivity: This is the big one for most graphics tablets; they'll all shout about how many thousands of levels of pressure sensitivity they provide. But what does this actually mean? It's all about how precisely the tablet and stylus can detect how hard you're pressing against the surface, so it can accurately modify line thickness to match. Naturally when it comes to professional tablets this is an absolute must, but it's less important if you're looking for a tablet for younger artists. If you're buying for a teenager who's serious about art, lots of pressure sensitivity will be a definite plus; otherwise don't worry too much about it.
Tilt sensitivity: Similar to pressure sensitivity, this refers to whether a tablet can detect the angle at which a stylus is being held, and vary the shape of the line accordingly. Once again, this is an essential feature for serious artists, and much less so for casual sketching.
Screen size: The size of the display is important not only for viewing content, but is also the effective drawing area your kid has to work with. Obviously a bigger screen is generally more desirable, but it'll also mean an overall larger tablet, which for little kids may be simply too large to handle.
Parental controls: This only really applies to tablet computers, but if you've got a little one who's going to be using the tablet unsupervised, it's worth thinking about parental controls to make sure they don't access inappropriate content. Most tablet computers will offer these in some form; they can also be used to set screen time limits, and some can even prevent your child from accessing playtime apps before they're done with their learning tasks.
Types of drawing tablets for kids
When it comes to the best drawing tablet for kids, there are three main categories to think about. All of them provide touch-sensitive drawing surfaces, but you'll need to consider whether you want an all-in-one solution that doesn't have to be plugged into anything, or a tablet that connects to Windows, Mac or Android via USB or Bluetooth. To save you confusion, here are the main types to choose from:
(opens in new tab) Pen display tablets are essentially monitors with a pressure-sensitive surface. You draw on them with a stylus, with the results appearing instantly on-screen, making them nice and intuitive for a child to use. However they need to be connected to a PC or Mac (complete with a suitable drawing or painting app), and they generally work out more expensive than graphics tablets.
(opens in new tab) Graphics tablets plug into computers and enable kids to draw and paint naturally. They are usually a bit cheaper than tablet PC devices. The drawback is that they often don't display what's being drawn, which is instead shown on an external screen, such as the monitor of the PC it is plugged into. This can make using them a bit tricky for kids at first.
(opens in new tab) Tablet computers, such as the iPad, are usually the most expensive option, but they're also the most versatile, being able to run all manner of apps and games. They come with bright, high-resolution touchscreen displays that work well with styluses, and most tablet computers offer a huge range of drawing and painting apps that enable your child to explore a variety of art styles easily.
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