Best Paints for Children: A Practical Comparison
Poster paint, acrylic, watercolour, gouache, finger paint — each has different properties. This guide compares them honestly so you can buy the right paint for the right activity.
Shopping Guides
Ages 3–11EasyAny
Watch on YouTube
Search: "best art supplies for kids which paint to buy guide" — video tutorials from popular craft channels
How to do it
- POSTER PAINT: Water-based, opaque, easy to mix, washable. Best for: most primary school painting, bold colour work, printing. Buy: 500ml or 1L ready-mixed in primary colours.
- ACRYLIC: Water-based when wet, permanent when dry. Brighter, more durable finish. Best for: fabric painting, clay decoration, anything going home or outdoors. More expensive — use for KS2 special projects.
- WATERCOLOUR: Transparent — layers and washes. Good for: backgrounds, wax resist. Less suitable for: bold colour mixing (too pale). Buy: pan sets for group use.
- GOUACHE: Opaque watercolour — rich, creamy. Best for: illustration, graphic work. Not widely used in primary but excellent for older children.
- FINGER PAINT: Non-toxic, very washable. Best for: EYFS, early years. Limited colour range.
💡 Tips
For a mixed-age school: poster paint for KS1, poster paint + acrylic for KS2. The main quality markers in paint: pigment density (does it cover well?) and washability (does it come out of clothes?). Test both before buying in bulk.
Books and materials
Convenience links for everything mentioned above. We link to Amazon — LessonKind may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.