Watercolour for kids: the few things you need for a first painting at home
For a first watercolour painting at home, a child needs a box of watercolour cakes, a round brush and a flat brush, thick paper, a palette and two jars of water. That is enough to start. Our supplies page lists what each batch uses, so you buy only what is missing.
Watercolour is on the list for children from 5. It is light, quick to set up and quick to clear away, which makes it a good first paint for a home table. Here is what to gather, and how to set up so the first painting goes well.
What do you need for a first watercolour painting?
- Watercolour cakes: a small box of solid colours in a tray. Wet the brush, rub a cake, and the colour comes up.
- Two brushes: a round one for lines and small shapes, and a flat one for washes across the page. Synthetic brushes are fine.
- Thick paper: a drawing sketchpad of 200 or 300 GSM.
- A palette: a plastic palette, or an old steel plate, for mixing colours.
- Two jars of water: one to rinse the brush, one kept clean for painting.
- A cloth or tissue: to dab the brush and lift extra water off the page.
- A pencil: for a light outline before painting.
Masking tape and a sponge brush are useful extras. Both are on our supplies lists, but neither is needed for the first painting.
Which paper works for watercolour?
Thicker paper matters more than any brand of paint. Printer paper and thin drawing sheets soak up water, curl at the edges and tear when a child goes over the same spot twice. A sheet of 200 GSM or more stays flatter and lets colour sit on top.
If the paper still curls, tape its four edges to the table with masking tape before painting. Peel the tape off slowly once the painting is dry, and the child gets a clean white border too.
Cakes, tubes or watercolour pens?
For a first painting, cakes. They are easy for a small hand to control, they do not spill, and a box lasts a long time. Watercolour cakes are on our supplies list for both the 5 to 8 batch and the 8 to 11 batch.
Watercolour sketch pens are on the Pre-Junior list as well. They draw like a pen, and a wet brush passed over the line turns it into paint. Children enjoy the surprise, and they work well alongside the cakes.
How do I set up the table?
- Spread newspaper or an old cloth under everything.
- Paper in the middle, taped down if it curls.
- Paint box and palette on the side of your child's painting hand.
- Both jars of water at the back, away from the elbow.
- A tissue or cloth within reach.
If your child paints in an online class, put the laptop or tablet to one side so the camera can see the paper, and keep the water well away from it.
A simple first painting to try
Start with something that uses big shapes and lets the paint do some of the work.
- Draw a light pencil line across the page for the ground.
- Wet the flat brush and paint a wash of blue above the line for the sky. It does not need to be even.
- Paint the ground in green or brown below the line.
- Let the page dry fully. This is the hardest step for most children.
- With the round brush, paint a tree, a house or a bird on top.
Waiting for a layer to dry is most of the skill in watercolour. Paint on wet colour and the two run together; wait, and the second colour sits crisply on top. Both are useful, and children learn to choose.
How is watercolour taught in class?
In our online painting classes for kids, watercolour sits beside acrylic and poster colours. Children learn washes, layers and wet colour step by step, in a live and interactive class on Zoom. The teacher paints a step, the children paint it on their own paper, then hold it up to the camera so she can guide them.
The little tricks, such as when to wait and how much water to load, are often what parents notice first.
"The classes are well structured and she keeps the kids engaged, while also teaching them little tips and tricks."
Apurva, a parent in India
A first painting at home is a good start. To paint with a teacher who can see the page, book a free trial class. Paper, a pencil and any colours at home are enough for it.
Questions parents ask
Can a 5 year old use watercolour?
Yes. Watercolour cakes are on the supplies list for our 5 to 8 batch, along with poster colours and oil pastels. Young children start with big washes of colour and simple shapes.
Do we need expensive paper?
Not expensive, but thicker than printer paper. A sketchpad of 200 or 300 GSM holds water without curling, and either works for a child's first paintings.
Why does my child's painting turn brown?
Usually the rinse water is dirty, or wet colours were mixed on the page too long. A second jar of clean water and a pause to let each layer dry fix most of it.
Where do we buy the materials?
Our supplies page lists what each batch uses, with links. If you already have some of it at home, buy only what is missing.
Sources
Book a free trial class
Your child joins the next real class of the batch you pick, with the other children. There is no separate pitch session. We confirm on WhatsApp with the Zoom link.
No payment needed. For the trial, paper, a pencil and any colours at home are enough.
