The 15 Best Crayons for Toddlers (And Babies!!)

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OUR FAVORITE CRAYONS FOR TODDLERS

One of our favorite road trip activities with our toddler is coloring. He loves to color, plus it keeps him busy on airplanes, so crayons are important to our family. That is why we decided to create this list of the best crayons for toddlers.

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From classic crayons to fun new options, we’ve got you covered. We’ve also included some crayons for 12-month-old babies!

Whether your child is just starting out with coloring or is a bit more experienced, we have the right set of crayons for them.

Here are 15 of the best crayon options, perfect for little hands! 

Read More: Best Travel Toys for 3-Year-Olds

BEST CRAYONS FOR 1-YEAR-OLDS COMPARISON TABLE

Last update on 2023-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

BEST CRAYONS FOR 1-YEAR-OLDS

When most people think of 1-year-olds, the first thing that comes to mind are babies, but between 12 and 23 months is when your little one’s development is kicked into high gear.

During this time your baby becomes more curious, absorbs more information, starts to explore, works on their motor skills, and becomes more mature.

Around 18 months is when we first seriously introduced our baby to crayons. This is the perfect age to start using jumbo crayons for toddlers.

Here are our top 5 crayons for babies between 18 and 24 months.

Read More: Best Travel Toys for 1-Year-Olds

Crayola My First Crayola Triangular Crayons

There is no doubt that Crayola is the most popular brand when it comes to school supplies.

Crayola has been the gold standard for decades, which is why the Crayola Triangular Crayons are the best crayons for children under 2 years old.

These crayons are for babies that are close to hitting the toddler stage. The triangle shape prevents them from rolling all over the place, so your little one can sit and color on the floor, in the car, or on an airplane.

One of the reasons these are the best crayons for 18-month-old babies is that they are washable. No more struggling to clean your carpet, wall, or table. Get a magic eraser and clean up your little one’s messes with ease.

The thick design makes it easy for babies to hold, plus as they get older, it helps promote proper gripping. If you are looking for the perfect travel toy for 1-year-olds, these crayons fit the bill.

Read More: 20 LEGO Alternatives for Kids & Adults

Honeysticks Beeswax Crayons

Honeysticks Beeswax Crayons, in our opinion, are the best jumbo crayons for babies and toddlers. These toddler crayons are made from natural ingredients, so you don’t have to stress if your little one puts them in their mouth.

These are the best crayons for babies because they are the perfect size for their little hands. Since they may not have the hand strength to hold with their fingers, they fit perfectly in the hands of a 1-year-old.

There are 12 crayons included, so more than enough crayons for 1-year-old baby and their siblings to color with.

Although these aren’t the crayons that don’t write on walls, the color is light enough for it to wash off easily.

The colors aren’t as vibrant as the other toddler crayons on our list, but the safety outweighs the brightness in this case.

These are the safest crayons for babies on our list.

If you are looking for natural crayons that can be easily cleaned, then these are the crayons your little one needs.

Related Post: 25 Travel Toys for Babies

Crayola My First Easy Grip Jumbo Crayons

Crayola Easy Grip Jumbo Crayons are one of the best crayons for 12-month-old babies because they are easy to hold and hard to break.

These crayons for babies fit perfectly in your baby’s hand because they are shorter than the standard crayon.

There are over 20 crayons included in the pack, which also has a storage container, so no more dealing with cardboard storage boxes.

These crayons for children don’t have paper, so no cleaning up ripped crayon labels throughout the house.

The best age for these toddler crayons is between 18 and 24 months, which is when your little one becomes more curious and has a greater attention span.

If you are looking for the best value, I recommend these jumbo crayons for toddlers. 

Note: Jumbo refers to these crayons being thicker than standard toddlers for toddlers, not longer. These crayons are shorted than regular crayons for toddlers.

Read More: Best Travel Toys for 3-Year-Old

Lebze Jumbo Crayons

To my surprise, Lebze Jumbo Crayons are one of the best-selling crayons for babies. These chunky crayons are perfect for helping babies 18 months and older develop thinking skills and color exploration.

This is the chance to develop your kids’ imagination, creativity, and independence. Children learn through play, so these crayons offer lots of fun for your little one with 16 vibrant colors.

Parents love the storage container, so no more hanging onto flimsy cardboard boxes. Also, the customer service is phenomenal. If any of the crayons are broken in transit, you can get a replacement or refund.

There is a reason these are some of the best-selling crayons for young children, they’re perfect for your little one.

You can take them on your next vacation, road trip, or even out to dinner (my wife keeps a few in her purse) to keep your little one busy.

ALEX Jr. Tots First Crayons

Once your little one has gotten the hang of jumbo crayons for toddlers, it’s time to transition them to ALEX Jr. Tots First Crayons. These crayons for 18-month-old babies are perfect for transitioning them into toddler crayons.

Jumbo crayons are great for babies when they first start coloring, but you need to transition to toddler crayons to help your baby develop the muscles in their hands and learn the proper grip for holding crayons. That is why these are the best crayons for 18-month-olds. 

The texture makes it easy for them to hold the crayons, plus they’re thick, so you don’t have to worry about your little one breaking them. 

Alex Jr. coloring stars are smaller than the other crayons on their list, and can easily fit inside your toddler’s mouth.

It’s crucial that your little one does not digest these crayons, so be sure to supervise as they color with these stars.

BEST CRAYONS FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS COMPARISON TABLE

Last update on 2023-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

BEST CRAYONS FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS

When thinking of toddlers, 2-year-olds come to mind, so the crayons in this section are perfect for 2-year-old toddlers.

Crayola toddler crayons are the most popular, but we wanted to include a few other options for parents that want to explore other brands.

Here are some crayons toddlers will love for your next family activity, road trip, or upcoming flight.

Read More: Best Travel Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Crayola My First Palm Grip Crayons

The recommended age for these baby crayons is 12 months and up, but they may be too big for their little hands.

Although these are thick crayons, they are too large for little hands for kids, which is why we included them in this section for 2-year-olds, as opposed to the earlier section for babies.

I think Crayola My First Palm Grip Crayons are great crayons for younger toddlers between 18 months and 2 years old.

One of these egg crayons is equal to 14 regular-size crayons, so they will last your toddler a while. If you have a little one that likes to snap crayons, these toddler crayons are nearly unbreakable.

Along with being great for little hands, these baby crayons are washable, so it makes cleaning easier.

Read More: Crayola Color Wonder|Best Mess-Free Markers for Toddlers

Melissa & Doug Jumbo Triangular Crayons

If you are familiar with our blog, you’ll notice we include a lot of Melissa & Doug in our buying guides.

We love their toys for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and even big kids. They have some of the best travel toys and activities for toddlers. 

I recently found Melissa & Doug Jumbo Triangular Crayons and I love them for 2-year-olds. Their shapes prevent them from rolling, so they are perfect for dining out, family coloring time, or even on an airplane.

There is no paper to clean up, which is exactly what our toddler needs. For some reason, he loves to take the paper wrapper off of crayons, and we find them all over the house, that’s not a problem with these toddler crayons.

Honestly, these have to be the perfect crayons for children learning colors, shapes, and numbers. There are 10 large crayons, so they’re long-lasting, which is important when it comes to playful toddlers.

The flip case is perfect, it’s a great storage case, plus it’s easy for toddlers to open and close.

Unlike some of the toddler crayons on our list, they are made from plastic, not wax, no they are nearly unbreakable. I say nearly because if there is a will, toddlers will find a way, especially our little rough ones.

GiBot Finger Paint Crayons Sticks

GiBot Finger Paint Crayons Sticks are fun crayons for toddlers, especially little ones that love to draw.

The unique shape of these crayons makes it easy for 2-year-olds to hold, grasp, and put on their fingers. The tiny hole makes it easy to air to vent, so your little one’s hands don’t get sweaty.

Our son loves to turn everything into a rocket, so if you have a toddler that likes to build these fun crayons serve a dual purpose.

These are a fun way to entertain your toddler while flying, so if you have an upcoming trip, I highly recommend these crayons for toddlers.

There are a lot of fun colors included with these finger crayons. Along with being the perfect shape, these crayons are washable, so no need to worry about stains on your wall, carpet, or clothes.

Honeysticks 100% Pure Beeswax Crayons

Honeysticks Beeswax Crayons are included in each section of this list of best crayons for toddlers because they are that good. These honeysticks are thick, but they are the perfect size for toddlers developing their pencil grip.

Parents like me, absolutely love the natural ingredients in these crayons. I also like the faint smell of honey, which is a nice aroma when coloring with your toddler.

These crayons your mind at ease if your toddler still bites crayons, which our 3-year-old has started doing the last few weeks. His back molars are coming in and he’s been chewing on everything, so if you have a chewer, these are the best crayons for your toddler.

The best thing about these crayons is that you can try them risk-free. Try these all-natural children’s crayons, and if you don’t like them you can get a full refund. They stand behind their products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Crayola Washable Crayons

I had to include Crayola Washable Crayons on our list as one of the best crayons for young children.

You always need washable crayons because toddlers love to draw their art everywhere, no matter how many times you tell them to use paper.

If your little artists like to make the house their canvas, you need to invest in washable crayons for toddlers. These crayons are easy to clean off surfaces such as walls, carpets, tables, glass, clothes, and even themselves.

These crayons are larger than the traditional ones, so if your little one is still holding with their fist, these are great children’s crayons for that transition period.

There are only 8 in this pack, but you get more than one box, so technically there are 16 crayons total.

Note: Don’t get these crayons wet. Since they are washable crayons, they can start to dissolve when they come in contact with water. Check out these bathtub crayons if you want crayons that can be used in water.

BEST CRAYONS FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS COMPARISON TABLE

Last update on 2023-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

BEST CRAYONS FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS

Now that our son is three years old, we’ve started moving from jumbo toddler crayons to crayons for preschoolers.

These crayons help your toddler with their grip, which helps them begin to start writing with pencils.

Preschool crayons are thin and pointed, which mimics the style of a pencil to help your toddler develop as they make their way to kindergarten.

Read More: Top 10 Play-Doh Alternatives for Toddlers

Crayola Twistables Slick Stix Crayons

Crayola Twistables Slick Stix Crayons are smooth crayons that glide on any type of paper. These crayons are for soon-to-be preschoolers, that have outgrown the need to draw on everything, except paper.

The caps make it easy to store these preschool crayons without making a mess. They are the perfect alternative to oil pastel painting with your little one.

There is no need to worry about messes from shaving or paper wrappers with these twistable crayons.

These are the ultimate crayons for crafting with your toddler. Use them on wood, wax paper, shirts, construction paper, and even poster boards.

Note: These toddler crayons are not washable and can stain, so keep a close eye on your toddler when they are using these crayons.

Crayon Rocks

I thought these Crayon Rocks were so cool. Our son has always had an obsession with everything in nature, which included collecting rocks, leaves, and sticks.

Now I’m excited that I found these crayon rocks, which combine the two things he loves, nature and coloring. We bought these toddler crayons for Christmas as one of our son’s stocking stuffers.

These crayons are made in Kentucky, so if having American-made products are important to you, these are a great choice. The material in these crayons is soy wax, which is non-toxic and eco-friendly.

There are more crayon rocks in this set than most toddler crayons on our list. With over 30 unique colors, your toddler can color the hours away.

Note: These crayons are smaller than the standard crayon, but they will help your toddler learn how to properly grip a pencil.

Crayola Fun Effects Twistables Crayons

Crayola Fun Effects Twistables Crayons are fun crayons that 3-year-olds will love. These crayons have fun effects, so there are several colors in one.

With so many unique colors, your toddler can create one-of-a-kind masterpieces. If you have preschoolers who break their crayons in their backpacks, these could be the answer to your problems.

These crayons are twistable, plus they are plastic, so they are difficult to break; compared to standard crayons.

This is one of the best values from Crayola with over 20 crayons for less than $7. Keep in mind, that these are mini crayons, so they may be smaller than expected.

Stockmar Waterproof Beeswax Blocks

Stockmar Beeswax Blocks are unique crayons for toddlers because of their square shape. I included these because of their all-natural material and great reviews.

These crayons are smaller than standard crayons, but they do help your toddler develop grip strength, which helps them learn how to properly hold a pencil.

Many parents love that these crayons are natural, which isn’t the case for all toddler crayons.

The included storage case makes it easy to take on the go with your toddler. We keep a few crayons in our backpack, so our 3-year-old can color when he is bored.

Your toddler can use these crayons for several months, or even years these durable, and long-lasting crayons.

Lebze Washable Jumbo Crayons

Lebze Jumbo Crayons are bright twistable crayons for toddlers. This coloring set has over 20 colors to choose from, with a storage case to make clean-up easy.

There are different shades of each color to keep your toddler busy for hours. Many parents love the lack of wrapping paper, so no mess to clean up.

The twistable tops eliminate the need to sharpen these crayons and prevent your toddler from breaking them. They claim to be bathtub crayons, but I’d use them at your own risk, they could potentially stain your tub.

These crayons glide easily and make coloring more fun with vibrant colors. Color on different types of paper with these crayons, so they are perfect for arts and crafts.

Your little one doesn’t have to press hard to create their masterpiece. These are perfect for 4-year-olds, or little ones heading to preschool.

FAQS ABOUT CRAYONS FOR TODDLERS

As a former preschool teacher who spent 10 years working with babies and toddlers from newborns to 5-year-olds, I know a lot about art supplies for toddlers.

Here are some of the most popular questions that parents have about crayons for their toddlers.

Can a 2-year-old have crayons?

Yes, 2-year-olds can use crayons. If your little one is still chewing on crayons, I recommend waiting until they’ve outgrown that phase, or using beeswax-based crayons.

At this age, your little one should be using jumbo crayons and starting to transition to standard crayons to learn how the proper pencil grip.

When can toddlers use crayons?

Toddlers as young as 18 months old can use crayons. There are jumbo crayons that fit perfectly in their hands, so they can start to strengthen their muscles.

At that age, they are using the fist-holding method, which is great for their development.

Which brand of crayons is the best?

There are several brands of crayons, with Crayola being the most popular. A few of our favorite brands are:

• Crayola
• Melissa & Doug
• HoneySticks