First of all, 8 years is the perfect age to introduce your little artist to paint by numbers . That, however, doesn't mean that it's wrong to let them indulge in this art when they're younger.
It simply means that third and fourth grade is where kids begin to develop the visual and intellectual acuity to identify and understand objects that are depicted in 2-dimensions.
The Best Age for A Child to Begin Paint by Numbers
At what age should childrenpaint by numbers ? A child should be able topaint by numbers at any age provided he/she has fine motor skills. In other words, he/she should be able to hold a crayon/paintbrush solidly and paint a shape.That will mostly happen from the age of 8 years. Here's a summary of achild's development through art :
- 0 to 12 months: gradual improvement in fine motor skills. Therefore, your baby will start picking up crayons/brushes.
- 13 to 18 months: your child is able to scribble the crayon or painting brush vigorously on the surface.
- 19 to 25 months: although the grip is not steady yet, your little one can draw discernible shapes. They'll want to scribble on the wall more than any other surface.
- 26 to 30 months: the kid's interest in colors will increase. They'll experiment with different crayons and paints. Additionally, at this age, the child's drawings will start to look like real objects.
- 31 to 36 months: the toddler's improved fine motor skills will ensure that he/she can hold a crayon or brush solidly. At the same time, they'll be able to draw lines and some shapes.
- Pre-school: this is where your little one's painting abilities reach a new level. He/she will make more elaborate drawings, copy shapes accurately, draw stick figures and color images realistically.
- Kindergarten to 2nd grade: imagination kicks in. First the child will draw things that are important to them. They'll mostly be the things that the child can visually see like mom, dad, car, dog, cat etc. Then they'll introduce make-believe and fantasy. Although the images will not have realistic proportions (for example, the dog's head might be bigger than its torso), the child's use of colors will be more realistic.
- 3rd to 4th grade: when your young one is around 8 or 9 years, he/she will understand realistic works of art much better than abstract ones. While 3-D objects may prove challenging to draw or paint, they'll enjoy and do lots of 2-D drawing and painting.
At the same time, your child will start to understandabstract and 3-D painting . Before you know it, he/she will start drawingawesome art on plain surfaces.
Benefits of Paint by Numbers for 8 Year Old's
There are tons ofbenefits of art for children . Of all the forms of art,painting is up there among the best for developing kids. First of all, it allows kids to learn in a fun and exciting way. That's truer forpaint by numbers than any other form of painting.Why? Because the child gets to learn numbers, shapes, colors, sizes, patterns, designs andpainting as an art . All that in one thrilling activity. And they'll apply that knowledge in their curriculum learning as well.
Secondly, your young artist will enhance his/her hand-eye coordination. Whether they're using a crayon orpaint brush , they'll need to paint shapes (on the canvas) that they can see. In other words, they'll coordinate hand movements with vision.
In addition to the above, childrenpaint by numbers sessions improve their mobility skills. The child will definitely use hand and arm muscles. Besides, he/she may also use a range of leg and torso muscles if he/she paints while standing. the grand effect? Better overall physical development.
Painting by numbersis therapeutic for kids as much as it is for adults. The beauty of art is that every time we indulge, we release all the negative, pent-up energy and emotions. The same applies for our young artists.
On top of that, your up-and-coming painter will acquire concentration skills. That's becausepainting by numbers - just like anyother form of painting - requires lots of focus and attention to details. It could be an excellent therapy for a child who suffers from attention deficit.
Some childrenpaint by numbers as a gateway into real painting. And it works. Through this craft, akid can learn the various aspects of real painting , including color mixtures, balance, contrast, pattern, proportion and scale, and so much more.
All the abovebenefits of paint by numbers for kids are paramount to the child's overall development. However, they are not nearly as important as this final benefit.
Yep! The greatest benefit ofpaint by numbers for 8 year olds is that you and your young one will get a chance to bond. Buy a kit and spend time with your child, teaching them how to paint. Through such bonding sessions, your little champ willdevelop cognitive, social and emotional skills .
Paint by Numbers Buying Guide: What Should a Paint by Numbers for 8 Year Old's Contain?
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Paint
What paints to use for kids?
Therule of thumb is to stay away from oil paints and choose between acrylic and watercolor paints.That's becauseoil paints require turpentine or white spirit to thin and clean. Both are fire hazards, and the risk increases significantly when an 8-year old is handling them.
Acrylic and watercolor paints are water-soluble. Therefore, your child can easily clean and thin them with water. Go astep further and choose child-grade paints that conform to ASTM D-4236.
That label is very important because it means that the paint is 100%safe for toddlers and young kids . It doesn't contain some hazardous pigments that can often be found in adult paints. Some good examples include formaldehyde, lead, and cadmium.
Keep in mind that somekits come with crayons instead of paints . Those are great too, as long as they are child-friendly.
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Surface
If the surface is folded, then it means that it will have wrinkles and creases. Hence we recommend that you onlyshop from kit-makers who roll the surface , preferably around a tube.
What painting surface is best for 8-year old's?
You have three main options here. First is a canvas. Canvases are great because they're durable and they produce stunningart when used with acrylic (or oil).That combo (acrylic on canvas) makes painting a lot easier. Why? Because acrylic sticks on canvas pretty easily. Your childpainter will enjoy the painting process as much as he/she will love the final artwork.
The second type of surface is cardboard. It's actually a canvas attached to a cardboard or a cardboard with a canvas texture. Either way, your young painter still gets the experience of a canvas. The cardboard makes it a breeze toframe the final painting .
Finally, there's watercolor paper. Needless to say, it's designed forwatercolor paint . Therefore, any kit that comes with watercolorpaint will almost always include a watercolor paper surface.
Watercolor is not exactly bad for childrenpaint by numbers activities. But it's not as good as canvas.
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Brushes
We recommend that you prioritize kits that have at least 3 brushes in increasing sizes. That way your child will use whichever one they feel most comfortable with. Better yet, they'll use the largest brush topaint large shapes and the smaller ones for smaller shapes.
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Image of artwork
If they love the image, they'll work hard to reproduce it. Therefore, choose a kit whose image excites your child. If they love nature, then mountains, flowers and animals may trigger some excitement. Those who love fantasies might enjoy painting fairies and fantasy characters.
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Set of instructions
For example, the guide might explain why it's best topaint from the top and move downward. Why you should start with dark colors. When to mix paints, how to cleanpainting brushes and many more helpful tips .
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Add-ons
While they're not essential to the painting process, they do offer some convenience. For example, aneasel will allow your child to alternate between sitting and standing while painting .
Childrenpaint by numbers to express their artistic side. And you want them to do so with comfort. Thus it's always a good idea to go for kits that have these add-ons.
Best Painting Kits for Kids: The Top 6 Paint by Numbers for 8 Year Olds
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Schipper Cherry Blooming in Japan Painting by Numbers Craft Set
What's better than onepaint by numbers canvas for your 8-year old? Three canvases! That's exactly what you get with this set. Well, they're actually cardboards with a canvas finish; which makes them more awesome and durable.
The center canvas measures 16 x 20 inches while the left and right canvases measure 8 x 20. Combined, the three depict nature at its finest. It's the type of art you'll want to hang on the wall once your child hasfinished painting .
What's included in the kit?
- Set of 3 cardboards with canvas finish
- Acrylic paints
- Fine-tip painting brush
- Instructions booklet
- Miniature image of the artwork
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Faber-Castell Young Artist Paint by Number Kit Fairy Garden
Does your child like fairies and fairy tales? If yes, then this is the perfect gift set for him/her. The surface is canvas on cardboard; which, as you've probably already guessed, is pretty durable.
Instead of the usual paint by numbers paints, your littleartist gets eco-friendly watercolor pencils . They areperfect because they eliminate the mess that comes with paint . Nevertheless, the good folks at Faber-Castell still throw in a free paintbrush with this kit.
What's included in the kit?
- Cardboard with canvas finish
- 7 watercolor pencils
- 1 paintbrush
- Instructions booklet
- Foam display board
- Mounting tape
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Breyer 3D Paint by Number Pinto Horse
The beauty of thispaint by numbers for 8 year olds is that it is 3D. The final artwork looks as realistic as a real horse. Better yet, thiskit introduces the young painter to 3-D painting and perspective.
Breyer include an instruction booklet to guide your child through the painting process. Even if they can't read that well, they'll still enjoy the full-color images.
What's included in the kit?
- Paintable 3D horse design
- 3 paint brushes
- 6 paints
- Instruction booklet
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Faber-Castell Paint by Numbers Museum Series - Vincent Van Gogh, The Starry Night
You just can't go wrong with a Faber-Castellpaint by numbers kit . This particular paint by numbers for 8 year olds recreates VincentVan Gogh's famous Starry Night painting.
Remember that childrenpaint by numbers to represent or recreate things that actually exist. And what better way to do that than recreating an actualpainting by a legendary artist .
Grab this kit if your child excels inarts . It may just be the stepping stone they need to turn into professional painters.
What's included in the kit?
- Canvas surface
- Paint brushes
- Acrylic paints
- Easel
- Hang tabs
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Ledgebay Cosmos from The Garden
Ledgebay has excellentpaint by numbers for adults. So, why do I have their kits on this list if they are made for adults? Because most of them are simple enough for kids.
Take this one for example. The flowers, leaves, fruits and table mostly have large shapes to paint. Your 8-year old child will not struggle to stay within the lines.
And that's what matters most for childrenpaint by numbers . I.e. the child should be able to paint the shapes as easily and comfortably as possible. As you would expect, the resultant artwork is something to behold.
What's included in the kit?
- 16 x 20-inch canvas
- 4 paint brushes
- Acrylic paints
- Miniature design of canvas
- Wall-mounting tools
- Reference of painting
Has your child beenpainting by numbers for some time now? If so, then give them this challenge to up their skills.
It's more detailed than the other kits; which, of course, means that it produces absolutely stunning art. The trade-off is that your child will have to paint some small and intricate shapes.
In your defense, the more the challenge the better the lesson. Therefore, he/she will be a betterpainter once he/she's done painting this one.
What's included in the kit?
- 16 x 20-inch canvas
- 4 paint brushes
- Acrylic paints
- Miniature design of canvas
- Wall-mounting tools
- Reference of painting
For example, if he/she loves horses, then it would make more sense to buy the Breyer 3D. And remember, you can always get two, three or more kits for your aspiring painter.
Takeaway
Children's paint by number kits are a great way to encourage children to be creative and have fun with colors. But with so many different kits on the market, it can be tough to know which one is right for your child.If you're looking for apainting set for 10 year old or younger, make sure toconsider the type of paint that's included in the kit before you let your child start painting. Acrylic paints are a good option for children, as they're easy to work with and clean up. Watercolor paints are also an option, but they can be more challenging for children to use.
Take into account the size of the canvas. Most children's paint by numbers kits include a small canvas, which is perfect for young children. However, if your child is particularly ambitious, you may want to choose a kit with a larger canvas. This will give them more room to experiment and create their masterpiece!