Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel
by Melissa & Doug
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List Price: Our Price: $33.49 You Save: $46.50 (58%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $32.95 (click here) Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel
Customer Review: Looks Great, Neither surface works well!
Summary: 2 Stars
This is a great looking easel. My first problem with it was that on Christmas eve (I know I shouldn't have waited) as I was putting it together I found that the factory had left out one of the packets of screws, I had some hardware in the basement that worked for the short term. Then when my daugher finished a masterpiece on the white board, it didn't erase well without isopropel alcohol. The third issue is that you can't draw on the chalk board, it is too smooth, my daughter can't even make a line. The easel works great for painting and drawing with markers when you are simply clipping a piece of paper to the easel, however it isn't very fun for kids when they use the white board and can't erase it and can't even draw on the chalk board. Also, I haven't tried it, but I don't think that the center spool that is designed for a roll of paper would be useable or safe as it is constantly falling out of the intended bracket. We have many Melissa and Doug toys in our house and are overwhelmingly happy with all but this very disappointing easel.Customer Review: 3 year old loves it and uses it every day
Summary: 5 Stars
We got this for my three year old for Christmas. I bought the rolls of paper for it, but chose my own art supplies to use with it, including dry erase crayons (Crayola), washable dry erase markers, paints, and chalk.
My daughter absolutely loves this easel. She uses it every single day. I love the chalk board and the dry erase board, which she uses over and over without destroying a forest of trees worth of paper! We take photos of her favorite creations before she erases them.
The trays are very convenient and the lowest setting is just right for her. This is a sturdy, good sized product that i know will fit her for many years.
Drawing, painting and coloring are excellent educational activities for preschoolers. It encourages their fine motor development, creativity, literacy and more.
I am so glad we spent money on this wonderful toy rather than on bunch of plastic junk with batteries, flashing lights, and noise. She spends more time with this toy and her dollhouse than any others.
Customer Review: Great easel and chalkboard DOES work!
Summary: 5 Stars
I looked around for easels and the price on this one was very good. Assembly was not difficult, I took my time and assembled it before giving it to my daughter. My daughter is 6 and has an older sister who is 8 that can both easily use the easel. There are three height spots for it and I have it on the middle one. Even my 11 and 13 year old daughters like the easel.
I was worried about the chalkboard because of the reviews but when we used chalk and chalked over the whole thing and wiped it off it worked just fine. I read that from another reviewer as "priming a chalkboard" and it was perfect. It did seem to work ok before we did that, my daughter used chalk on it before I primed it and it did show up but it seems to work better after "priming."
I'm very, very happy with this easel. I bought the 3 pack of paper and it works wonderfully with it, my daughter (6) can figure out how to move the paper to use the white board and absolutely loves this board.
Absolutely a stellar item!
Customer Review: Not that great
Summary: 1 Stars
We got this for my son who is two. It isn't that sturdy, but I could live with that except that the white board doesn't erase easily and it seems like some of the marker marks will just stay there forever unless you use a harsh chemical to wipe them off. Not really sure why Melissa and Doug people wouldn't have fixed this or noticed it? Also, it would have been nice if one side of the easel would have been magnetic so he could use his magnetic letters and numbers on it. Not a big issue, but combined with other issues, makes me hesitant to recommend. I've seen the white board issue mentioned in other reviews as well so it isn't just us. And the chalk board is made of a strange material that makes it hard to write. Somehow it isn't a normal chalkboard. The paint cup holders are nice, it was easy to put together, the paper roll thing is very nice, and it is nice that the level of the board is adjustable, but overall because of the problems with the white board and chalk board, I think I would suggest something else to others.Customer Review: Great Investment
Summary: 5 Stars
We purchased this for my daughter for Christmas because we wanted her to have a structured place to create her masterpieces. We feel that art is as important as overall academics and this is a valuable tool for teaching. She is having a blast with this toy and it's seemingly endless rolls of paper and she thinks the chalkboard is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
The easel requires assembly and is easy to put together. I can imagine it would be easy to break down to move as well since all of the pieces are held together with large plastic coated wing-nuts. Follow the directions though, this isn't a piece you want to fake it on. The chalkboard works well **IF YOU FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS**. Don't forget to coat the entire thing in chalk and then wipe down. I did this at least four times before I let her use it to make sure it worked properly and the chalk didn't skip across the surface. I have had absolutely no complaints and she uses the easel for hours on end. We have art coming out our ears. :)