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 Great products for your budding artist! Jul 29, 2010
The paint jars are great! With the lids, the paint does not dry out. The paint is washable, which is great, too. Perfect companion gift for the easel.
Perfect start up set Jul 25, 2010
My son loves this start up set. Even though the paint is washable I still make him paint outside. It can be a little messy (of course).
Great set! Jul 21, 2010
We purchased this set to go with the Melissa and Doug easel, and the only complaint I have (and it's a minor one) is that it only comes with one (blue) dry erase marker. Beyond that, the items in this set have exceeded my expectations. First, the paints really are washable (note--my kids paint outside, so I can't comment on whether or not the paint comes out of carpeting). The paint is just the right consistency--not too thick, not too thin--and the colors look just as vibrant when they dry as when they are wet. The best part is that the paint washes right off of my kids' hands. The paint cups are genius! I love the inverted lids that help decrease mess and also keep the paintbrushes in place. Clean-up is so simple--I just rinse the brushes under cold running water and wipe the cups and lids with a damp paper towel, and they're clean! Any splatters of paint that land in the paint tray or on the whiteboard can also just be wiped away with a damp paper towel. Snap the storage lids on top of the paint cups, and the paint doesn't dry out in between art sessions. The chalk is colorful and sturdy--if it can stand up to my three-year-old, who tends to be hard on her crayons and sidewalk chalk, it can stand up to anyone! The included eraser is also of very good quality. This is a great set and I'm very glad that we purchased it. When we run out of paint and chalk, I will definitely buy Melissa and Doug replacements!
I am editing my review several days later to include an additional comment regarding the chalk. Another reviewer mentioned that the chalk creates a lot of dust. Our experience thus far has been that the green chalk, in particular, creates an amazing amount of dust. I've had to teach my kids to clap the eraser after they erase their drawings, otherwise the next time they go to use the eraser, it just smears green chalk dust around on the chalkboard. I'm not changing my overall rating for this set, though, since it is still a great value. We just may end up purchasing another brand of chalk when our Melissa and Doug chalk runs out.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Great set, except for one thing.... Jun 14, 2010
We got the Melissa & Doug Easel Companion Set a couple years ago when we purchased the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel and we really like it a lot, except for one thing.
First, the positive: the brushes are really high-quality and durable. The chalk is great, with nice colors and easy to hold because of the unique shape. The containers are really handy and very clever. They have two lids, one that you can use when you are painting, kind of cone-shaped, inverted with a hole....so you can dip your paintbrush into it, and easily wipe off the edges on this cleverly-designed lid. Then of course a top-lid that goes over that, when you are not using the paints. The eraser is good-quality and durable. The dry-erase marker is standard. Since there is only one, I bought another set with more colors.Expo 7-Piece Original Dry Erase Organizer Kit
The only negative: The paints look vibrant in the containers, and still look bright when you first put them on paper. Unfortunately, when the paint dries it is faded in color. At least, this is our experience when using the Melissa & Doug Easel paper. By the way, you can get 3 replacement rolls here on Amazon for a really good price. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel Paper (3 pack bundle) So it's fine for everyday art, but if you want to do something special as a keepsake, like we did, be prepared for the colors to be more muted than they look. Since I'm not an art expert by any stretch, I don't know if it's because of the paper or the paints....but it definitely wasn't the result we were looking for.
Overall, I would still buy this set again. As with all Melissa & Doug items, it is high-quality and durable, and includes quite a bit for the money. Just wanted to mention the paint issue above, in case it matters to anyone else.
And by the way, the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel is a fantastic purchase. Our child was 3 when we got it, it has grown with him to age 6, and will easily last another couple years (height-wise for the child, not in durability. As far as durability, the easel will probably last forever!) Hope this has been helpful for someone.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Protect your carpet May 30, 2010
This says the paint is washable, but it won't wash out of your carpet. Even though the box says it won't spill or drip on your carpet, well, it does. From the brush it drips down onto the carpet, because the paint's not thick enough to stay on the brush. What they should do is INCLUDE THE DANG DROPCLOTH IN THIS KIT INSTEAD OF MILKING PEOPLE FOR MORE MONEY. I had no idea the drop cloth was even available, because I bought this product in the store. The green paint is runny and will drip off the brush and onto your carpet and once it does, it won't come out. Our white carpet is now green, even though we've tried three different carpet cleaners. We'll probably have to replace the entire carpet. Thank you, Melissa and David. Try making the green paint a little thicker, maybe make it actually washable, and include the dang dropcloth. If you buy this, make sure you move the easel outside, because you will regret it if you don't. NOT WASHABLE, NOT DRIP-PROOF, NO DROP CLOTH INCLUDED.
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