Useful Small Gifts for Kids

Here are a few small things that could make your student's or artist's work go a little more smoothly. They are three items that I use in my studio and also with the students that I tutor. Kids do a lot of erasing and those pink erasers that dry out, ripping and marring the paper are so annoying! When I was kid my handwriting was terrible, so I was always erasing and rewriting - as I got more and more frustrated, the eraser would only contribute to the mess! Also, students sometimes avoid sharpening a pencil even when it would help their work, so having a dependable sharpener nearby can be a big help.

You can find these items in lots of places and quantities, the links below are for smaller quantities at Amazon.

- The pencil sharpener is simple and sturdy and, since the top screws on, the pencil shavings don't suddenly spill out. I love using it. This particular sharpener is not too expensive and the best I have seen, but a lot outlets don't carry it.

-The type of eraser that I recommend are called either a polymer, plastic or vinyl eraser. These are white and a little softer than the pink erasers and they don't dry out. They are much easier on paper. Different companies make them and I haven't noticed a difference. Get a pack of them, since they are easily lost.

-The polymer eraser also comes as a retractable pen-style eraser, which is helpful when only a single letter or line needs to be erased. Since these click out, kids find them fun to use. For some reason these don't always come with refills, so you might want to get some as well.