I'm looking for decent colouring pencils for an 8 yr old - can anybody help please?

[BigBoobiedBertha]

I wanted to get DS2 some colouring pencils for Christmas. He has some already, several different brands of cheapy ones, but they don't actually put down much colour on the paper and they are a bit wishy washy. I know I could spend a fortune and get some nice artist ones but he is only 8 and will probably take them to school and lose them so I don't want to spend loads.

Can anybody recommend a good make you would entrust an 8 year old with!

Thanks.

I've just gone and grabbed a couple and WHS own brand seem to be fine.

More expensive are the Caran D'Ache ones which I had in a lovely tin in secondary school. I have a soft spot for these :)

Crayola coloured pencils are lovely, usually quite cheap on Amazon and the 24 pack has lots of more subtle colours as well as the 12 brights you get in the 12 packs. DD and I love colouring in with them and they are much better than the cheapy ones.

www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=24028318#

These are great, give lovely depth of colour.

Thank you! I will go and check out your suggestions.

I hadn't really thought about it before but DS had a little moan about his pencils after he did one of those fund raising Christmas cards at school - the ones where they try and get you to buy packs of your little darling's creation at vastly inflated prices - and the pencil was so pale it was very difficult to work out it was Father Christmas on the front. It might be that DS could just take after his mother and not be able to draw very well but I would rather blame the quality of the pencils than dodgy genes.

Oh cross post with NK346.

They look lovely. I want some too

I got a lovely set of pencils in a tin from Aldi last year (for myself!), there's charcoal pencils, watercolour ones, metallic and normal pencils as well as a good range of coloured pencils too.
Yes I love colouring and I'm a grown up. :)

I am an arty type (!) and always used Karisma pencils but they don't make them any more. I've been told the closest thing to them is Derwent Coloursoft so that's what we've gone for for DD who is 9. They are about £18 for 12 so not cheap but I know that when she's used my Karismas she's been much happier with the results - she always begs to use the 'special pencils' but I don't let her very often as I know when they're gone I won't be getting any more unless I fancy paying £100 for some on Ebay! Maybe worth getting some less special ones for taking to school and keeping the nicer ones to be used at home?

Crayola certainly work, WH smiths quite possibly do. Cheap ones certainly don't and you'll have a nervous breakdown trying to sharpen them.
My 12 yearold has blather a very expensive, even at half price, wooden draw of Derwent ones off me.
They are beautiful I would have killed for them at her age.

Blagged (ok not fair she did pay half, but half of £40 still leaves mum out of pocket)

I too had Caran D'Ache pencils!

I always coveted the Derwent ones though...

We got these lovely Faber Castell ones for DS2 who is a keen artist. Pricey at £15 for 24 pencils and only for use at home but nice to use.

@SoupDragon

I've just gone and grabbed a couple and WHS own brand seem to be fine.

More expensive are the Caran D'Ache ones which I had in a lovely tin in secondary school. I have a soft spot for these :)

With usual MNHQ disclaimer: other colouring pencils are available.

Oh dear I should never have started this thread with my stationary habit and and my new side line obession with art materials - I started a C&G course in design and craft which has opened up a whole new world of things to waste money on. Pretty things I never knew existed!

MoreBeta - £15 for 24 pencils was not what I had in mind for DS. That was more what I had in mind for me!!

Anyway, getting away completely from what an 8 yr old can realistic be allowed, feast your eyes on these but don't look at the price.

I like the only in front of the price. If it didn't have that word I'd think they were expensive

It's a whole £55 saving though to be fair MollieO. What a bargain!!!!

The beauty of it is that you wouldn't want to actually use the pencils because that would ruin the look of the box so they would last forever.

I too am a lover of colouring in! I have been to the Derwent factory so have a soft spot for those - especially as I was given a set of them many many moons ago for Christmas from my Dad

Ds would love them though and he would use them. However I think he will have to settle for the £5.99 set from WHSmiths!

One day, I am going to buy that box of Caran D'Ache pencils. [sigh]

I think you are paying a fair bit for the box Soupdragon, but they don't seem to do the big sets without the box. Shame.

But did you see you can buy the individually? You won't get the box to put them in but you could buy 5 a month (buy 5 get one free too) and it would only(!) take you 24 months to get all 120.

Definitely Caran D'Ache. I can still smell them.

I bought Staedtler ergo soft for both my dd (8) and ds (4) - they were £12 for 24 on amazon, so not cheap but not OTT - they are fab - sharpen without breaking and lovely to colour with after all the cheap ones we have used over the years. Nice colours too.
All the children in dd's class either have or want them.

I would recommend, we have had them since September and will easily last until Easter , if not the whole school year and beyond.
Ds aged 4, is not the best colourer iner (made up word? ), but he does find them easier to use than cheap and cheerful ones.

But I neeeeeeeeed the box!

Crayola are the best of the "affordable" ones. Good strong colours that stick to the paper.
I always get their do "twistables" so you don't waste loads when sharpening them.

My teenage daughter has thise Caran D'Ache set she does love their brand and she enjoys art.