Kids Colouring Day: BiC Kids

I decided to do a KIDS COLOURING DAY on Colour with Claire, because I so often hear (and experience myself!) children who want to join in with their parent's new hobby, and why wouldn't they?! Colouring is predominantly a kid's activity, so I thought I'd review some products that they can get lots of fun and use out of (and we might borrow after bedtime!).

The French company BiC has long been known in the stationery world as a leader in writing pens and colour mediums, so it follows that they would make their own children's range to get young people excited by different ways of mark making. BiC Kids includes all sorts of fun products that are safe, resilient, ergonomic and long lasting- all things that are really important for children's colouring tools. Check out the BiC Kids website for loads of fun activities that children will love.

Evolution Triangle, Age 2+

Tropicolors 2, Age 5+

These pencils are great for younger children who need extra help positioning their fingers. The chunky barrel and triangular shape make them easy to hold and comfortable to use. The lead is extremely strong and thick, meaning they're less likely to break even after being thrown around a few times! They're wood-free so there's no chance of splinters, and resistant to chewing if your little one fancies a nibble. They come in a pack of 12, and although they are marketed as vivid I found you had to press down quite hard to get a good depth of colour, as the pigment didn't transfer to paper as easily as I'd have liked. 

The thinner, longer barrels on these pencils are ideal for older children who no longer need a large surface to grip onto. Again they are wood-free and come in packs of 12 and 24. As with the Evolution pencils, I found hard pressure on the paper the only way to make the colours look as vivid and bright as they are supposed to, which I think is an important feature in pencils called TROPICOLORS. However they sharpen very well and feel robust, like they're made to last. I'd just recommend that BiC thinks about making the leads less 'hard' in future versions of their pencils, to make them easier for children to colour.

An image I coloured with both sets of pencils. As you can see they don't blend particularly well as they are so hard, and leave indents on the paper from the amount of pressure used. Fab for kids though, which is who they're made for!

Colour & Erase, Age 5+

I love it when children have a 'wow' moment where their mouth just drops and they can't believe what they're seeing, and these Magic Felts are awesome at impressing kids! There are 10 solid colours and 2 'ink eaters', which can erase the other pens! There are loads of special effects kids can do with them, from colouring a swatch then erasing shapes and letters, to writing in the clear ink, colouring over it and watching their words appear as if by... magic! Loads of fun and bold colours mean they're perfect for little ones, and the chance to rub away any mistakes could save tears down the line! They're washable, so getting them on clothes isn't a problem. 

Turn & Colour, Age 3+

Turn and Colour are pretty much identical in style to the Crayola Twistables crayons, but these are full length so will last lots longer. The crayon is replenished by twisting the bottom, so no sharpening involved means they're mess free- a bonus for any parent! The hardy plastic casing will protect the lead from breakages, and are much easier for young children to hold than normal wax crayons. The 12 colours include a skin tone, which is handy, and overall they feel great quality. Another plus is that your children won't need to ask for them sharpening every 5 minutes- they're super easy for even little fingers to twist.

These products were given to me in exchange for an honest review. You can find them on Amazon here:

BiC Kids Colour and Erase Colouring Pens (Pack of 12)

BiC Kids Tropicolors Colouring Pencils (Pack of 24)

BiC Kids Evolution Triangle Colouring Pencils (Pack of 10 , Plus 2 Free)

BiC Kids Turn and Colour Twistable Wax Crayons (Pack of 12)