Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

Because I Have a Little Artist.

By

Sometimes, as I look around my home, I am dismayed by the clutter produced by toys, gadgets and gizmos. I often joke with my husband that we have special sight filters that allow us to ignore the mess; thicker soles due to the torture of repeatedly stepping on errant cars, and stronger ab muscles from bending over 172 times per day to pick up a stray pencil crayon, a runaway Cheerio, or the dreaded, crumpled, discarded used tissue.

For a long time, I simply allowed myself to believe that kids will take over the home and there’s nothing that can be done about it. But then I realized that as my boys grew, they began to crave a space of their own. Slowly, the basement became a place to engage in imaginative play. Ryder’s bedroom became his corner nook to enjoy a good book. And Reid always, always wanted to be in the kitchen when he was in the mood for arts and crafts. Hence, when we received the Little Tikes I’m an Artist Station for review, I knew it would quickly become a family favourite.

“This uniquely designed, multi-functional art station features a cover for the table that doubles as a portable drawing surface. It even lights up for tracing. Little Tikes smart design gives I’m An Artist Station plenty of storage cubbies and a convenient place for hanging wet artwork and displaying the finished creation.”

Features:

Splatter table spins paper and paint. Includes splatter guard to minimize any mess.
Table cover converts to portable drawing table that lights up for tracing.
Convenient clip rack where artwork can hang up to dry and then be displayed.
Multiple spaces for storing art supplies. Sturdy stool and 4 paints included.

On any given day, you can find my little guy creating artistic masterpieces at his I’m An Artist Station.

Did you know that Reid’s most favourite thing to draw in the entire world are spiders? And, did you know that the one thing I fear more than anything in the entire world are… spiders? Goodness, I don’t know where he picked up an affection for the eight-legged freaks, but they’re regularly featured in his artwork.

The I’m An Artist Station features many storage cubbies to pack away art supplies. And, they’re conveniently located within grasp of a small child. Their colourful proximity and ease-of-organization has virtually eliminated the possibility of stray crayons. Reid has a sense of responsibility and pride as he tidies up.

In addition to the storage cubbies on the side, there are extra compartments on top of the Artist Station as well for Play Doh, stamps, beads, chalk, or anything else your little artist uses. Since Reid is a consummate minimalist, he prefers to keep it simple. Hence, we have a lot of unused storage.

Of course, the main feature of the Artist Station is its ability to make amazing art with the spinning feature. Simply place a 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper in the splatter tray, add splatter paint, push the button and watch it spin, creating a work of art. A splatter guard keeps paint from leaving the table, and the cover doubles as a drawing surface.

Since Reid is still a bit young, for now, he opts for drawing over spinning. But when he’s ready to take on paint projects, I appreciate the paper towel holder located on the side, which is helpful for keeping mess to a minimum.

And the stool? Totally child-sized and perfect for toddler bottoms. It tucks in neatly when not in use, and is sturdy enough to withstand up to 81 lbs of weight. Love its colourful legs and compact design.

Artistic time has increased exponentially since we received the I’m An Artist Station from Little Tikes. Of course, I saved my favourite feature for last: the ability to proudly display your artwork for all to see.

HURRY! The Little Tikes I’m an Artist Station is currently on SALE at Toys R Us for just $49.98. It makes the perfect gift for any budding Picasso, and gives children their own dedicated space to allow creativity to flourish.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Jenny

    This is seriously what I’m buying my nephew for Christmas. And I never would have known about it if not for this review! Really interested to test out the paint feature, looks like a great time.

  4. Marissa

    Your little guy is really cute and I think I’ll get this Little Tikes I’m an artist station for my grandson this Christmas. Thanks for the tip Lena.

  5. loriag

    This looks like a very cool budding artist station. Just the right size with everything needed. I like it!

  10. Judy C (Judy Cowan)

    Looks like a great set-up! Will let my sister know about this for my niece! Quite the little artist you have there :)

  11. Flora M

    Love all the holders for art supplies – nice and compact and keeps everything in one place :) One thing I didn’t see him using was the splatter that spins – would love to see an action shot of that one ! This would be a great idea for my grandkids, but they are a bit overcrowded right now – I will keep in in mind for when they get a bigger place :)

    • Lena

      Thanks Flora! The only thing we *couldn’t* seem to use properly was the spinning splatter – whether that is because Reid is too young, or we were doing something incorrectly, I’m not sure! Trust me, I tried to get an action shot!

  14. Parent Club

    I LOVE this. What a great way to organize art projects, give the kids a space for themselves, and save your kitchen table from marker streaks (yes, I know that last one well!). I would totally get this for my toddler!

  16. Victoria Ess

    I love the part that allows for the display of masterpieces! This is such a neat thing for kids!!

  17. Rosie

    How adorable and a great way to encourage creativity, even for 8-legged critters – always room for a new artist! And he’s tidy, too, wow! When we were little, our parents let us draw on the unfinished walls upstairs where our room was located. To us, those murals looked like Michelangelo’s!!!

  18. Holly

    I love anything that helps children express themselves creatively. This is a great addition for anyone that has kids who love to draw and for kids to have their own “space”. My parents bought my an art desk and all the supplies I needed when I was a kid, and it kept me motivated to continue doing what I loved.