A traditional set of watercolor "pan" paints is an essential for childhood art. Pan colors can be carried easily. They come in a sturdy plastic case, and can be shared by many students. The trick is to purchase pan watercolors with GOOD pigments...not pale, ghostly colors that take forever to mix, but rich, vibrant pigments that dissolve quickly and easily.

We has found that the folks at Binney & Smith make the best watercolor pan sets available. In the Crayola Water Colors Set of 8 Colors, the transparent paints flow smoothly and blend beautifully. And to make the set complete, a good quality, natural-hair brush is included in the box. These paints will retain their clean, vibrant color throughout any watercolor technique. Box has a white lid for mixing shades of color.

Binney & Smith also has a great product-support website for teachers and parents...including a directory of art lessons in many categories from pure visual arts to social studies, math, science and lots more. To leave the KidsArt website and visit Binney & Smith's directory of lesson plans, click the link to Crayola's Lesson Plan Website below. (Remember to bookmark KidsArt with your favorites so you can return here over and over again!)