203 Reviews

280 out of 280 people found this review helpful:
Great Product, Great Price!

This easel is a great buy! Very sturdy and high quality as most of mellisa and doug products. Colorful, kid friendly and easy to put together. Both the writing boards and the trays are adjustable for the height of your child. It folds up easy, but stands strong. This easel DOES have a place for a paper roll!! I did not think it did by the amazon description (I almost bought a more expensive one for the paper roll but decided to go with this and am so glad I did) ... the roll goes in the center between the boards and the paper comes up through the top and under a paper guide in front of the dry erase side. I can't image why you would spend more on another brand of easel, this one has everything I could think of wanting and is simple, solid wood, looks good and is super functional. This is the first review I have written, but wanted to pass on how happy I am with this product.

95 out of 95 people found this review helpful:
Great easel; not so great chalkboard

I bought this easel as part of the classroom I set up for my preschooler. I love the adjustable size, durability and ease of use. My only complaint was the chalkboard. Though I followed the priming instructions diligently, I found that even the good chalk scratched the board and did not write well. Melissa and Doug did reply immediately to my concern and were willing to do whatever necessary to correct the problem. On a whim, I decided to try some chalkboard paint instead. It now writes beautifully, and I love the black chalkboard, rather than the green it came as. It is perfect.

84 out of 87 people found this review helpful:
Form and Function

This easel works very well and is easy to put together, but is also much better looking than others I have seen for a comparable price. We gave this to my daughter at 20 months (younger than the suggested age) and she loved it right away. However, even at the lowest setting she can't draw to the top, which frustrated her unless she stood on a step stool -- guess that's why it's better for age 3+.

60 out of 61 people found this review helpful:
Your Child Will Need A Power Sander To Use The Chalk Board!!!!!

This is a nice looking easel, and is definitely sturdy, and it is definitely sturdy. It is so sturdy that an adult will not be able to even make a line on it. I wrote Melissa and Doug to ask what to do about the fact that the chalk board cannot be written on. I received a reply stating that the chalk board needed to be sanded, or primed before your child uses it, so I took it into my shop and first applied the recommended primer to remove that high gloss waxy finish. Well that didn't work, so then I tried a light sanding. Still did not work. Being a little on the obsessive compulsive side, I decided to step up my effort and use a power sander. After all this effort my two year old daughter still can only make a couple of light lines, gets frustrated and quits. As an adult male, weighing 170 lbs I find that I need to use allot of elbow grease to make a few lines on the chalk board. Now my daughter tries to draw on the walls. Very disappointing experience. Go out and get yourselves a vintage easel. Back in the old days you were able to actually write on a chalk board. Not like this mass produced " Made in China " junk of today!!!

28 out of 28 people found this review helpful:
Perfect easel for perfect price!

My mom bought this for my little girl for her 2nd birthday.(they had it in our local Toys R Us store, although it now says it is only available online) It was not my first choice, but I am super glad we decided to go with this one! Although bought for the 2 year old, my 9 year old and her friends all love it too! SO, I guess you will get your money's worth! Assembly was not too bad, and the product is very sturdy! I am very very happy with this purchase! Not to mention, the price was wonderful compared to other similar items!