This is a child sized easel which I've shortened by a few inches. Now it's the perfect height for Otis. He uses it everyday. Not always for painting, he will draw here too. 

We use different types of brushes. I don't know which is best. This one is called Roymac Chunky and has a bulb shaped handle. We use a range of colours but only one colour at a time. 

We've tried fancier types of painting like painting with string and wool but that just turned into finger painting. Painting with a sponge was successful so I've kept a container and sponge on his shelf. I remember Kate mentioning her daughter Sarah likes to put sponges in her mouth, if this sounds like your child painting with a sponge is probably not a good idea. 

We use children's acrylic paint, water colours and we've recently been painting with ochre.