Stockmar crayons...convince me they are worth the $$

[StumblinMama]

Are they really worth it? I read a guy around the same age as me who says he has the same set he had as a kid :jawdrop

What do you think? And would I want the crayons or the blocks?

ETA: If you didn't like Stockmar, what do you suggest? I want quality, but affordable art supplies.

[Katigre]

I was not personally impressed with them :shrug.

[StumblinMama]

I was not personally impressed with them :shrug.

Added this to OP: If you didn't like Stockmar, what do you suggest? I want quality, but affordable art supplies.

[Earthmummy07]

We have the block ones and they are good for drawing, but he cant colour in with them so we still need normal ones. If we had the stick ones, maybe it would be different?

[TraceMama]

:cup

[Katigre]

I had a box and returned them. I honestly didn't see much difference between Stockmar and crayons that I got at the teacher supply store (Lakeshore Learning). I am a big fan of Crayon Rocks and those were great when DS was preK (3ish) but he's beyond them now.

I think the fact that they say 'beeswax' adds to the hype b/c of the whole beeswax fascination in Waldorf - just my opinion ;).

[StumblinMama]

Oh, I forgot about the cool ones that Lakeshore has :think (Can you tell I've been out of the classroom for more than a few years? :giggle) I may look at theirs. I know they have the "skin colored" sets.

[Earthmummy07]

I actually liked the fact they were beeswax because it's less chemicals, less petroleum products :shrug

[Katigre]

Oh I agree - less chemicals is great :yes. But many people just know 'beeswax' as a trendy buzz word in certain natural family living circles and that IMO adds to the perceived prestige of owning Stockmar vs. regular crayons.

[arwen_tiw]

I love our Stockmar crayons, really really love. The blocks I only love for tinies though, both of my bigger kids still like and use the blocks for backgrounds and making patterns, but you can't really draw with them. They do give geat bright true colours without much pressure, so they are the first things my littles draw with.

The stick crayons get used every day by my nearly 7yo. They sharpen well, melt well, give good strong colour, don't snap too easily, and are low in nasties. We can't get anything else in the UK that even vaguely competes with the quality.

[MaybeGracie]

I use our sets for our family journal. The blocks are great for backgrounds while the sticks work well for everything else.

I'm a bit protective of them though. I hardly ever let DS1 use them, and DS2 never has. :shifty What? They're MY crayons! :bag

[ellies mom]

Granted, this depends on the child. But prior to buying our stockmar crayons (sticks not the blocks), we were going through an 8 count box of "thick" crayons every 10-12 weeks. After I bought the Stockmar crayons, I didn't buy a new box for four years. And if it wasn't for a certain younger sibling who took to chewing on them and scattering them about, they would probably still be going strong. In my world, that means they paid for themselves. I'd replace them, but we've been sticking to colored pencils because they seem to be a little more younger sibling resistant.

[AngelaVA]

I was just coming here to post something similar - I purchased a Waldorf Kindergarten guide from Little Garden Flower that I'm really excited about following for this upcoming year. I'll need to buy some books with it too so I'll need to budget for that but I'm not sure I want to go all out and get all the special crayons and paint and clay. I spent some $ on beeswax clay for preschool and I wasn't real impressed with it. The colors were pretty but it's too hard for her to play with so what's the point. My DD is used to and loves her crayolas and I don't have to be the "crayon police" like I would with a $20 box of crayons. I asked on the Waldorf group and of course they consider those Stockmar supplies a must but I'm still pretty skeptical.

[ellies mom]

I was just coming here to post something similar - I purchased a Waldorf Kindergarten guide from Little Garden Flower that I'm really excited about following for this upcoming year. I'll need to buy some books with it too so I'll need to budget for that but I'm not sure I want to go all out and get all the special crayons and paint and clay. I spent some $ on beeswax clay for preschool and I wasn't real impressed with it. The colors were pretty but it's too hard for her to play with so what's the point. My DD is used to and loves her crayolas and I don't have to be the "crayon police" like I would with a $20 box of crayons. I asked on the Waldorf group and of course they consider those Stockmar supplies a must but I'm still pretty skeptical.

They are nice and like I said, they last forever but seriously, when it comes right down to basics, a crayon is a crayon. What is important is that your child has the means to be creative. And what is also important is that it works for you. If crayola crayons allow you to relax and let your daughter enjoy herself, then by all means go with the crayola. It is supposed to be fun. The kids don't care either way.

[joyousTXmama]

My son wouldn't use any crayons until I bought Colorix. They are like a cross between crayon and pastel... but mark as brightly and easily as markers.

Never heard of stockmar... but it lasts forever?!? Gotta go google that...

[Ms_Dahl]

Granted, this depends on the child. But prior to buying our stockmar crayons (sticks not the blocks), we were going through an 8 count box of "thick" crayons every 10-12 weeks. After I bought the Stockmar crayons, I didn't buy a new box for four years.


I definitely agree with this as well. On top of it, the colors really do blend soooo beautifully. I purchased the block crayons (8 count) when he was 2 and they are still going strong 4 years later. Now we use them for background coloring (especially since each page in his main lesson book requires background coloring, it comes in handy). I purchased a pack of 20 something stick crayons last year and he uses it all the time for coloring. I can already tell that these will last through the remainder of his childhood! lol I may have to replace his favorite color but that will only be one replacement for a good amount of years. Definitely paying for itself. Also, my son has commented on the difference in quality when we go places that have regular crayons, so I find that interesting. I really think that children know the difference between high quality items for coloring and drawing and their work reflects this inner knowing.

I really think they are definitely worth the money. But you could always use the stick crayons for background coloring, you would have to remove the paper wrapping in order to do so.

[teamommy]

Not worth it IMO. None of my kids have like them very much. They won't draw very defined lines, and I think that is part of the point (Waldorf phiolosophy) maybe?

[RachelB]

I think I would police them if I paid that much for them, even with kids the ages of mine. I want the kids to have free access to art/craft supplies, and I think that I would be a spaz about it if I bought expensive ones. :shifty I always buy a million boxes of Crayolas for a quarter a box during school supply stock-up time, and that lasts us until at least the next year.

[StumblinMama]

You know you mamas aren't making this easy for me :shifty

[Blue Savannah]

My boys have Stockmar crayons and Colorix (http://www.sonlight.com/TA07.html). If you're looking for an alternative, check out the Colorix. :yes The stockmars are great crayons. They blend, the color well on dark paper. They do last forever. IMO they are worth it. Besides, they come in small packs and don't get scattered all over the house. :giggle