Want an Outdoor Easel but don’t want to spend major bucks on it? I don’t blame you! Make one for yourself with just the most basic of woodworking tools. Don’t have a saw or a way to get the boards home? If you ask really nicely, the people at your local home store will probably do the cuts for you!
First things first, download the Outdoor Easel Plans (Page 1, Page 2) and purchase necessary supplies. Follow the “Suggested Cuts” diagrams on the first page to get the most out of your purchase! You may have all the wood you need from scrap material (lucky you!), if so, just measure and cut the appropriate sizes.
As far as construction goes, follow the diagram on the second page to assemble the frame, leaving the top 24″ board off. Attach the mitered quarter rounds with either small nails or wood glue (never mind that edges aren’t mitered in the picture above!). Slide the plexiglass sheet in place and secure in place by screwing in the top 24″ board. All you have to do now is attach the legs and then you’re done!
Now comes the fun part! My kids have used tons of different supplies to make art on their easel, including:
And we’re always on the hunt for more! I’m even planning on taping up worksheets for my 4 year old to work on this Summer. Nothing like bringing the classroom outdoors!
The great thing about this easel is that when your kids are done and they’ve moved on to their next adventure for the day, all you have to do is wipe down the plexiglass with water and a cloth, push up the legs and store for next time!
Also, if anything happens to the plexiglass (which, with my two boys and their three boy cousins, I’m almost counting on!), you can remove the top, slide out the old plexiglass, and easily replace it with a new one.
Hope your kids enjoy their Outdoor Easel just as much as ours do!!
Partying with: Tutorials & Tips
Thank you for visiting Tried & True! I love making these tutorials and free printables and truly hope you enjoy them. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions! 
Arianna Pierce says
26 June 2013 at 1:01 pmHello! I had a question for you about possibly collaborating on something and was hoping you could email me back to discuss? Thanks so much!
– Arianna
ariannapierce2 (at) gmail (dot) com
Capri + 3--Theresa says
26 June 2013 at 3:21 pmYour DIY easel looks great! If we didn’t already have easels, I would have my husband (who enjoys woodworking) make some of these. Thanks for the great tutorial.
Vanessa Brady says
1 July 2013 at 7:05 amOh man, I bet your husband could whip this out super quickly!
Heather says
27 June 2013 at 5:35 amYou are so clever! What a great project for the kiddos…can I play too – looks like fun!
Vanessa Brady says
1 July 2013 at 6:52 amOk, I’ll admit it…I told the kids to play in the sandbox so that I could make my own art on the easel! 😀
Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage says
1 July 2013 at 9:03 amThis is such a fun idea! Love that it folds down for storage. How smart is that?
( the models doing the demonstration were pretty cute too)
Yolanda Crisostomo says
24 July 2013 at 2:09 pmHi! This is an awesome tutorial! This is a nice and sturdy easel. I hope you don’t mind my sharing this with our Cafemom Holiday and Party Craft members. They’ll Love this! I also want to share this on my blog.
I’d like to invite you also to join our Cafemom group: http://www.cafemom.com/group/22263
yumi says
9 July 2014 at 10:21 pmLoved this idea so much I made one for my 2 year old daughter. Made it slightly bigger so she can share with her siblings when they’re older. Thanks forsharing
Dawn says
29 May 2018 at 12:06 pmHI,
Upon looking into plexiglass I noticed there are several thickness and of course the thicker it is the more expensive it is. Which thickness did you use??
Thank you,
Dawn
Vanessa Brady says
21 October 2018 at 8:32 amI’m sorry for the late reply but we used a .25″ piece of plexiglass but the plans are adjustable to any thickness. Hope that helps!