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Age is the real filter here, more than brand: dip-pen and ink-jar calligraphy sets are genuinely a bad fit for younger kids — the ink stains everything and the nibs are sharp — while cartridge-fed fountain-style pens and washable markers are the workable route into lettering for kids under about 9. The picks below span both approaches, from a true beginner cartridge set to a simple washable-marker entry point for the youngest lettering fans.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mont Marte Calligraphy Set (32/33-piece) | $25-$35 | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Manuscript Beginner’s Calligraphy Set (3-nib) | $11-$13 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen Set (P9005SET) | $35-$40 | Amazon |
| 4 | Crayola Super Tips Washable Markers (50-count) | $9-$17 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | Crayola Super Tips Washable Markers (100-count) | $16-$27 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | PANDAFLY Dual-Tip Calligraphy Brush Pens | $8-$20 depending on pack size | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Faber-Castell Beginner’s Artist Pen Set (14-Piece) | $25-$29 | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | Speedball Modern Calligraphy Kit (21-Piece) | $19.99 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Mont Marte Calligraphy Set (32/33-piece)
A well-stocked beginner set with multiple fountain pens, nib grades, and cartridges in several colors, covering a range of lettering styles.
- Multiple fountain-style pens with interchangeable nibs
- Ink cartridges in several colors included
- Instruction and practice booklets included
- Cartridge-fed design avoids messy ink-well dipping, a real plus for a child user
- Enough variety (multiple nib grades) to try several lettering styles without buying separate sets
- Best suited to kids around 9 and up who can handle a fountain-style pen carefully
- More pieces to keep track of than a simpler single-pen set
Manuscript Beginner’s Calligraphy Set (3-nib)
A long-running, straightforward beginner set from calligraphy specialist Manuscript, with three nib sizes and a simple cartridge-fed pen.
- 3 interchangeable nib sizes
- Cartridge ink system
- Right-handed and left-handed versions available
- One of the more affordable true beginner calligraphy sets from an established specialist brand
- Left-handed version available, which many kids’ sets skip entirely
- Fewer pieces and colors included than the larger Mont Marte set
- Still a fountain-style pen — needs a bit of hand control, so better suited to kids 9+
Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen Set (P9005SET)
A set of four Pilot Parallel pens in 1.5mm, 2.4mm, 3.8mm, and 6mm nib widths — a genuine calligraphy-community favorite that also works well for an older, more committed kid.
- 4 pens in 4 distinct nib widths
- Parallel-plate nib design for consistent ink flow
- Bonus ink cartridge included
- A real step up in nib quality and control from disposable cartridge sets, well regarded among adult calligraphers too
- Four nib widths cover everything from fine detail to bold broad-edge lettering
- Pricier than the basic beginner sets here
- Best matched to an older kid or teen already committed to the hobby, not a first-time dabbler
Crayola Super Tips Washable Markers (50-count)
Not a true calligraphy set, but the recommended entry point for kids under 9 who want to try fancy lettering without sharp nibs or spillable ink.
- 50 washable, dual-tip markers
- Wide range of colors
- Standard Crayola safety and washability testing
- Genuinely appropriate for young kids where dip pens and fountain pens are not
- Washable formula matters a lot once a child is doing lettering practice unsupervised
- Not real calligraphy nibs — can’t produce true thick/thin brush-stroke variation the way a pen set can
- Best treated as a stepping stone toward an actual calligraphy set once a child is a bit older
Crayola Super Tips Washable Markers (100-count)
The larger 100-count version of the same marker line, for a bigger color range or a classroom/family-shared set.
- 100 washable, dual-tip markers
- Broad color range including metallics in some sets
- Same washable safety formula as the 50-count
- More colors for lettering variety without buying multiple smaller packs
- Good value for a shared family or classroom set
- Same limitation as the 50-count — not true calligraphy nibs
- Larger pack costs more than most kids need for just lettering practice
PANDAFLY Dual-Tip Calligraphy Brush Pens
A budget dual-tip brush marker set aimed at hand-lettering rather than traditional pointed-nib calligraphy, popular for its low price and broad color range.
- Dual-tip design: brush tip and fine tip in one pen
- Available in packs ranging from 6 to 60+ colors
- Water-based, low-odor ink
- One of the cheapest ways into brush-lettering styles specifically, a different (and trendier) look than pointed-pen calligraphy
- Brush tip is more forgiving for a beginner than a stiff traditional nib
- Brush-marker lettering is a different skill from true nib calligraphy — pick based on which style your kid actually wants to learn
- Tip quality and consistency vary more pack-to-pack than with the established brands here
Faber-Castell Beginner’s Artist Pen Set (14-Piece)
A brush-pen-based modern hand-lettering kit from an established art-supply brand, bundling pens, watercolor, and practice materials rather than just markers alone.
- 3 Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens plus 4 watercolor tubes, pencil, ruler, and templates
- Practice paper pad and instruction booklet included
- Brush and chisel-tip nibs, not dip pens
- No ink well or loose nib to manage — pen-based like Mont Marte and Manuscript, but adds watercolor for kids who want to decorate lettering further
- Reputable, widely available established art-supply brand
- More components to track and clean up (watercolor, brush) than a pure pen set
- Aimed at a slightly older/more art-inclined kid than the simplest cartridge sets
Speedball Modern Calligraphy Kit (21-Piece)
A specialist calligraphy brand’s pen-and-holder set in modern colorways (rose gold, metallic white), a step toward more serious pointed-pen calligraphy for an older kid or teen.
- 21 pieces: multiple pen holders and nibs
- Modern color finishes (black, rose gold, metallic white, metallic black)
- From Speedball, a long-established calligraphy/lettering specialist brand
- Least expensive way into genuine pointed-pen (dip) calligraphy from a specialist brand, if your kid is ready to move beyond cartridge pens
- Speedball’s decades of calligraphy-specific product design shows in nib and holder quality
- This is a true dip-pen system with separate nibs — exactly the ink-well style this list’s intro flags as a poor fit for kids under about 9
- Needs separate ink, sold apart from this kit
Buying tips
- For kids under 9, skip dip-pen and ink-jar sets entirely — start with washable markers (Crayola Super Tips) or a brush-pen set (PANDAFLY, Faber-Castell) instead, and move to a cartridge fountain-style pen once they’re a bit older.
- Cartridge-fed pens (Mont Marte, Manuscript, Pilot Parallel) avoid the mess of a traditional ink well and dip pen, which matters a lot for a first calligraphy set regardless of age.
- The Speedball Modern Calligraphy Kit is a genuine dip-pen-and-ink system, not a cartridge pen like the rest of this list — it’s the one entry here best reserved for an older kid or teen who’s already outgrown the beginner sets.
- Brush-tip lettering (PANDAFLY, Faber-Castell) and pointed-nib calligraphy (Mont Marte, Manuscript, Pilot Parallel, Speedball) are genuinely different skills and looks — if your kid has seen a specific style online, check which type it actually is before buying.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.