These student-quality pencils have a 3 mm core and a semi-soft lead. The colors are lightfast and blend well. Laydown is beautiful. These are a good alternative to the regular Prismacolor pencils as they are not as expensive but the quality is still high.

If your art curriculum or art book requires blending but your children are not ready for professional quality pencils, these would be the best choice. Geography Matters Map Workbook, Draw Write Now, and Barry Stebbing's Art Books; I Can Do All Things, Feed My Sheep, Lamb's book, How Great Thou Art, God and The History of Art, and Draw and Write Through History all recommend these colored pencils. 

The pencils come in an easel-style box and are available in 4 sets.