Kids Craft Supplies to Keep on Hand
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Help your kids become more creative and entertain themselves when you keep a box of kids craft supplies on hand. You’ll be amazed at how much fun they have on their own!
This makes a great Christmas or birthday gift for kids of all ages. Just adjust the supplies to suit the age and interests of the child. They’ll think they’ve found buried treasure.
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Many kids can do crafts all the live long day. True, the oldest ones may bore after awhile, but middles and littles (ages 2 to 10) will surprise you at their stamina when it comes to creating.
Bonus: when contained and properly directed, this obsession can work in your favor, Mama, especially if you’ve got projects of your own to do.
Over time I’ve learned that kids don’t need a lot of instruction when it comes to kids crafts. Other than demonstrating a technique with a paint brush or with clay, I really only need to make the opportunities available to let them explore the art media at hand.
One of the best things you can do as a mom to encourage creative play in your kids is to give them free reign in crafting. How to do that?
Keep kids craft supplies on hand!
You don’t need to buy special craft kits, though that can be helpful at times. Instead gather up a box of basic kids craft supplies within easy access so that when a creative moment hits, your peeps can get crafting quickly and without a lot of fuss.
When you have the kids craft supplies already gathered together, it’s so much easier to be a Yes Mom!
What Kids Craft Supplies to Keep on Hand:
You don’t need to stock all these items all the time, but having an assortment of art supplies on hand for kids to use can be super beneficial.
Pro tip: When grandparents ask what kids might want for Christmas and Birthdays, direct them to this list! They can even grab the free printable checklist below.
Paper
- white paper for drawing
- colored cardstock
- construction paper
- watercolor paper
- lined paper for writing
- magazines for collage
- tissue paper
- crepe paper
- poster board
- coffee filters
- tracing paper
- graph paper
- newspaper
- paper plates
- file folders
- coloring books
- shreds from the paper shredder
- cardboard boxes
- egg cartons
Tools
- kid scissors
- fancy scissors
- stencils and templates
- ink pad
- brushes
- ruler
- sponges
Sanity-Savers
- aprons/smocks
- tablecloth/tarp
- newspaper
Media
There’s nothing wrong with teaching kids the proper word for the materials used to create art.
- drawing pencils
- crayons
- colored pencils
- markers
- watercolor pencils
- poster paints
- tempera paints
- acrylic paints
- watercolor paints
- charcoal pencils
Fasteners
- transparent tape
- double sided tape
- glue
- glue stick
- rubber cement
- paper clips
Other
- popsicle sticks
- pompoms
- googly eyes
- foamies
- clay/playdough
- smocks/aprons
- feathers
- stickers
Kids Craft Inspiration
Looking for some quick and easy inspiration? Check out these classic arts and craft books for kids:
:: Check out Easy Origami to teach kids how to fold and create shapes from paper.
:: I love the Little Hands art books. Some of our favorites are Paper Plate Crafts and the Little Hands Art Book. For bigger kids, try Making Amazing Art!
:: Have you or a grandmother moved on from scrapbooking? Let your kiddos dig into your supplies. They will have a blast!
Get the Free Checklist
Want to fast-track your kids craft supplies box? Grab the free checklist. It’s perfect for creating your own treasure trove of supplies that kids can craft with.
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More Crafty Ideas for Kids
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Kids Craft Supplies Box
Equipment
- child safety scissors
- ruler
- decorative templates
- crayons
- colored pencils
- watercolor paints
- glue or glue stick
- plastic storage tote
Supplies
- construction paper
- white paper
- colored cardstock
- watercolor paper
- lined paper for writing
- magazines for collage
- tissue paper
- crepe paper
- poster board
- coffee filters
- tracing paper
- graph paper
- newspaper
- paper plates
- file folders
- pom poms
- pipe cleaners
- coloring books
- label for tote
Instructions
- Mix and match the supplies and tools that are age-appropriate for your child.
- Place all the supplies and tools in a plastic tote.
- Create a fun label to identify the tote.
This post was originally published on March 23, 2011. It has been updated for content and clarity.
In addition to what you mentioned, I also kept in the garage a big plastic tub called the “inventor box.” I would put anything in it that could not be recycled or composted such as old electronic parts, shoeboxes, promo cds, the plastic boxes iphones once came in, and empty thread spools, etc. That way, when dioramas etc. came due at school, they could repurpose without me having to buy things to finish these projects. Sometimes they would just make things from this box for fun.
Great idea!
We use rubbermaid drawers that are labeled. We have a bit of everything. We use Art Adventures at Home for our art curriculum. It helps teach art skills (drawing, painting, clay to crafts), refers back to real art pieces and helps you to help your kiddo assess the work. Most projects build off of another in a simple way. Great for when boredom kicks in as they get to learn new stuff. 🙂
I have never heard of Art Adventures at Home. Gonna have to check that out. Thanks!
Paper bags, toilet paper rolls, and socks…can all be used to make different puppets. I guess you could throw yarn in there too.