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My girls love doing "projects" as they call them. They could do art and create and craft all day long if I let them. I've found that we can do spontaneous projects when they ask if I have some of my craft supply staples on hand at all times. I went through our craft shelves to come up with a list of our top twenty craft supplies that we love to use.
Kwik Stix are seriously the best and easiest way to paint. When my girls ask to paint, this is my go to because it is low mess. The sticks are kind of like glue sticks only made from paint. The paint glides onto the paper and dries in 90 seconds. Seriously awesome! I like this pack because it includes the regular colors + neon + the glitter colors. If you want to see some of the projects we've done, you can check out these posts:
Kwik Stix: My New Favorite Way to Paint
Posters and Projects Made Easy with Kwik Stix
Giant Games Using Shower Curtains
Kwik Stix Metalix Shimmery Fun
Kwik Stix: My New Favorite Way to Paint
Posters and Projects Made Easy with Kwik Stix
Giant Games Using Shower Curtains
Kwik Stix Metalix Shimmery Fun
We LOVE our dot markers. We use them to make pictures all out of dot shapes. We've also been using them with our alphabet sheets and our sight word sheets to dab the correct answers. They are inky (kind of like a stamp and ink pad all in one) but they dry relatively quickly. Tip: try to get the ones that are washable. We have a set that were designed for adults playing bingo and those are harder to wash off the girls' hands.
These are the new markers that Kwik Stix has come out with. I love that they have no odor but still have bright and vibrant colors. These markers are guaranteed not to dry out for seven days with the cap off!! That is a huge plus when letting little ones use markers because the caps never seem to get snapped on correctly.
I love having this roll of paper at my kids' art table. Then they can measure out how much paper they want and tear it off themselves without scissors. This keeps them out of my computer paper and allows them to have the size paper they need for the activity that they are working on.
When we want to work on a watercolor picture, these Crayola paints are our go to. Sometimes it is fun to use crayons to draw a picture and then water and these paints to add the color. There aren't a ton of color options, but the girls can still mix to make other colors and change the vibrancy based on how much water they use.
Crayons are a must around here for all of our projects and crafts. We seriously have crayons in every room of the house and in the car. The teacher in me prefers Crayola brand because they seem to last longer and don't give off that excess waxiness that other brands sometimes have.
Playdough is an activity my girls love doing and I like to have some in a variety of colors on hand. I often make playdough for the girls from scratch, but I usually keep a few containers of Play-Doh on hand so that we have multiple colors and for the days when I don't feel like making any dough.
Ink pads and stamps are great to have on hand for projects. Make sure to get washable ink pads because fingers will definitely get in these, plus sometimes it is fun to use them for handprints, footprints or fingerprints for different art projects.
If you want to use actual paint, especially with little ones, these cups are a life saver. They make it hard to spill once the tops are on and you just stick the paintbrush in the hole to get more paint. It is easier than having a container with no top that is easily knocked over by the brush. If you paint regularly, you can also snap the tops on to save the paint for next time.
Paintbrushes in a variety of sizes are great to have on hand for different art projects. Even though we reach for Kwik Stix first, sometimes we use paintbrushes and washable paint for something different.
Washable paint is always a plus when you are letting kids paint. Less mess and this set has a variety of colors to choose from.
We always have a variety of construction paper colors on hand for projects. I usually keep it at the kids' level so they can grab what they need for a project.
Cookie cutters are great to have on hand for a variety of projects. Yes, you can make cookies with them, but we use them for playdough, as stamps with paint, and as tracers with a pencil and paper. I like the variety this one offers because it has letters and numbers, holiday shapes and generic shapes.
Pom poms are a fun supply to have on hand. They can be glued on to projects, but can also be used in sensory activities.
Learning to use scissors correctly is so important for children. I like to use scissors with fun blades just to mix it up and give the kids a variety. These are perfect to put in a fine motor cutting bin.
I like having yarn on hand in a variety of colors. It can be used for so many different projects and my girls are forever asking for string for a project - to tie masks on, to make necklaces, to make leashes for stuffed animals, etc.
Washi tape is my go to tape for my girls. They have their own sets and know to stay away from my tape. I love this tape because not only can you get fun colors and designs, but this tape is not as destructive as regular tape. We use it to hang things on the wall because it is easily removed without damaging the wall. Because it is a paper tape, it is easy to rip pieces of it off.
Popsicle sticks in a variety of colors and sizes are a great supply to have on hand. They are great for building STEM projects, making letters and shapes, mixing paint, etc.
Even though the girls usually use construction paper, I like to keep card stock on hand depending on what type of project we are doing. With certain paints, it is better to have it on a sturdier surface. Also, if we are making a picture for someone as a gift, we like to go with cardstock because it doesn't bend and fold as easy.
Sometimes we need to make a project that is larger than a standard size of paper. We have an easel and these big paper pads on it that the girls can grab if they are doing a big project. This also works well to cover the table or put them underneath a project they are working on to protect the table or floor.