Arts & Crafts with Children – Recommended Supplies to have on Hand

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Don’t consider yourself artsy/crafty but want to offer opportunities for your child to spark their creativity? We’re here for you! 

Check out the lists below for everyday items you can upcycle for art and crafts with children, a list of basic supplies you should have on hand, and some fun, nice-to-have supplies and tools we love to use with our kids.

Save these everyday household items to upcycle in crafts with children

• Toilet paper rolls
• Towel paper rolls
• Tissue boxes
• Egg cartons
• Cereal boxes
• Amazon or other package boxes
• Sturdy containers or bottles
• Paper plates
• Paper cups
• Cuts of fabric from old clothing
• Ribbons from presents, packages
• Cotton balls**
• Coffee filters
• Colorful straws**
• Buttons 
• Yarn
• Elbow macaroni, penne (any pasta that you can thread yarn or jute twine through)
• Corks
• Bottle caps (both plastic and the metal caps)
• Aluminum foil
• Baking parchment paper
• Blank printer/copy paper
• Anything you’re about to throw into recycling that your kids ask you if they can use!

Arts & Crafts basic supplies

• Drawing utensils (Pencils, ball point pens and gel pens. We don’t recommend roller or fountain pens since kids don’t know how to use them as well, and they bleed everywhere)

• Coloring utensils (Crayons, colored pencils, washable markers)

• Multi-surface paint pens. We often decorate flat stones with medium**, fine**, or extra fine markers** like these. They make lovely gifts! We also use these pens to decorate easter eggs. They comes in metallic gel pen-like colors and standard vibrant rainbow colors so make sure to pick the color set you want.
• Scotch tape, 6 rolls, and dispenser**. I’ve used scotch tape since I was a kid, growing up and now as an adult. I’ve used cheap tape before and they’re brittle, dry up and don’t stick well. This holds up well to my children’s usage for all sorts of crafts!

• Masking tape** or go all out with 6 rainbow colored masking tape**
• Elmer’s washable disappearing purple school glue sticks**. These are awesome because it helps your child see where they spread the glue.
• Elmer’s washable liquid glue** or get Elmer’s washable color glue**that’s great for making slime
• Kid-friendly scissors (The westcott is for both right and left handed children!)

• Popsicle sticks. Get the standard popsicle sticks, and use it for crafts or to make homemade popsicles. You can also buy the rainbow ones. Our kids have also just colored their regular popsicle sticks with markers before, and they look the same!)

• Paint. Finger paints, Watercolor paint or Tempera paint for little ones. We recommend acrylic paint for projects where you need more staying power but this needs to be used under supervision as once dried, it’s basically permanent and very difficult to remove.

• If you’re like us and love painting but hate the prep and clean up after traditional painting, check out these low maintenance helpers. No-spill paint cups**, “Paint with water” activity books** and watercolor pencils like these** or these**.
• Construction paper

• Natural Jute twine

Fun and Nice-to-have

• Amazon Laminator** or the Scotch laminator** We love using the laminator to seal and protect our projects like the kids activity schedule chart we created to help both the kids and us, the parents, prepare for activities we want to do throughout the week.
• Velcro strips**/Velcro dots**
• Pom poms**, pipe cleaners**, and googly eyes**

• Glitter** and/or Glitter glue pens** Glitter glue pens are an awesome 2 for 1. No need to buy glitter and glue separately, nor have the kids accidentally blow glitter all over.

• Hot glue and glue gun** These are especially helpful for projects where a glue stick or glue bottle doesn’t cut it. For example, pom poms refuse to stick. They will just dry up and fall right off unless you use a glue gun.
• Felt** is fantastic for all sorts of crafts and costume making.
• Hole puncher** check out fun shaped ones that make fun confetti!

What arts & crafts supplies you and/or your kids can’t live without? Share your recommendations with us in the comments below. We love hearing from you!