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Here is a list of home supply staples to facilitate process art invitations from my site at home with your littles. These are the items you see us using at home that I stock my art supply storage with.
You can now shop all of these recommended supplies and more in my Amazon shop.
Favorite Art Supply Shops
- The Nature Atelier offers low-waste art kits and high quality eco art supplies
- Nova Natural offers fantastic prices and quality for Waldorf art supplies
- Muddly Puddly Laboratory for magical art and sensory play lovers in Australia
- Sis Art Supply has a wide range of products for older kids and adults and is the first Black women owned art supplier in the country
Multi Project Staples: The Bare Necessities
- Paint Cups
- Paint Brushes
- Tempera Paint
- Elmer’s Glue
- Acrylic Paint
- Dot Paint Markers
- Watercolor Paper
- Watercolor Brushes
- Watercolor Paint (you can also simply use food or soap dye in water for younger kids)
- Watercolor Paint Holder
- Watercolor Greeting Cards
- Contact Paper
- Felt
- Pipe Cleaners
- Pom Poms
- Water Beads
- Yarn (I always look at my local second hand store and buy whatever they have to build an assortment)
- Tissue Paper
- Construction Paper
- Crayon Rocks
- Window Markers
- Window Crayons
- Fabric Paint (I’ve used many brands and don’t have one specific recommendation)
- Fabric Markers
- Double Sided Tape
- Painter’s Tape
- Glitter
- Chalk Markers
- Beads (second hand stores are great for these–you can even buy old necklaces and deconstruct them. Kid Made Modern brand from Target is great if you want to buy new)
- Plastic Needles
- Sensory Play Tools
- Sensory Scoops
- Washable Markers
- Washable Crayons
- Air Dry Clay
- Mod Podge
- Sunprint Paper
- A good supply of loose parts. You can collect these from second hand stores. I also like the TOOB brand of small figures.
Bath Bombs
- Citric Acid
- Baking Soda
- Corn Starch
- Salt
- Body Oil
- Soap Dye
- Sanding Sugar Sprinkles
- Dinosaur Toys
- Under the Sea
- Silicone Cupcake Liners (budget)
- Silicone Cupcake Liners that we use (I think these are cheaper at Target)
Play Dough
- Play Dough Tools
- Glycerine
- This GLIS box from Ikea is inexpensive and great for play dough kits
- Gel food coloring
- Soap dye
- Kool aid packets
- These are great and inexpensive for travel play dough kits
Large Supplies
- Easel (we found ours secondhand for $20. I would check your local thrift store if you want to save some money!)
- Desktop Paper Dispenser
- Roll paper that fits one of the above, or both
- Tape Dispenser (I don’t have one yet but it’s on my list)
- Supply Caddy from Lakeshore Learning
- Tabletop supplies organizer (I have two of these)
- Freestanding supplies organizer (find a size that fits your needs. I have one large Sterilite drawer system on wheels)
- I love the Kallax system from Ikea for craft supplies organization
Art Books for Kids Aged 0-6 Years Old
See Amazon storefront for complete list. You can look at my Amazon list and buy at your local bookstore. It’s difficult for me to maintain two separate lists.
Supplies for Art While Traveling
- Dry erase drawing board
- Wikkistix
- Car window markers
- Great for beading cereal in the car
- Felt board
- Camera
- Travel Tray
Art Supplies Fundraised for Kids Seeking Asylum
In May of 2020 we raised $1,200.00 for art supplies for 600 kids seeking asylum in the United States who are stranded in the Matamoros refugee camp. You can find the project sheet paired with these materials here.
- Pipsqueaks markers (4 per child)
- Blank travel journal sketchbooks (1 per child)
- Simple Gift Bag (1 per child to hold materials)
- Project Prompts for Markers and Paper