The Artful Parent list of all-time favourite youngsters art supplies, primarily based on years of practical experience. Find the finest art components for youngsters right here!
Updated March 2022
We get asked for suggestions for youngsters art supplies all the time. Questions such as, “What paint should I buy?” “What are the best watercolors for kids?” “What markers do you recommend?” and “Where do you get your paper?“
We have performed so quite a few unique art activities and utilized so quite a few unique art supplies more than the years with family members, close friends, and all of the unique youngsters art groups and classes we’ve attended and taught.
So we’ll share what we take into account the finest youngsters art components in this post.
That mentioned, we haven’t attempted every thing out there. And they are usually coming out with exciting new art supplies for youngsters, so if you have a favourite to add, please do so in the comments!
Please note: You do not have to have every thing on this list. But if you are seeking to stock your art provide cupboard, this really should assistance you get began. And if you are currently nicely stocked with youngsters art supplies, then perhaps this list will give you some new suggestions to attempt.
You can also go to The Artful Parent Amazon shop for even more of our favourite art components!
And, bonus! If you’d like a list to print out and save, you can get our absolutely free printables on the leading art components by age (toddlers, preschoolers, huge youngsters).
Also Read : Turkey Stroganoff
Best Kids Art Supplies
Note: This list has been updated to reflect evolving favorites as nicely as new art components that are obtainable and other folks that are no longer getting manufactured.
1. Poster Paints
Tempera paintis a staple for kids’ art activities. It’s super versatile, low-cost, washable, nontoxic, and readily obtainable.
We also really like and use shiny, vibrant BioColor paint. Plus, it adheres to more surfaces. If you are seeking for a metallic paint, BioColor metallics are great.
Additional reading: For more of our favourite paint suggestions see The Best Paints for Kids.
2. Watercolor Paints
If you haven’t attempted liquid watercolor paint but, you have to have to! We use it for painting, all types of craft projects and science experiments!
For a watercolor paint palette, we have utilized really a range which includes OOLY’s Lil’ Pods watercolor paint set and their fabulous neon palette! This Pelican watercolor paint set is a further selection that is higher high-quality and extended lasting with wealthy paint coverage for watercolors.
3. Tempera Paint Sticks
There are quite a few brands out there, but Kwik Stix are a leading favourite. Paint sticks are a low mess, quick clean up way to invite your youngster to paint. Paint dries in 90 seconds. Perfect for these moments when you are just not up for main cleanup.
4. Oil Pastels
We do not have a clear favourite brand for these and like Crayola Oil Pastels for chunky/sturdy oil pastels, Pentel for a finer version, and Faber Castell’s version for a affordable, but quite higher-high-quality oil pastel.
We also definitely like Faber-Castell gel crayons which are someplace in amongst crayon & oil pastel with quick coverage. The added case is a good function for supplies utilized on the go. Be confident to check out the neons as nicely!
5. Markers
Our go-to markers are the ever-present Crayola markers (skinny, thick, washable, non-washable — they’re all great). We’ve also had great experiences with Magic Stix and Stabilo markers, each of which do not dry out if you overlook that marker lid!
Sharpie permanent markers are excellent for work on unique surfaces (leaves, pumpkins, Easter eggs). Use only when confident your youngsters will not draw on other surfaces! The metallic Sharpies are 1 of our favorites for doodling on leaves and rocks and for working on leading of black.
6. Crayons
Crayola crayonswork just fine for drawing so if you are on a tight price range, get these and invest any added dollars on some paints.
But if you are okay with spending a bit more, we advocate OOLY’s beeswax crayons for small youngsters and Faber Castell beeswax crayons.
Kitpas are a further favourite all-goal crayon that can create on glass, turn into a watercolor paint, or frequent crayon. These go on buttery soft, more like an oil pastel.
7. Colored Pencils
Colored pencils are the underappreciated workhorse in our property. They never ever appear to be as coveted by our youngsters as, say, foam paint or googly eyes, but get utilized for drawing often just the exact same. We’ve utilized and liked a range of brands, specifically Lyra, Prang, and Faber-Castell World Colors.
For younger artists, Stabilo Woody 3 in 1 pencils can be utilized for window art, watercolor paints (just add water) or as a crayon/colored pencil. The chubbier pencil implies your toddler can develop with these for quite a few years (they final a Lengthy time)!
8. Playdough
Homemade playdough is by far our favourite and right here are 3 great homemade playdough recipes which include things like our favourite no cook playdough and cooked playdough recipes.
But if you’d rather not make your personal, here’s a good set of soft playdough (also great for youngsters with allergies apart from gluten). Crayola dough is quick to uncover and gets the job performed. Their playdough now comes in larger buckets, bought by colour, a good plus.
And this is the best set of playdough tools that we know!
9. Clay
Real potters’ clay is messy, but great. Our youngsters Appreciate sculpting with clay. We just let it air dry, but if you have access to a kiln, all the greater.
We also use Crayola air dry clay really a bit, since, you know, air dry. Plus not as messy.
Plastilina is a amazing modeling clay that In no way dries out and keeps fundamentally forever. A must have if your youngster loves to develop and sculpt! We specifically like the Jovi brand for its soft, moldable high-quality.
Model magic is a further air-dry modeling material that is super exciting, stretchy, and squishy. Not specifically a must-have, but exciting each when in a whilst.
10. Paper
White art paperand colored construction paper
are musts.
Sketchbooks or art journals are excellent for transportable art or for anytime. (Plus they make excellent gifts when paired with some drawing components!)
Watercolor paper and poster board are great sturdy surfaces for watercolor paint or any other paint.
Big paper such as easel paper rolls permit youngsters to work huge and use their complete bodies, whether or not at an easel, a wall, or the floor.
But all you definitely have to have is some plain white paper. Or recycle bin paper. Or cardboard.
Additional reading: If you want even more data on paper, we have a complete post on deciding upon paper for children’s art.
More Art Supplies for Kids
11. Glue
Glue is a must for so quite a few causes. It tends to make SO quite a few youngsters art activities achievable and small youngsters specifically just really like squeezing the glue bottles as an activity in and of itself. Glue sticks are handy for paper collage, of course.
And a glue gun tends to make gluing sculptures or structures (wood, cardboard, and so forth) a lot faster and simpler. (If you are worried about youngsters + glue gun, see Teacher Tom’s tips here. You can obtain a low heat glue gun as nicely. Or, if you have the Artful Parent book, see the suggestions he offers on web page 181.)
12. Scissors
Around age 2-3, youngsters can start practicing generating tiny snips with scissors on paper (with supervision, of course). These blunt tipped Fiskars are great for the job. Once your youngster enters elementary college, these pointed tip scissors are a greater match.
13. Tape
We’re tape delighted! Besides colored masking tape, we use lots and lots of frequent Scotch tape, and we have a bit of a really like affair with washi tape and other printed craft tapes.
14. Stickers
Our youngsters have a sticker fetish. Maybe yours do, also? We use all types, which includes colorful dot stickers, foil stars, and other workplace provide stickers. Eye stickers and a great provide of more industrial, image-primarily based stickers.
If your youngsters really like stickers, you could possibly take into account a sticker club such as Pipsticks or Mrs. Grossman’s for exciting gifts.
15. Ink Pad + Stamps
This rainbow ink pad by Melissa & Doug is our favourite as it is substantial, washable, and it has all the colors we want in 1 location. We use this with our fingers for fingerprint art, with stamps, and for stamping household objects.
16. Chalk
Everyone makes use of sidewalk chalk! But we also advocate chalk for indoor art, each on paper and on a chalkboard in the property (which we very advocate, even if it is basically a chalkboard wall decal).
Liquid chalk markers and these Wonderstix (chalk/crayon combo that writes on something!) are fairly great, also.
17. Foam Paint
Foam paint is a lot like shaving cream, the all-time sensory art and play favourite. But it is formulated specifically for art, does not smell, and is supposed to be environmentally friendly. It’s more high-priced but worth attempting 2-3 colors sometime. Our youngsters and their close friends Appreciate this stuff.
18. Droppers
Eye droppers or pipettes (we use and like each the bigger droppers are simpler for toddlers) are a favourite for lots of exciting art activities and science experiments that involve liquid watercolors or even meals coloring.
19. Colored Tissue Paper
Colored tissue paper is excellent for suncatchers, collage, and papier mache. You can apply it to get in touch with paper for colorful suncatchers, glue it onto something, or apply pieces straight to wet poster paint.
Bleeding Tissue Paper is a tissue paper that will bleed via to a further surface when wet. A exciting option for quite a few course of action art adventures!
20. Transparent Con-Tact Paper
Go with the name brand Con-Tact paper for confident. You can uncover it at most drug retailers or grocery retailers with the shelf-liner paper. (It’s also referred to as sticky-back plastic). We use it for all types of suncatcher and stained glass projects as nicely as some collaging exciting.
21. Collage Items
Some of our favourite products for collage include googly eyes, stickers (mentiod above), colored tissue paper (also above), rainbow feathers, buttons, colored pasta shapes, tape, pom poms, yarn, fabric scraps.
22. Sculpture Items
Pipe cleaners are great for manipulating, for constructing sculptures, for threading beads and pasta, and so forth.
Wood craft sticks are excellent for constructing, sculpture, crafts, catapults, every thing. And wood scraps, either from a carpenter buddy or a box of wood bits, are exciting for generating wood sculptures.
23) Coffee Filters
We use white basket style coffee filters for all types of arts and crafts projects, like snowflakes, buntings, spiderwebs, and collage. Coffee filters are quick to reduce, but are quite sturdy. You can also obtain the exact same sort of paper reduce into unique shapes such as leaves.
24. Glitter
If you are okay with glitter (some parents we know are all about it some hate it), it tends to make a exciting addition to quite a few arts and crafts projects and a thing most youngsters really like. Pretty a lot all the brands we’ve attempted have worked excellent.
25) Cardboard
Don’t throw away these cardboard boxes! Or paper towel rolls or egg cartons either, for that matter.
Recycle bin cardboard can be utilized for so a lot! Art activities, youngsters crafts, homemade toys, pretend play, building, and more. Cardboard is the finest!
So that is our list! If we do not cease now, we could possibly finish up with a further 10-15 art materials…
By the way, we believe art components make excellent kid gifts for all occasions from birthdays to Christmas, Easter, and more. Sometimes bundling 2-3 associated art components with each other tends to make the finest art kit present.
Did we miss 1 of your favourite youngsters art components? What would you add to this list?
More Kids Art Supplies
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