Getting creative with children can feel a little overwhelming.
There’s the mess.
The worry over unsafe resources.
The lack of interest in crafts.
The organisation time.
Sometimes it feels like it isn’t worth the effort.
But here’s the thing: the more you do art with children, the easier it becomes! That’s why you need a good collection of quality art and craft resources.
We get creative every single day at home. It’s easy for us because we have such a good collection of resources. The children choose items from the art trolley and happily occupy themselves with projects from their own imaginations. This is something we built up to over time. You can read Simplifying Play’s guest post about starting process art here.
So what are our favourite art and craft resources?
You can download the art and craft resources list for free (and without signing up to the mailing list) here.
8 Tips for Building a Collection of Art and Craft Resources:
- Choose paints and supplies with non-toxic ingredients. This is usually stated clearly on the labels.
- Start with washable paints and pens. Crayola do a good range.
- Do pay attention to the age recommendations. They are usually there for a reason – some smaller crayons and paint sticks can be considered a choking hazard.
- Get good quality brands where possible (Faber Castell, Crayola, Little Brian etc) and check reviews online. Resources that break easily are very frustrating!
- Add art and craft resources to lists for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. They make great stocking fillers and are often a better option than toys.
- Recycle paper, pizza boxes and delivery boxes – they make great canvases!
- Display resources in an art trolley so that your children can readily access items.
- Store surplus items in labelled storage boxes. A quarterly audit of supplies helps prevent doubling up on items!
