Back to School Art Supplies for Kids

 It's back to school time! You’ve got the notebooks, pencils, pens and cute little locker mirror that your child begged for. But, what about the arts and crafts supplies? Sure, her art teacher will dole them out during lessons, but that won’t help her when she has to make a model of the solar system or color a poster for  class assignment.

 

 

 

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When my son was in kindergarten he had to make a collage flower using a cut paper cup as the petals. You would think that as an art teacher I had a treasure trove of craft supplies at home. I didn’t. What I did have was an enormously huge wall-sized closet of every item a young artist could ever dream of using – at work. At home, I had a few old crusty glue sticks and a mismatched set of markers. So, I had to run out the night before flower was due and get whatever I could rustle up in the grocery store office supply aisle.

Instead of waiting until it’s almost too late, stock up on arts and crafts supplies before the school year starts.

There’s an almost endless list of art materials that your child might possibly need or want. If you know she’ll need a specialty product for a class that she’s taking or a project that you know she’ll do, add that to your list. Here’s a general categorized list of back to school craft items that your child needs:

Glue

·        Clear drying school glue

·        Glue sticks – Get more than one. They dry out and break easily.

·        Glitter glue – or you can make your own DIY sparkle version.

Writing and Drawing Tools

·        Colored pencils

·        Markers – Thick and thin ones

·        Crayons

·        Oil pastels

Paper

·        Construction paper

·        Card stock

·        Poster board

·        Fancy papers for collage – Save the scraps so that your child can use them later for other collage projects. Examples include corrugated paper, origami paper or metallic paper.

·        Tissue paper

·        Cardboard – Save your money and reuse old boxes

·        Graph paper – Your child can use it for more than math. She can write letters in the blocks or use it to make her own patterns.

·        Foam sheets – Even though it’s not technically paper – it comes in sheets and your child can write or draw on it.

Paints and Brushes

·        Tempera paints and brushes

 

·        Water colors

·        Finger paint

 

 

 

Clay and Modeling Compounds

·        Air dry clay

·        Modeling clay
 

·        Model Magic
 

·        Your own play dough recipe!

 

Extras and Add-Ons

·        Pom poms

·        Glitter

·        Sequins

·        Buttons

·        Beads

·        Felt

·        Pipe cleaners

·        Craft feathers

·        Craft fur

·        Craft sand

Recycled Art Supplies

·        Egg carton – There are so many uses! From a craft sand or glitter caddy to a butterfly body, egg cartons are egg-cellent.
 

·        Cardboard – From a box.

·        Fabric scraps

·        Popsicle sticks

·        Foam – The Styrofoam from a fruit or vegetable tray makes an easy printing plate.

Now that you have the supplies, are you looking or creative crafts for your child? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

 

 

Follow Mini Monets and Mommies's board Creative Kids Crafts on Pinterest.