Craft Supplies for Kids

Craft supplies for kids projects needn't be expensive, a basic supply of paper, pens and glue combined with an interesting collection of household bits and bobs is all you need to get started. Have a look through my lists below for inspiration.

Once you get more confident with your crafty creations, or if you are making a special gift, you might want to buy some more specific items such as glitter or googley eyes. I have included a list of these little extras further down the page.

You might also want to have a few more particular supplies in stock. For example, if you know that your kids really love modeling with play dough or making beaded jewellery, then its well worth making up a little box that contains everything they need for a craft session on that theme. You'll find a few ideas for these "craft kits" at the bottom of the page.

Basic Equipment

You will be able to find most of the basic craft supplies for kids all over the high street or market place. If you have a well-stocked craft shop or stationers nearby they will probably have most of the basics that you need. However, don't forget to check out toy shops, local corner shops, supermarkets and newsagents as they often have a stationary or craft section.

Choose the best quality basics you can afford, as they will last longer and give better results. I'll never forget the look of genuine delight on one little girls face, when she used some new colouring pens and said "ahhh, I love this pen, it's really inky!".

Coloured pencils
Lead pencils
Coloured felt-tipped pens
Chalks
Wax crayons
Washable paints -bright ready-mixed tubs or bottles, as well as the hard water-colour blocks
PVA glue
Glue sticks
Scissors -choose some that you are happy for your children to use and have a sharper pair for yourself
Stapler and staples
Sticky tape -the normal clear kind, masking tape and some double sided tape too
Paint-brushes -a variety of different sizes for painting with and some cheeper ones for using to spread glue

Materials from around the house:

You should be able to find the following craft supplies for kids from around your home; amongst your recycling, in the garage, your sewing box or kitchen drawers.

egg boxes
yoghurt pots
toilet roll tubes
lolly-pop sticks
bottle tops -plastic & metal
old cd's
newspapers -sometimes used to make things with and sometimes just for protecting the furniture!
cardboard boxes of all shapes and sizes
wrapping paper scraps
bubble wrap
old magazines & postcards
spare rolls of old wall-paper
sweetie wrappers
kitchen tin foil
old clothes -for fabrics scraps and buttons
paper plates
plastic cups
drinking straws
rubber gloves
kitchen sponges or scouring pads
paper doyleys
wooden clothes pegs
old nuts, bolts and washers
elastic bands
paper clips
cotton wool
string
spare wool, thread or floss
beads
elastic
ribbon
paper fasteners or split pins

Little extras:

These materials might not be needed for each and every project that you make but they may just add some extra sparkle to your most special pieces.

These sorts of craft supplies for kids can be found very easily, craft shops on your high street and all the on-line craft supply stores will have glitter and sparkles a plenty.

And come on, own up...who doesn't love an excuse to chuck glitter everywhere?!

googley eyes
glitter -either little shaker tubs with loose glitter or glitter glue that you squeeze from a tube
table confetti -ie.the little bags of tiny sparkley shapes that you find in greetings card shops
feathers
colourful lolly sticks
colourful pipe cleaners
sticky backed plastic
small magnets or magnetic strip
stickers of various sizes & designs -squares, circles, triangles and stars, as well animals or vehicles etc.
tissue paper
powder paints -can be a bit pricey but brilliant for bubble painting

Supplies for specific hobbies:

Cross Stitch or Embroidery

Play Dough

Beaded Jewellery

Remember that the craft supplies for kids listed here are just my own ideas of which items you might find useful. Please, please make sure that your own kids crafts kits include all sorts of interesting bits and bobs that catch your eye or spark your kids imaginations.

If you have any ideas for kids craft supplies which you would like to share, send me an e-mail by clicking on the Contact Me button at the top of this page and I'll add your ideas to this page.