Art truly is a form of therapy, especially for kids! When I was a volunteer at the children’s hospital in Chicago on the hematology/oncology floor, art was one of the favored activities, always something that was able to put a smile on the boys and girls faces! So many activities could be done in both the play center or brought to a bedside in each room. No matter how sick, art was something each patient could engage in at some point! What a gift. Art is something I love doing now with my own children. Here are 15 of our favorite, go-to supplies for creating…ranging from pre-k to pre-teen!
Sargent Art Chalk Pastels (12pc)
These chalk pastels come in box sets of 12, 24, 36 and beyond. We absolutely LOVE the vibrancy and bright colors of these compared to other sidewalk chalk we have used in the past. This last week, we drew pictures on our driveway and left messages on grandma and grandpa’s, too! From rainbows to sunshine, creating art with this chalk is sure to brighten your day!
This one is always the perfect item to bring along to restaurants, doctors offices, airports, or anywhere kids may have to wait for a long period of time! We have both the traveler case above and smaller boxes. It’s fun to see how creative kids can get!
Silicone non-stick craft mat (2pk.)
Like many of you, I’ve used tablecloths, placemats, rolls of paper, and the likes, to put on top of tables or places where spills happen and messes are made. BUT, I wanted to find something that would clean easily and take up minimal space when storing. These mats are the best, large enough to fit more than a piece of paper, but fold up tight and compact, small enough to fit inside a drawer!
While these paint brushes are primarily intended for Tempera paint and not watercolor, I like the fact that they come in the colors of the rainbow. It just makes it easy when they are grabbing and dipping….not starting with one color and accidentally mixing it later with a new color, which happens! Unlike watercolor brushes, it’s not as easy to dip into water and clean off the brush. It requires more washing than that!
Waterproof Kids Art Smock (4pk)
I love these waterproof smocks with the pockets in the front. Art sure can be messy, but these allow my kids to not have to worry about getting paint or markers on their clothing. They also fold up very tight and small, allowing them to be stored quite easily!
Plastic Paint Tray Palettes (12pc.)
As you may have noted in previous pictures, yes…we were using pizza cardboard circles as paint palettes! Hey, it worked! But, it’s nice to have ones that aren’t being thrown away each time, reducing waste! These mini paint palettes are easy to wash and perfect for each child to use, without the need to share with others!
Melissa & Doug Double Sided Tabletop Easel
We have had the stand up easels before, but much prefer this double-sided tabletop version so my kids can sit down and put it practically anywhere from the kitchen table to the island in our kitchen to a coffee table! It’s just much more mobile than the bigger, standing versions! Love that the whiteboard side is magnetic and a chalkboard is on the opposite side!
Crayola Washable PipSqueak Marker Set
Crayola comes in really strong with the marker, colored pencil, and crayon game! This is HANDS DOWN one of our favorite art supplies! This travel case goes with us EVERYWHERE, no exaggerations. When we go out to eat, travel in the car, attend sports games…basically anywhere our kids need to stay entertained or occupied, this is brought along! I love that the markers clip in securely and are smaller in size compared to standard markers.
Crayola Washable Super Tips Marker Set
This version of the Crayola carrying case is great for kids a little older, as they are the longer/thinner markers! If your kids are anything like my boys, fighting over who gets to use something first is always a battle. To settle the sharing issue, you can get each their own set….this blue set and the green set! It is DEFINITELY worth getting each their own!
Crayola Inspiration Art Coloring Set
To bump it up a notch, this inspiration set is a combo of it all! You get crayons, markers, and colored pencils. Your art loving kiddo will love this awesome carrier! It certainly reduces the chances of crayons breaking in the box or losing any pieces. It makes it so nice having all the materials in ONE place and being able to see them ALL at once!
While Do-a-dot markers can be used at any age, they are perfect for little hands to get involved on the fun! My 2 year old daughter can use these and participate with her brothers in art projects! My boys loved making name banners this past week with their dot markers. It’s less time consuming than paint at times, so with energetic bodies always needing to move, these help make for a quick and easy project…with minimal mess and cleanup!
These are definitely a favorite in our house. Pastel crayons seem to be much more vibrant and smooth than your traditional crayons, making it easier and more fun to color with, in my opinion. There are so many ways to use these in art projects! All 3 of my kids enjoy coloring with them!
This piece was inspired by Picasso mosaics and stained glass art, too!
This creation was inspired by Wassily Kandinsky’s concentric circles! Both of my boys created a bunch of mini squares to join together, making a larger, combined masterpiece as seen below!
Learning Resources Geoboard Pack
Art can certainly be a great way to enhance learning concepts, as we figured out this week with some math activities we were doing with our geoboards! Our particular geoboards are back from my teaching days, but the ones above work great, too! All we had to do was purchase some new rubber bands and this rainbow assortment was perfect!
Assorted colorful rubber bands
After my boys created a variety of 2 dimensional shapes on their geoboards, I let them have some “free time” to make fun creations on their board! My 6 year old was so proud of what he made, calling it “The Hexagonner”. (although I’m not sure there is actually a hexagon in his design, lol.)
As this time of quarantine continues, I sure hope you find some inspiration through art! Don’t delay, grab some of these awesome supplies and get started creating…today!
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