10 Basic Materials For Art-Making with Children
As an early learning educator, one of my favorite questions to answer from parents and other educators is: “What is that material, and where can I find it?” If you’re just delving into how to setup art projects for kids, whether as a caregiver or as a teacher, it can be overwhelming trying to find where to start. In this blog post, I’m going to be linking some of my favorite basic art supplies for getting started. For reference, the children I work with are typically between the ages of 1-5, but all of these materials can be used with older children as well.
I’m linking all of these materials through Discount School Supply, but many of these manufacturers’ products can be found on other sites as well.
Washable Tempera Paint
One of the statements I hear over and over again is that some parents are afraid to let their children paint at home for fear of mess, so the top thing I want to recommend is finding a paint brand that you know will wash out of clothes and surfaces. For me, I really love Colorations Washable Tempera Paint; the colors are super vibrant, there are tons of options including metallic and fluorescent colors, they always wash out well, and they’re reasonably priced. If you work in a classroom, they’re also available in full gallon sizes.
2. Classic Play Dough
I know playdough may not be everyone’s first thought when it comes to art supplies, but playdough is an amazing tool for exploring three-dimensional shape, printing, texture, and sculpture. Manipulating playdough also helps strengthen the hands and build fine motor skills that will be valuable for writing and drawing later on. I love the Crayola Dough’s texture (super soft!) and appreciate how long it lasts before getting dry and crumbly. The only thing I will note is that the blue and green doughs can stain hands a little bit when they’re brand new, but it’s definitely not stopping me from using them.
3. No-Spill Paint Cups
Sometimes having the right tools for the job makes all the difference, and I love these no-spill cups and lids. The lids are tapered on the inside so that as long as the cup is only filled up to the line, it shouldn’t spill when knocked over. Although these cups and lids can get a little worn with extended use, they do wash clean very easily.
4. Tempera Paint Sticks
For anyone that’s hesitant about using regular tempera paint, I love these tempera paint sticks for a less messy option. They’re more like a marker but have the same effect as a paint- the consistency is actually somewhat similar to lipstick! The colors are super vibrant, the sticks are a little thicker and easy to hold for small hands, they dry pretty quickly once they’re on a surface, and I’ve found them to be very washable. One of my easiest art setups would be to offer these for drawing on any cardboard boxes that may be laying around.
5. Liquid Watercolor
Liquid watercolor is just so versatile- of course it can be poured into cups or a palette to paint with, but I also use it in place of food coloring to dye water, slime, playdough, or glue. The brand I’m recommending for this is Colorations- in general, I’ve found that Colorations hits a sweet spot for me in terms of price and wash-ability. The only negative is that these bottles do tend to leak a little, making it so that when you pour them, you may end up getting some on your hands. It’s not a big deal to me, but it may be bothersome to some.
6. Pipettes
The pipette is a fantastic tool for a wide variety of experiences, from mixing a rainbow with colored water to dripping watercolor paint onto shaving cream. For smaller children, using a pipette is also great fine motor practice. These pipettes are just a thin plastic, but I’ve been really impressed by how many uses I can get out of them before the seam starts to come apart at the bulb.
7. Heavy Weight Paper
If you’re doing art projects with a high volume of children, like a preschool classroom, you may need to purchase the most affordable paper, such as newsprint, craft paper, or manila paper. However, if you are able to, using a heavy weight paper such as a watercolor pad can significantly improve your end result and create a sturdier project. I’m definitely of the opinion that not every art experience needs to be preserved and kept, but if you’re hoping to keep a piece of art, a good quality paper will help. Again, I’ve linked all of these products through Discount School Supply for ease, but watercolor paper is widely available.
8. Trays
For me, doing messy art projects on a small, portable tray makes cleanup a million times easier. I like these brightly colored plastic ones from Colorations, they wipe clean easily and are very durable. The trays I have used for the longest have become slightly warped over time, but I have not experienced any of them cracking. I love using these trays to pour paint in for printmaking or for shaving cream painting.
9. Assorted Brushes and Markmaking Materials
I debated whether to include paintbrushes on here, but if we’re starting at the basics, they’re definitely an important tool. There’s not really a wrong answer when it comes to specific brands or even necessarily sizes of paintbrushes, but when I’m setting up a project I like to have several options available to me. I think this set is a great starting point, but there may be more affordable options out there.
10. Wikki Stix
Wikki Stix, if you’ve never played with them before, are essentially a wax-coated string that will stick to most surfaces and other Wikki Stix, allowing children to manipulate the strings into different shapes and forms. When pressed flat onto a plate or tray, it becomes a great opportunity to practice shapes, letters, or numbers. When stuck to each other, the Wikki Stix can be molded into three-dimensional shapes. I love them for their versatility and ease of setup/cleanup.
Well, there we have it! Ten basic art materials I love and trust for making tons of creative projects with all of the kids that I work with. If you’ve been nervous about making art projects at home or in your classroom, I hope seeing these materials has given some inspiration. I’m sure I’ll do a part 2 of this post with some more unconventional materials I use for art projects, so keep an eye out!
