Essential Art Supplies

My son is three and we seem to have enough art supplies for a small army. There are some things that I have found to be essential to our household. Most of these are not brand specific but the ones that are have not reimbursed me in any way. These products were all purchased with my personal funds and I have not been paid to endorse any products.

Crayon Rocks – If you have not tried these yet, I recommend giving them a try soon. They are crayons that are shaped just like rocks and they are the perfect grip size for toddlers. We love our Crayon Rocks to do rubbings with.

Watercolors – My son loves watercolors! It is one of his very favorite mediums to work with. He does not have a perfect grip yet so I use a fatter handled brush than the one that comes in the package. It helps him to grip.

Paper – Construction, Printer, Card stock, Watercolor and Lined Writing Paper for Beginners

Markers – We have a huge selection on markers and are not specific about a brand. He loves all of them and they all dry out when he leaves the cap off.

Crayons – Due to his age and lack of a strong grip, I prefer the fatter crayons. It is easier to show him a proper grip when using something with some substance to it.

Tempera Paint – I bought some large blocks of paint and he loves to use them for any project.

Glues – White school glue, Glue sticks, Gel school glue and glue dots. We also use a glue gun sometimes but he does not operate it.

Crayola Modeling Clay – I love the way this air dries, it feels really great and is lightweight.

Play Doh

Salad Spinner – This is perfect item to use in making spin art. Put your paper in the bottom of the salad spinner, put in a few drops of watered down paint, put on the lid and spin, spin, spin.

Ice Cube Trays – These are perfect for mixing up new paint colors. Each section can be a new color. This is a tiny cube tray but any tray can be used. We also have decorative silicone trays that we use for sorting colors and manipulatives in.

Misc. Items – Feathers, Chenille Sticks (Pipe Cleaners), Popsicle sticks, Paint Chips, Seashells, Stickers, Pom Poms, Coffee filters, Clothespins, Scrap Material and Sheets, Spray bottles and squirt bottles.

These are but a small sample of the art supplies that we keep in our stash. They all stay on a bookshelf in the playroom so he has access any time. Because he has free access, I also keep a vinyl place mat spread out on the floor of the guestroom. What kind of supplies are essentials in your home?