60+ Craft Supplies for Kids You Should Have On Hand

You’ll want a stapler for all kinds of projects. They’re a must for crafts that need extra reinforcement beyond glue or tape.

A hole punch works great for creating forms or any kind of printable that needs to go in a binder. They even work well when you just want to create small paper circle embellishments!

(If you want cute stamps, you can even use something like these!)

If your small children will be using the scissors, especially if they’re not very skilled at it yet, then safety scissors are a great option. Blunt on the end, these scissors make cutting crafts a much safer situation.

Glue guns are use for all sorts of projects, which makes it a must-have in this list of craft supplies for kids. Since the glue is especially hot, I highly suggest they be used by adults only, but some nice perks about this particular glue gun include a long nozzle, an LED light heating indicator, fast-drying glue, and drip-free performance.

Paint brushes are another definite must. Super versatile, brushes can be used to paint any liquid medium, whether watercolor, acrylic, tempera, or even glue.

Newspaper is perfect for laying down on your table before a messy project ensues. Not only does it protect your table, but it also is easy clean up. Simply wad up and toss when you’re through!

You can use the newspaper you get in the mail each week, or, if you don’t get the paper, this blank newsprint meant for packing will do the trick.

Magazines are a great source of material, whether it be inspiration for future projects or actually cutting them up to be used in collages, cards, and anything else you can imagine!

You can use any kind of magazine. For example, this one from HGTV always has bright photos and lots of fun ideas.

Any type of paint shirt will work, as long as it’s long enough to cover your kids’ clothes. For example, these waterproof smocks are long-sleeved and long enough to cover young children from ages 2-6. It even has pockets!

Or, you can even consider painting aprons.

An iron is super helpful for projects that need heating, such as iron-on art projects and other crafts that need melting.

Paper plates are an absolute must-have on the craft supplies for kids list! You’d be surprised how many crafts use them. Definitely keep a stack of these on hand if you plan on crafting with your kids.

Another great thing to have on hand is a package of styrofoam cups. They’ll be used super often, too, just like paper plates!

Rubber bands are great for all sorts of things, whether they’re holding craft pieces together, blocking gathered sections of t-shirts during tie-dying, or in a multitude of other crafty uses. They can be used is so many ways and are nice to have on hand.

This mini multicolored set is adorable. But you can also get bigger, more basic rubber bands if that better suits your needs.

A cheese grater is one of those obscure craft supplies for kids that you might not realize you would use. It works well for projects that need shavings of soft materials like crayons.

There are several kinds of sponges that work well for kids’ crafts. These stippling sponges are nice because the handles make them pretty mess free.

Depending on your project, you can also use basic sponges or this fun package of craft sponges!

A tablecloth is a good tool to have on hand, as it works well for protecting against messes. You can use it in the traditional sense of placing it on the table under your kids’ crafts, or you can even lay it out on the floor so kids have a large work space where they can create on their hands and knees. Clean up is as easy as gathering up the cloth to throw away or be taken outside to shake.

Anything from making your own Play-Doh to cooking in the kitchen, a pack of food coloring is a helpful tool to have in your crafting arsenal.

Straws are a fun and whimsical addition to your kids’ crafts. You’ll love all the ways you can use them.

You can use these straight straws, or you can use flexible straws instead.

This product has a wide variety of cookie cutters that could be used for cooking or for play. An assortment of 101 means you’ll likely have shapes for just about any holiday or event you need it for.

This extra strength glue stick is AMAZING! It works SO much better than traditional glue sticks, trust me.

For heavier duty crafts, such as wood, etc., liquid glue is a good choice.

Sometimes projects just call for tape. This one is basic Scotch tape, but you can also look into double stick and other

Masking tape is great for all kinds of crafts. The fact that it can be placed somewhere and then removed with little-to-no residue make it great for painting and several other projects.

Construction paper is a staple when it comes to craft supplies for kids. Coming in tons of colors and thicknesses, construction paper is used in so many craft projects, it’s amazing.

Cardstock is another nice thing to have in your craft stash. It’s great when you need to use paper but want something stiff and durable. It comes in basic white but also in multiple colors.

Lined paper is thin but it’s nice for any project that involves a writing component. If your kids will be writing along with their craft, check into implementing lined paper.

Printer paper is thin and usually comes in white or some other light color. It works well for printing things off the computer.

Tissue paper is typically used to stuff presents, but in crafts, they are used in lots of different ways. So thin it’s slightly translucent, tissue paper is lightweight and comes in lots of colors.

Graph paper is fun for coloring projects and for drawing out architectural designs, among other things.

Crayons are a definite tool to keep in your craft room. They’re used all the time!

Washable markers are great for drawing on certain materials, things that aren’t too thin. But since they can potentially make a mess, they’re best for grade school children who have more control.

Colored pencils are great for any age and they come in several colors. Tip: if you use colored pencils, you’ll probably want a pencil sharpener on hand.

Best for older kids, permanent markers can be used on a ton of different materials. They come in several colors and also several thicknesses, so you should be able to find what you’re looking for!

Chalk comes in various colors and is used in various projects. White chalk like this can be used for writing or coloring indoor projects, and there are several kinds of outdoor sidewalk chalk as well.

Watercolors are a fun medium for children and adults alike. Watercolors are water soluble and translucent.

Paint pens are great for drawing on t-shirts and other materials with a paint medium.

Watercolor in tubes work the same way as palettes of watercolor, except the medium is more concentrated. A little goes a long way. If you’re going to be using a lot of the same color in watercolor, than tubes is probably your best choice.

Similar in texture to acrylic paint, tempera paint is a little thinner and less permanent. It’s great for projects on materials like poster board, paper mache’, and newspaper print.

** A little thin, but good for beginners looking to grow their stash

or plain black zippers

• Stapler
• Hole Punch
• Safety Scissors
• Glue Gun
• Paint Brushes
• Newspaper
• Magazines
• Paint Shirt
• Iron
• Paper Plates
• Styrofoam Cups
• Rubber Bands
• Cheese Grater
• Sponges
• Tablecloth
• Food Coloring
• Straws
• Cookie Cutters
• Glue Sticks
• Liquid Glue
• Tape
• Masking Tape
• Construction Paper

• Cardstock
• Lined Paper
• Printer Paper
• Tissue Paper
• Graph Paper
• Crayons
• Washable Markers
• Colored Pencils
• Permanent Markers
• Chalk
• Basic Watercolors
• Paint Pens
• Watercolor in Tubes
• Tempera Paint
• Fabric Paint
• Acrylic Paint
• Polymer Clay
• Play-Doh
• Kinetic Sand
• Slime
• Denim
• Quilting Fabric
• Felt

• Leather
• Faux Leather
• Pipe Cleaners
• Sequins
• Yarn
• Buttons
• Beads
• Rhinestones
• Stickers
• Pom-Poms
• Glitter
• Ribbon
• Rickrack
• Googly-Eyes
• Snaps
• Zippers
• Popsicle Sticks
• Cotton Balls
• Shaving Cream
• Thread