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There are
what seems like an endless supply of kids’ art materials out there. It can be
almost unnerving to walk into a craft store and try to pick out a handful of
supplies. In my years teaching children’s art classes I was lucky enough to have
a wall of closets stocked high with almost every artsy item that a kid could
want. Seriously. If only I could have that at home. But, I can’t (and I know
most of us can’t). So, we need to pick and choose.
Yeah, the
kiddos are going to ask Santa (or you) for video games, smartphones and all
kinds of other stuff that they really don’t need—and that you really aren’t
into buying. If you’ve got a crafty kid or just want to add some artsy ideas to
their already lengthy list of holiday presents, these are some of my top picks.
Along with gifting these to your child, you can also pack some away into a gift
basket for others. Last year we put together an art-themed gift basket for a silent
auction at my son’s karate school’s holiday party. It went over very well.
So, what are
my favorite kids’ art supplies to give as holiday gifts?
1. Paint:
Really, a nice tempera will do when it comes to process paint explorations or
as a finger painting medium. I’m a fan of Crayola’s. The texture is easy for
kids to work with, it isn’t too watery (I can’t stand watery tempera, it’s just
way too runny for little hands) and it doesn’t get that weird smell after a few
uses (when I worked in a preschool the paint closet always smelled like old
tempera). I also like that you can choose small sized bottles (they come in
multi-color packs) or larger sizes.
2. Oil
pastels: I love, love, love oil pastels. Yes, kids like regular ol’ crayons.
But, when you take out the oil pastels, they really get creatively crazy. They’re
slightly less of a mess than paints, but the kids can still blend the colors
together. This 50-piece assortment of Cray-Pas gives your child all the shades
and hues she’ll need.
3. Modeling
clay: Building and sculpting are fine motor favorites. But, I also like using
modeling clay to paint. What? How? Follow this tutorial to see how (it’s such
as less-mess version of finger painting). Crayola has my favorite kind of clay
for artsy play. While you’re looking, their Model Magic (which is a totally
different type of compound) also makes a creative kids’ holiday present too.
4. Glitter:
What child doesn’t want to play with the sparkly stuff? ALEX Toys Artist Studio24 Glitter Shakers gives your child so many sparkle-filled options to choose
from.
5. Hole
punches: I know, I know—hole punches? Right? These shaped punches are perfect
for so many crafts. Really, I used to use them all of the time when I taught
art classes. Let the kiddos punch a bag of shapes, then use them anytime to
collage or add to a craft project.
6. Canvases:
Ready-to-use canvases are an ideal alternative to plain construction paper.
Your child is probably pretty used to painting on paper (or maybe poster
board). A pack of canvases gives her a new option, making her feel like a “real”
artist.
7. Craft foam shapes: These are super-easy to use. You can get adhesive back ones (they’re
basically like puffy stickers) or plain ones to glue on. In either case,
gifting your child with an assortment means hours of crafting fun. You can pick
a theme that interests your child or go with something educational (such as
letters and numbers).
8. Craft foam sheets: While we’re on the subject of craft foam, adding in a few
paper-sized sheets makes for even more artsy good times. Your child can cut
these apart and add craft foam shapes to DIY her own bookmarks, fold them in
half to make books or use her imagination and create whatever she wants to.
9.
Watercolor crayons: As if watercolors weren’t fun enough as is, try this art item
out with the kiddos and see what happens. They can draw (like they’re using
crayons) and then brush on water for a paint effect.
10. Paper mache art paste: Oh, this is my all-time top paper mache pick. Sure, you can
make your own using school glue, water and flour. But, I adore Elmer’s version.
It’s a powder that dissolves into water, giving the kids tons of ooey, gooey
artsy sculpture-time play.
