I put together this list of the best art supplies for kids for everyone with a kiddo who loves to make art. It’s also for anyone like me who loves a list to make sure I’ve got everything I need! The vast majority of all my projects for kids use supplies from this list. I’ve linked all the items in one store that I trust for quality and service, Blick , for easy shopping.
I’ve been using/testing art supplies for kids for over 30 years!
Including as a child myself that is. I would not call myself a supply snob, but I will readily admit to having favorites and being very opposed to others. I’m not trying call out any names or brands but highlighting my favorites.
I really do believe that any art supplies are better than none!
Good news: You do not have to spend tons of money on art supplies for kids!
High quality art supplies can be affordable and easy to keep on hand. My hope is this list of best art supplies for kids will help you sift through the kajillion of options overwhelm. You don’t have to understand the difference between cold and hot press or know what gsm stands for to know what watercolor paper will work well. (Although, being an artist, I love to nerd out on supplies so feel free to LMK if anyone wants a post on that…insert cricket emoji here)
This list is for what I consider the basic best art supplies for kids. I keep these on hand most of the time.
One fun idea is to include art supplies in stockings or wrapped up for Christmas or birthday gifts. I usually include them in easter baskets, too. Using gifts as an opportunity to splurge on more special supplies or more crazy less basic supplies is something I really enjoy. But, that’s another list for another day!
The best art supplies for kids:
1. Scissors
These are hands down my favorite scissors for kids! I’ve tried many different brands and I love these because they actually cut paper well while being a manageable size. They are blunt, encourage a proper grasp and do not tire out small hands too quickly. With very young children, I make sure to work side by side and supervise while they’re cutting. Keeping scissors put away when there are younger than school aged kiddos around is a good safety rule of thumb.
Quick tip: Too young for scissors or having lots of trouble cutting? No problem! Let them have fun tearing and practice developmental steps for muscles and coordination before cutting anything!
2. Markers
Do you LOVE Crayola Washable Markers or, do you LOVE crayola washable markers? That’s what I thought and same. I LOVE them. There is nothing like a fresh pack of these babies to inspire me to doodle my heart out. I mean, for my kid… there’s nothing like a fresh pack of these babies to inspire my child to doodle her heart out. These original broad line markers are linked because I think they’re best for small kids still working on developing a proper grasp. Once the grasp is established I think super tips are my favorite choice.
3. Glue sticks
I really don’t mind messes, but I actually appreciate a purposeful mess with a clear clean up plan. Squeezable glue accomplishes neither of those things for me. Small hands that aren’t that great at controlling the flow of stickiness can equal disaster and ruined projects. Enter the humble but brilliant glue stick. (They even make it washable now. What more could we ask for?!) Kids can use them by themselves and it gives them a sense of self sufficiency and accomplishment.
4. Oil Pastels
Oil pastels are like crayons if crayons were way more amazing. They’re creamy like butter and so smooth. Even little kids can use them to create a wide variety of texture and value. These particular pastels are a bit thicker and sturdier so there are fewer breaks. They come a bit pointed at one end which is really helpful. I use these with my little one ALL THE TIME for supervised projects! They stain, so I don’t leave them out.
5. Watercolors
Watercolors! Quality makes a big difference on this one. This linked prang set even comes with a great brush, which I haven’t found in any other student grade set. One fun thing to let kids know is that the pan actually contains pigment. Mixing the water with it makes paint. These are really high value as the quality of pigment is obvious when compared to lesser brands.
What do I mean by quality of pigment?
In everyday words, you need much less pigment (the color in the pan) to water ratio because it’s higher concentrated. Less quality watercolors usually require much more pigment to create a workable paint, which wastes time and also means you run out faster. I have yet to find one around this price point with similar quality and value.
6. Pencils
The wide range of drawing pencils can be really confusing if you don’t know what all the numbers and letters mean. Simply put, there are 2 graphite grading scales used to measure the graphite center of each pencil. HB is generally considered to be the middle and is a great multipurpose student pencil. These have been my favorites for as long as I can remember. Durability and quality is high, and they can be found almost anywhere! Also, it says “world’s best pencil” in giant letters on the front of the package, so it has to be true, right?
7. Construction paper
This construction paper makes me so happy. It is unlike any other construction paper you have ever used. The texture is great for drawing, not like the bumpy sand paper stuff. It cuts smooth and clean. I’m so happy that someone cared enough to make such a high quality construction paper.
8. Colored Pencils
I think these colored pencils get used in our house most for independent creative time. They sit out with the pencils and markers at all times and get used almost every day for independent drawing and coloring. I also like to have these multicultural colored pencils.
9. Sharpies
Sharpies! I preface giving out a sharpie for the first time with a little spiel about how supplies belong to them and they have a responsibility to take good care of them. Also, sharpies can stain, so using them for anything but paper means you lose the privilege of using them. In my experience, most, if not all, kids will rise to the occasion for the love of the sharpie.
Sharpies are great for outlining, drawing over paint and adding a finished look to some projects. Also, they can be a great lesson in responsibility!
Helpful tip: Mr. Clean magic erasers remove sharpie from most hard surfaces and aerosol hairspray used immediately can take it out of fabrics, not always, but it’s definitely worth a shot.
10. Watercolor paper
I love these Canson XL Watercolor Pads for kids projects! I usually use 9×12. The paper has a nice texture (cold press), is sturdy (140 lb), and at a price that doesn’t make you cringe when they ask for another piece or to start over… They’re easy to keep track of as they come bound in a pad, but also tear quickly, cleanly and easily.
Honorable Mention Supplies:
There are a few other supplies I use almost as frequently. I’m adding them here as honorable mentions!
11. Tablecloth
I use an old table cloth so old that I’m not sure where I got it! It is really helpful to have something to cover the work space so that spills and splashes are a non issue. You could use an old sheet, shower liner, drop cloth, anything really! I’ve linked a canvas drop cloth here that is quite large and would work inside or outside.
12. Trays
These trays are so simple yet amazingly useful and a big time saver. I use them often to set up open ended supplies on them. They contain the mess, and it makes it easy to set everything on the tray and move it aside quickly. Often times, my child will ask to come back to a project and these keep us from cleaning up and putting away more often than is necessary.
13. Student Acrylic Paint
We don’t use these as much as watercolors, but I love to have this basic color set, pack of 6 on hand for painting projects. It works on almost any surface, is pourable and non-toxic. This set contains all primaries and black and white, so you are ready to mix all the colors in the world! Just be ready to rinse, spot treat or wipe any surface nearby. That large canvas drop cloth is the perfect companion for this paint.
14. Tempera Paint
Before I found these tempera paints I didn’t really use tempera at all. It smells bad, the goopy mess in the bottles was not worth any of the pros of using it. But, these heavy-duty, reusable, muffin-style trays eliminated the smell and the mess! They are so easy to just set out and clean up and they wash out of anything. Love them!
There you have it! My list of the best art supplies for kids and what I always keep on hand. I hope this helps. Do you have favorites you like to have on hand I didn’t mention? Let me and others know by commenting below. Looking for some fun projects to create with all these supplies? Just hop over to the “art projects” section of my blog! Happy creating, friends!
(This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated, but all opinions are my own. Because of my commitment to honesty and transparency, I will never recommend a product I have not used and tested myself. Any compensation I may receive helps with expenses to keep this blog up and running! Thank you for your support!)
