If you have a toddler who likes making art, you might be wondering what art materials to start with? For that, I’d like to direct you over to The Best Art Supplies for Kids: A Quick Guide to Get You Started.
If you’re ready to go beyond the basics, I thought it would be fun to explore a whole range of material possibilities for little makers. So I asked a group of creative makers and parents to consider what they think are essential toddler art materials, and I received some wonderful responses.
In the end we came up with fifty materials!
Let’s be honest, this is far too many for the average parent to stock up on for making art. But these ideas give us an interesting place to start.
The purpose of this list is to give you art supply ideas you may not have already considered, and many are things hiding in your kitchen pantry or nature right outside your front door.
First, an idea map, to show you which materials were the most popular in our poll:
No surprise, playdough takes the lead. For that, I offer you The Best Homemade Playdough Recipe. You won’t regret making it, I promise.
In order of popularity, here’s the list of 50 art materials for toddlers.
Safety note: use common sense and smartly supervise when offering small materials such as beans to toddlers.
+++++
- playdough
- washable markers
- tempera paint
- white paper
- white glue
- collage materials
- sand
- colored construction paper
- chalk
- water
- safety scissors
- easel
- roll of paper
- chalkboard
- cornmeal
- pom poms
- big paper
- stickers
- yarn
- beads
- tissue paper
- pipe cleaners
- paper towel tubes
- things from nature
- paper plates
- ribbons
- dry pasta
- dry beans
- balloons
- paper bags
- plastic bags
- felt
- buttons
- eye droppers
- colored tape
- flour
- stencils
- pencils
- feathers
- paint sticks
- chunky paintbrushes
- liquid watercolors
- chubby crayons
- dot dot makers
- play dough tools
- coffee filters
- oobleck
- popsicle sticks
- glue stick
- clear contact paper
Which of these materials do you have? Which surprise you? And which do you think are essential?
no brushes?
whoops, i see it now. 🙂
brushes are essential 🙂
What an amazing list! I think you have everything on it.
thanks!!
I would add a membership to a childrens museum. The days when you can’t pull out a project but you can see your kids running in circles looking for a creative experience. Jump in the car and take them to the local museum. Kidspace and LACMA are our favorites here in LA.
hi danielle! yes, you’re so right about that! and you’re lucky to have kidspace and lacma in your backyard. i’d probably spend every day at those museums if i lived near you 🙂
Cowrie Shells.
Hi Shailaja! I suppose cowrie shells would fall under “things from nature,†but I’d love to hear about how you use them. Do you live somewhere tropical?
Yes Rachelle. They come under “things from nature”. Just wanted to add them 🙂
When I was reading this post my little one was playing with cowrie shells, tied to a cloth. Here in Bangalore we play Chouka baara (similar to Ludo), with shells. Few shells had a hole in them. I made them hang at the edge of a cloth with designs, for my daughter to play 🙂
And I’m so glad you added them, Shailaja. (sorry if I was off-putting with my comment back to you). Wouldn’t it be interesting to see how this list differs from country to country??
List goes like this – Bangles, bindi (falls under stickers), idli plates, tamarind seeds on supervision, onions, garlic, small size bells, rangoli powder {similar to rava (semolina), salt}, agarbatti stand.
Great list!!
Rice and Magnet Tape!
ooohhh….magnet tape? That sounds super fun! That’s a new one for me!
rice, of course!! and magnet tape!! how have you used this with little ones?
Thanks for the wonderful and inspiring list. There’s also magnetic sheets which we can cut into shapes for little hands to decorate. Our little ones can also help make shaped fridge magets (felt covered and stuffed with cotton and small magnets)
What about straws, bubble wands and bubbles? Did I miss those on the list? Maybe shaving cream also?? LOVE the list! Shared it on my VERY new blog (that I don’t think anyone will ever visit but its fun to have started it anyway!) Hope that’s ok!!! I definitely need to work on my personal collection of art stuffs 🙂 What a great place to start!
🙂
oh, good additions, emma! I just thought of shaving cream this morning. i’m not big on using it, but i know it’s so popular for marbling paper and driving car tracks through. and now i’m off to check out your very new blog 🙂 congrats!
great list! I’d add a shaker of salt, potato masher, plunger, wheels- cars, lawn mower tires, old socks or nylons filled with sand, rice, popcorn, marbles or golf balls oh and pudding!
I love all of these. It’s looking like I may need to revise this list into “100 art materials for toddlers!”
egg cartons very handy catchalls
yes, recycled materials, and egg cartons specifically are wonderful. thanks, bronwyn.
Cornstarch, salt, baking soda, white vinegar. One of my son’s favorite painting experiences is liquid watercolor + salt + white glue.
Gosh, how could I forget the ingredients to one of our favorite science experiments?! We haven’t made the salt/watercolor/glue pictures yet, and it’s been on my list for a while. At what age did your son start making these?
We probably did it first when he was about 2 3/4, he’s now 3 1/2. I’ve been surprised how often he’s asked to do it.
Thanks, Anne! Looks like we’ll have to give this a go — N turns 3 next week!!
Sponges (cut into shapes?)
Or did I miss those on the list?
Nope, no sponges up there. Good add, Victoria!
The list looks great! Thanks so much for stopping by my site and commenting on my daughter’s post for Dip Its! She had so much fun creating the post and will be super excited to see that someone commented on it!
Seriously, Tonia, your daughter may very well see our version of her post up here one day soon 🙂 Thanks for stopping by over here, too!
Cotton wool – great for sheep, smoke and clouds, and cotton buds, great for so much!
Nice, Jo! We use cotton buds for painting all the time, and I hadn’t thought of it!
Great list!! Did I miss seeing Q tips, cotton balls, craft sticks and cardboard boxes?
great list and thanks for sharing on Craft Schooling Sunday! I’d add string, and straws, great for making beads, blowing paint and sculptures with modeling clay, is that on the list, that’s a good one too, for making little scultures and things.
I am trying to figure a list for my next Science year. This can help because almost every class we end doing “Experiments/Art.”
I think there are a few NOT essential and a few might be missing, but it is a good start.
Dont really need an easel, we work a lot on big tables outside because the weaher allows us to.
I have never used felt, but I want to try those rubbing and rubbing wool kind of bals with soap.
The last thing I have never used is the colored tape, but I will love to see some activities with it.
Then, because my time is playing science, I will have to add borax, vinegar, soda,balance,magnifying glass,insect jar,butterfly net,plastic cover for tables or floor,lots of food coloring,reuse material to make habitats,plastic animals,and a little more that I must figure this Vacation by reading past activities, Thank you for starting my job!! Laura Oreamuno.
Saint Anthony School.
Moravia, San Jose.
Cosa Rica, Central America.
I love your site! Where do you get the glitter bottles that your children use to add to their glue?
Great article and straight to the point. I don’t know if this
is in fact the best place to ask but do you people have any ideea where to employ some professional writers?
Thx 🙂
Many of these items are choking hazards for toddlers under 3 years old.
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for your comment. Very young children should be properly supervised when using art materials.
Warmly,
Rachelle
Thank you so much, this website is incredibly helpful!