I’ve received questions about recommendations for materials on the supply lists and put the following link list together as a handy resource.
Note: Some of these are affiliate links and I will earn a small percentage of the purchase price. I only share products that I love or that I think you’ll find useful, and I do my best to find the best products at the most affordable price.
Brushes
Melissa and Doug makes a great sturdy brush called the Medium Paintbrush. I REALLY like the variety in this brush set from Crayola, where you get a nice mix of thinner brushes for more detail work. The flat, wide brush in this set could be used as the “fat brush” for the Challenge, and the quality is excellent.
White School Glue
My favorite is Elmer’s Washable Glue in the 7.6 oz. bottle. If you love glue as much as we do, invest in a gallon that will last for ages. (Amazon)
Chalk Pastels
If you’re shopping at Michael’s, their Artist Loft brand chalk pastels are affordable and work well for kids. On Amazon, look for Mungyo non toxic soft chalk pastels. Regular colored chalk will also work. The main difference is that colored chalk can be harder and doesn’t offer as much pigment as soft chalk pastels.
Heavy Paper such as watercolor or card stock
Canson Watercolor Paper (30 sheets for $10, which is 30 cents/ sheet. Not bad!) I’m also happy with the Creatology watercolor paper from Michael’s. It’s not very thick, but it does the trick for kids and it’s affordable (40 pages for $5).
Black or Dark Card Stock Paper
Heavy black paper from Neenah on Amazon (10 sheets for $3)
Tempera Paint: Black, white, and at least one more color of your choice
The 6-bottle Creatology tempera paint set from Michaels is reasonably priced and does an adequate job. I really like Crayola Artista II Washable Tempera and Colorations Washable Tempera, an amazing deal of 11 large bottles for $22.00 (both on Amazon).
Roller Brush or Brayer:
We will use this for a printmaking activity. If you have a brayer, that would be the best option, but I’ve added roller brush to the list to keep the cost down. Either will work; and a brayer will work better. I found a foam brush in the stencil area at Michael’s for $3. You could also get a brayer, which is a printmaker’s tool for rolling out ink.
Scissors
I’m a fan of Fiskars scissors for kids. They’re made well, and you can get the in blunt, sharp, and left handed.
Doilies
Paper white doilies that are used for lining a cookie plate. If you can’t find doilies, white coffee filters will also work 🙂
Cookie Sheet or Tray to work on
Having a large tray, such as a baking sheet or this preschool art tray (Amazon) will give you a space to gather and collect supplies for the daily provocations. You will also need a Deep Wall Tray such as a light-weight lasagne tray. Something made of metal or even wood that is easy for a small child to lift. This aluminum disposable tray (Amazon) would be perfect, and you can easily find these in the cooking aisle of most grocery stores.
Shaving Cream
Look for something that’s thick and creamy such as Barbisol (Amazon)
