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Brush | fat + sturdy: Melissa and Doug makes a great sturdy brush called the Medium Paintbrush. I also 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. (Amazon)
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)
Acrylic Paint | 3 or more colors: If you’d like to save money, the Artis’s Loft brand from Michael’s Craft Store makes a 13-piece set (includes a brush) of Neon Acrylic Paint Pots for $3. Liquitex brand acrylic paint does a good job of making thick-bodied paint that really sticks. (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.
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 no 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: I found a foam brush in the stencil area at Michael’s for $3. You could also get a brayer (Amazon), the 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.
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.
Deep Wall Tray: Think of 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)
