Hi friends. It has been awhile since I have popped up around here for a good old blog. I am not going to lie, it is super nostalgic look through all the old posts on here. Seeing pre-kids, NYC living, career building Renée and Jay leaves me feeling immensely grateful for where we have been and where we are now.
These days I spend most of my time on Instagram because I can interact with y’all a lot more intimately there. But you were asking for lists of art and activity supplies that I keep on hand so I decided a post with some direct links for a simple “add to cart” approach in the midst of how truly busy parenthood is.
I will break the lists into a few different posts based on the questions I have received. I will start with craft supplies I have on hand. Posts on activity and inquiry supplies, and social-emotional/behavior picturebooks to come!
I have used amazon links since both Canada and US readers have access to Amazon. But keep in mind that you can get a lot of these supplies at local stores (Timeless Toys in Victoria has great craft sections), Michaels, the Dollar Store or Walmart too. But Amazon’s ship directly to your front door is v v helpful.
First Art Supplies
Painting with your 1 year old is entirely possible (and won’t destroy your house). These are the first art supplies I got for Anderson to explore and experiment with:
- Crayola My First Crayola Palm-Grip Crayons
- Crayola Large Washable Crayons (for when you’re ready to move on from palm grasp crayons)
- Crayola My First Wash Tripod Grip Markers
- Crayola 24 Coloured Pencils
- Crayola My First Textured Paint Brushes
- Crayola Washable Poster Paint (this actually washes off everything. Including walls 😛 )
- Crayola Washable Watercolours
- Puffy stickers (they’re easier for little fingers) like the Melissa & Doug Puffy Stickers
- Cardstock Paper (it holds up better than printer paper to excessive paint or water your littlest littles throw at it)
- Construction Paper Pad (doing the same activity but on different paper brings a little interest. You can also use water and paintbrushes to paint on construction paper)
- Painter’s Tape (when Anderson was a baby I taped every activity to the table to keep it from moving and frustrating him. It also helps keep the mess at bay and from a masterpiece from landing wet paint side down on the carpet. I also used to tape paper to the walls of the shower and let him paint in there to control the mess.)
- Crayola My First Safety Scissors (these are great, blade free scissors for kids to start learning with)
- Kwik Stix Paint Sticks (these are AMAAAAZING. And no mess. Win win)
- Wonder Stix 24 Color Set (these are also INCREDIBLE. They draw on any surface from paper to wood. We use them to draw on the windows and they wash off super easily. Anderson also helps wash them off so its life skill building and extends the activity)
- Con-Tact Brand Paper (I taped this to the wall with painters tape sticky side out. We did a bunch of murals and collages by sticking yarn, torn paper, and wooden puzzle pieces to them. Activity ideas here!)
- Stamps (we really like the ones from Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Stamp Set)
More supplies in our stash
So everything listed above is still in use except for the palm grasp crayons because we have moved onto traditional crayons. But we have also added:
- Elmer’s Liquid Glue
- Elmer’s Glue Stick
- Tissue Paper
- Various Paint Brushes (including sponges)
- Bingo Dotters
- Googly Eyes
- Pipe cleaners (this set with googly eyes and pompoms is great!)
- Plain Paper Plates
- Yarn
- annnnnnd a bunch of random things you will find in your kitchen 🙂
Raising Jordans 