My Favorite Kids' Art Supplies

As you know, I buy most of our art supplies through Discount School Supply. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: when it comes to art materials, they are tops for quality, price, and service. While teachers have known about them for a long time, I don't think parents are as aware of them as a kids art supply source. Many people have asked me in the past what to buy from them (their catalog is huge and somewhat overwhelming!), so here's my list. It can be yours, too.

Paints:

• Colorations Simply Washable Tempera Paint 16 oz. (Start with red, yellow, blue, black, and white.)
• Colorations Washable Finger Paint 16 oz. (Three colors should be enough to get you started.)
• Colorations Liquid Watercolor Paint 8 oz. (You know how much I love these! I have a hard time limiting my colors, so I'll let you decide where to stop.)
• Colorations Washable Glitter Paint 16 oz. (I think this one is optional, but Maia doesn't agree with me, so I'm including it here. Perhaps choose two or three of your child's favorite colors...)
• Optional: BioColor Paint 16 oz. and Colorations Activity Paint 16 oz. (We've had a lot of fun playing with both of these this past year. If you're art veterans, give them a try. If you're just getting started, you might want to stick to the basics on this list.)

Tools:

• Colorations Plastic Chubby Paint Brushes - Set of 10 (These are goog basic paint brushes -- the handles are relatively skinny despite the "chubby" name.)
• Super Safe Plastic Droppers - Set of 12 (We love these for use with liquid watercolors and use them for all kinds of activities, including marbling, coffee filter painting, and science experiments.
• Brawny Tough Large Plastic Art Trays - Set of 5 (I haven't bought these yet, but a good friend and mother of three swears by them for containing messes during art activities. If you're worried about messes and stains, you might want to consider these.)

Drawing Materials:

• Colorations Outstanding Oil Pastels - Set of 28 (Their oil pastels are silky smooth and so much fun for the price. We use these A LOT!)
• Colorations Super Washable Classic Markers - Set of 8 (I like the price and quality of these good, basic markers.)

Sculpture:

• Moist Red Clay - 25 lbs (We still use this huge hunk of clay we bought a couple of years ago. It lasts and lasts.)

Collage:

Note: You can buy these collage items elsewhere, but the prices are pretty great at DSS, so if you're placing an order anyway, why not add some googly eyes or rainbow feathers for about $1.50 each. That's always my thinking, anyway...

• Black Regular Wiggly Eyes - Pack of 100 (We are big fans of googly eyes and also buy the colored version.)
• Rainbow Feathers - 1/2 oz. (Feathers are great for collages, masks, hats, sculptures -- we have a lot of fun with these.)
• Wood Craft Sticks - 1000 Pieces (Otherwise known around here as popsicle sticks.)
• Sequins & Spangles (Because my girly magpie daughters love all that is shiny and jewel-like when it comes to art or anything else.)

Papers:

Note: See my post about the papers we use and buy.

• Easel Paper Roll - 18 x 100' (The best of all the easel paper rolls I've tried.)
• Real Watercolor Paper - 50 Sheets (Good basic watercolor paper.)
• White Sulphite Paper - 500 Sheets (Our all-round go-to art paper.)
• 9 x 12 Tru-Ray Sulfite Construction Paper - 50 Sheets (We love this vibrantly colored construction paper -- the quality is great.)

Two Last, Super Fun, Art Materials:

• Colorations Glitter Glue - Set of 6 (The price on these have gone up, but they are really great! Here's my first post about this glitter glue. We use these often and also give sets as gifts for kiddo friends.)
• Colored Masking Tape (We LOVE tape around here, especially this colored masking tape! It gets so much use, in so many different ways -- art, sculpture, spider webs, mazes, and gift wrap.)

Discount School Supply gives you free shipping for all orders over $79. Consider going in on an order with a friend to get the free shipping if you aren't going to order enough to qualify on your own. That's what I do. Although frankly I often qualify for the free shipping. :)

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Note: I am now a Discount School Supply affiliate and the links in this post are affiliate links. I only use affiliate links for products we use and love. If you follow a link and place a purchase, I will receive a small percentage of the sales price from Discount School Supply and will send you virtual hugs.

Okay, now for the amazing art supply giveaway!!

Readers who leave a comment to this post by Thursday, January 26rd at 11:49 pm EST will be entered into a random drawing for a kids art supply bonanza from Discount School Supply that includes each of the items mentioned above! Winner will be chosen by random number generator and announced on this post on Friday morning. (I will also e-mail the winner directly, as I always do.) This giveaway is open to readers who live in the contiguous United States only. Good luck! This giveaway is now closed.

The random number generator gave me #332 so Gretchen wins the shipment of art supplies from Discount School Supply. Congrats, Gretchen!

Gretchen said...

I DO get so overwhelmed when trying to choose art supplies. Thanks for boiling it down!