How to Build A Craft Kit for Childcare

No Comments

0 Shares

Now that Spring break is in full effect I thought it might be a great time to get your craft kit in shape for impromptu art projects for the kiddos. WHAT! You don’t have one! Well, the great news is most can be found at the dollar store. Yea!!! So as a certified Martha Stewart disciple I probably have more than enough crafting supplies but check out my childcare craft kit must-haves: Craft Kit

[raw_html_snippet id="michaels kid's crafts"]

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.

Updated: 10/04/2018

Child Care Craft Kit

Must Haves:

Markers – Buy different ones like pastels and vibrant for use on black paper.
Kiddie scissors – Kids love to cut! So let them. These are the ones with the rounded edges without any sharp, pointed ends. They also happen to promote fine motor skills.
Kiddie Scissors promote fine motor skills.
Foam brushes – Buy these in bulk if you can. These come in handy with so many projects.
Glue – Of course, good to have on hand ALWAYS. Just in case you ever run out, I’ve been known to whip up a batch of homemade glue in a pinch.
Hole punches – I have a few of these. They now come in cool shapes like stars, hearts, etc.
Pencils – Colored and good ole’ No. 2’s should always be on hand.
Crayons – the fat ones for the little ones and the skinny ones for the big kids.
Scrapbook paper – Can’t do them projects without paper. You get more out of the 12″ x 12″ paper.
Posterboard – I see this at the dollar store all the time. Great for making posters, cards and you can use the scraps for future projects.
Tape – the gift wrap kind as well as the packing and masking tape
Shaving cream – By itself, shaving cream is a great sensory experience for young kids, but you can also use it to make flubber.
Felt – You can make anything out of felt. Use it to create a felt board to make stories come alive or even a cool race track (see pic).
Make so much from cheap felt!
Paper plates – What would a teacher do without paper plate projects? You can find a paper plate project for just about any holiday. There is a whole Pinterest board devoted to them.
Tissue paper – One year we made Rainbow Fish using bright colored tissue paper.
Stickers – Having stickers on hand makes for an easy sensory art project.
White paper – This is a no-brainer. Just add crayons or paint and it’s an art project.
Coffee Filters – We use these as napkins so there are always some laying around. Have the kids paint on them and spray with water for a fun watercolor effect.
Chalk – Uses indoors and out.
Paint set – I have even seen name brand ones at the dollar stores, which makes it affordable to buy one for each child.
Kraft paper – Can be used to make projects and works as a great protective cover for tables and floors at craft time.
Clothespins – These are great for hanging art for drying or even holding something in place while the glue dries. Just be sure to get the wooden kind. The plastic ones break too easily.

I know what you’re thinking; she forgot the glitter. No, I didn’t. It’s just that I HATE GLITTER! It’s evil you know. Glitter is the guest that never leaves. But if you must have it, there I just mentioned it three times (ha-ha).

[raw_html_snippet id="michaels weekly coupon reg ad"]

More is More:

Those are my MUST HAVES, but I thought it might be nice to see what else you could add to your craft kit. So here are a few more crafty additions you might want on hand. Not just a few but 10 MORE things to bring out the children’s awesomeness!

Glue dots – nice for the little ones that can’t use glue.
String – just regular twine. So many uses.
Mounting tape – For hanging the heavier poster board
Jewelry string – For hanging lighter stuff. Disappears and makes thing look like they’re floating.
Mod-podge – A step up from plain old glue. It seals too.
Black paper – Cool effect with plain or colored chalk.
Spray bottle – Just adding a spritz of water on paper can create a whole new effect.
Smocks – Sometimes you can find these on the cheap. If not consider using old t-shirts or even bibs to protect clothing.
Drop-cloth – You will be thanking yourself if you purchase one of these!
Pipe cleaners – We once made a fun “tiger tail” with a curled pipe cleaner. The kids thought it was hilarious!

Join the TCC Tribe!

Join a community of nearly 5000 providers. Subscribe to get our latest updates, product promotions and exclusive information to grow your childcare business.

What Else?

Back in the day, my assistant and I would cut out every room decoration and project cut-out all by hand. Can you say hand cramps?! So to the must-have list above, I would also add a die cutting machine if you have the budget.

[raw_html_snippet id="cricut machine2"]

Even an older, smaller model makes a project come together much quicker than cutting it yourself. I ~~own~~ have a love affair with my Cricut Explore machine. As a matter of fact, it’s my third Cricut machine. My new one cuts everything from posterboard to felt, so I can create theme-related projects on the fly.

Which is why every time I walk by my Cricut I say …

via GIPHY

Organize It:

We actually took a half day last year and just did organizing. My assistant brilliantly labeled recycled cans covered with duck tape and organized the markers, scissors, etc. and then placed them all in a larger plastic shoe box (minus the cover). This acts as a kit to just pull out at project time.

Fruit cans, baby food jars, and oatmeal boxes are great to recycle as containers. Just give them a good wash and there you go. Large and small Ziplocs are also good in a pinch to keep things separated.

Try to use what you have. Just be sure to label it!

Maybe set up paints in one area, pencils & markers in another and paper & posterboard in another. You want to keep it organized so that you can get to it when you need it. Keeping things organized also helps you stay on top of what you need to stock up on and replace.