Our must-have craft supplies
I don’t know about you, but when we make crafts at home, we tend to rely on a core set of materials.
They’re the ones we always keep stocked in our craft box and always make good use of.
And the nice thing is: there’s so many things you can make with just a few key supplies.
And so, here’s our list of must-have materials when you’re crafting with the kids.
Cardstock
For nearly all our crafts, we use cardstock. And more often than not we use cardstock of weight 176g/m2 (it will say on the packet). This is our go-to cardstock because it’s thick enough without being too thick, if you see what I mean.
It’s easy to fold, doesn’t jam our printer and doesn’t go wrinkly when painted (like paper does).
This cardstock is great for homemade greetings cards, such as our Valentine heart balloon card. It’s also great for making sturdy paper crowns, such as our beautiful butterfly crown.
Popsicle sticks
As well as being very helpful if you’re eating a popsicle, these little wooden sticks are also great for crafty activities too. They’re easy to paint to whatever colour you need, and you can get a pack for only a few dollars.
Our favourite popsicle stick craft here at The Craft Balloon? Without a doubt, our super sweet crab craft.
Googly eyes
You’ll never regret buying a big bag of googly eyes. They come is a whole host of different sizes, last for ages, and really bring your craft creature (whatever it may be) to life.
Our favourite googly eyed craft? Our super sweet Valentine love bugs.
Paper plates
It’s no secret that we enjoy a paper plate craft. Why? Because you can buy a big pack of paper plates for very little, they’re very satisfying to paint, and they’re so versatile.
There really is no limit to the things you can rustle up from a paper plate. Plus, who has time to draw a perfect circle from scratch? Not me.
Our favourite paper plate craft? That’s a tough one because we have done lots that we love. But my personal favourite might be our curled up cat, shortly followed by our paper plate donkey.
Sticky foam squares
These small foam squares are super useful when you want to layer parts of a craft and create a bit of a 3D effect.
The ones we have came in a pack of several hundred and have three different sizes. Each foam square is sticky on the front and back. Just peel off the paper from both sizes and get sticking.
Our favourite craft using sticky foam squares? Probably our cow craft.
Pipe cleaners
Pipe cleaners are a staple for any craft box when you’ve got kids, preferably in as many colours as possible. Great for making legs for creatures, antennae for insects, whiskers for animals… really, there’s always a need for pipecleaners.
Our favourite craft with pipecleaners? Our paper plate pig with curly (you guessed it) pipecleaner tail.
Colouring supplies
Everyone has their own favourite colouring supplies. I’m partial to colouring pencil whilst my kiddos adore Crayola’s giant markers and won’t use anything else.
When it comes to paint, we love acrylic paints for their great coverage. Whatever your paint of choice, just make sure it’s child-friendly, water-based and non toxic.