Crafts can be messy. The clean-up after the glue spills, paint splashes, and glittery puddles are enough to drive you up a wall — if the wall hasn’t already been hand-painted. Not to mention the prep time.
But what if there was a way to cut the prep and clean-up without depriving the kids of their crafting time?
Why not make a mess-free (well, less messy) craft box that the kids will love?
Fill it up with easy-to-use craft kits and more. The kids’ crafts time will be as easy as 1-2-3:
- Pull out the box
- Craft with kids
- Put everything away, back where it was
Less mess, no fuss.
But, before we get into the details, let’s talk about why kids’ arts and crafts are important.
Why Arts and Crafts Are Essential for Children
Boosts Creativity
Crafts for kids allow the little ones to explore their ideas and learn that there isn’t only one way of doing things.
It opens up their growing minds to endless possibilities, which allows them to blossom later on in life. Through crafting, kids can explore different art supplies and materials to make designs on their own terms — no preconceived notions.
Studies have also shown that expressing creativity through art is linked to improved social and emotional development.
Improves Cognitive Abilities
Craft projects help kids of all ages to improve cognition, including critical areas like:
- Memory
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- Attention to detail
It helps them learn concepts like symmetry, geometry, counting, design, and many more skills without feeling overwhelmed. Kids’ crafts can also help develop fine motor skills to improve handwriting.
6 Must-Have Craft Supplies for Your Kids Craft Box
Pipe Cleaners
Source: Image courtesy
No craft box is complete without multi-colored pipe cleaners. Pipe cleaner crafts help kids learn concentration and strengthen their grip, and encourages hand-eye coordination.
The pipe cleaners can be twisted, wound, and smooshed to make stick figures, animals, flowers, and all sorts of crafts for kids.
Add some googly eyes, and you get life-like models. They’re simple and easy to work with for arts and crafts projects. Plus, they're so bendy you won't be worried about kids getting poked.
Pipe cleaners also help children with arts and crafts bead threading activities, because they are easier to hold for younger kids than thread.
What's more, you can bend them into letters or numbers or shapes. This is an excellent excuse to teach math and literacy (while they’re still paying attention).
Paper
What's a craft box without some paper? Your kids will need lots of paper for drawing and other fun crafts. Be sure to have some variety.
Here are some ideas:
Scratch Paper
Multicolored Scratchy Scratch Paper 35 Combo Craft Kit for Kids
Scratch paper is like peekaboo for older kids — they’ll love the magical feel of the color reveal.
You can get Purple Ladybug scratch paper in different colors to appeal to all age groups. To get their creative juices flowing, get a full art and crafts scratch paper kit that comes with stencils and stickers.
Cardboard/Construction Paper
Source: Pexels
Cardboard/construction paper makes a great medium for sticker art or scrapbooking. The paper’s firm texture gives them many different options — they can make cards, makeshift boxes, and countless other projects.
Crepe and Tissue Paper
Source: Image courtesy
Crepe and tissue papers are the perfect craft supplies for making tissue paper flower art (or for crumbling into pom poms). This material helps teach manipulation and finesse.
Put some googly eyes on egg cartons or pipe cleaners to make crepe paper monsters, aliens, and lots of other kids’ crafts.
Googly Eyes
Source: Commons Wikimedia
Googly eyes go with everything. Paper, playdough, pom-poms, or pipe cleaners — they make anything come to life.
They come in so many different shapes and sizes the kids will never run out of ideas for craft projects.
For out of this world fun arts and crafts, put googly eyes on some weird play dough shapes and you have some aliens. Or, stick some on a tumbler, and they’ll make another great monster art project.
What’s more, you can use them to teach math work like counting, addition, and subtraction.
Remember: They are not safe for toddlers and infants under three years old.
Stickers
Stickers are fun, multipurpose essential craft supplies. Your kids can use them to tell stories on paper, decorate their favorite things, or brand their personal items — no more tiring sibling fights over tumblers and water bottles.
Sticker crafts for kids actively enhance fine motor and precision skills development. It's the perfect mess-free activity for kids five and over.
Let them explore their creativity through decorating their new tumbler or water bottle craft kit with tons of fun stickers!
Save yourself lots of prep time on your next arts and crafts project by buying a ready-made sticker craft kit with a water bottle included.
Craft Sticks
One of the most versatile craft supplies for a kids’ craft box is craft sticks. They can be used to build model houses, planes, or picture frames.
They come in different lengths for a whole host of kids’ arts and crafts projects.
Popsicle Sticks
Source: Pxhere
These thin wooden art supplies come in different lengths and colors. They’ll expand your kids’ crafting horizon with an infinite number of possible crafts — glueing or stacking them together can create anything that comes to mind.
Wax Sticks
Increase spontaneity and creativity by including wax sticks in your box of art supplies. Kids love the endless creativity they offer and adults love that they are a craft supply that requires no set up and makes no mess!
They can bend, twist, and stick together — no glue necessary. Your kids can get creative with 3D designs. On top of that, you can bend the sticks into small animals, letters, shapes, or anything!
The kids will love that, if they make a mistake, they can just unstick and try again. There are lots of mess-free crafting fun and teachable moments to have with this craft supply.
Playdough/Clay
Source: Pxhere
Playdough is a powerful learning and developmental kids’ craft tool. It would be remiss to not include it in the craft box.
When kids shape, smash, and smoosh around with play dough, they do more than just have fun.
It helps their grip and finger muscles to develop, improving handwriting later on in life. It's also great for hand-eye coordination and stimulates creativity through free play.
All you have to do is cover the table, and there won’t be too much mess.
You kids will love creating different designs. Plus, add sticks or pipe cleaners, and there's no limit to what they can make.
Let them have at it while putting your feet up.
For the older kids, get this awesome jewelry box craft kit with air dry clay. It will keep them busy for days, and they’ll be super proud of their work — and you will be too.
Jewelry Box Craft Kit for Girls
Get the Perfect Art and Crafts Box for Your Kids
If the thought of poster paint and sequins splattered all over the floor gives you nightmares, Purple Ladybug can help you rest easy.
With everything you need in craft supplies, kits, and more, the kids will get enough craftwork for their developmental needs with the added bonus of less prep time and mess.
To fill up your kids’ craft box with all the essential supplies and craft kits, visit Purple Ladybug at PLBFUN.com or on Amazon.com/PurpleLadybugNovelty
You’ll also find outstanding gifts and fun toys your kids will love playing with. Get ready for lots of fun!
