Five Homemade Kids’ Craft Supplies

I believe that art supplies are some of the greatest gifts you can give children of any age. They allow kids to use their minds in new and creative ways. Plus, the confidence that it gives them to create things with their own two hands will last into adulthood. Why not make these art and craft supplies even more special by handcrafting them yourself? Here are five homemade kids’ craft supplies that are safe, non-toxic, and fun.

Next >> Watercolors

1. Watercolors

Pepper Paints shows us that, with a few household supplies, you can create a rainbow of watercolors which will have children creating for hours. The ingredients are simple and safe, and you can create an endless array of colors. Encourage kids to come up with their own colors and name them for an even more interactive project.

Next >> Playdough

2. Playdough

This was a standard craft in our house and I’ll never forget how much fun I had using it. Becky has shown us how to make our own playdough from kitchen ingredients and her tutorials also gives suggestions on creating your own natural dyes for the playdough using plant based dyes.

Next >> Poster Paint

3. Poster Paint

Again, Pepper Paints shows us how easy it is to whip up some homemade poster paints. Pull out some recycled paper and have the kids make one-of-a-kind Christmas cards and decorations this year.

Next >> Glue

4. Glue

I love the idea of making such a common craft supply at home using nothing more than things you may already have in your pantry. Eco Child’s Play gives us a recipe for homemade glue that’s perfect for any art project that requires regular white glue.

Next >> Crayons

5. Crayons

Over on Mahalo, there are two recipes for making your own crayons. The first calls for Ivory Snow soap flakes, but I would suggest grating up a bar of your favorite natural soap. Then, there’s a how-to on recycling old bits of crayon to make big, chunky ones. Or you can make your own layers crayons, which Julie previously taught us.

Making art and craft supplies is a fun activity to do with your kids and they’ll be proud of themselves as they create their masterpieces. These would also make great gifts for other children in your life. I know my nephew is going to love getting some homemade crayons in his stocking this year!

Do you have any craft supplies that you enjoy making at home? I would love to get more recipes and ideas. Feel free to leave a comment with some of your homemade ideas.

[Paint hands image by abbey*christine via Flickr Creative Commons, watercolors image by jpmatth via Flickr Creative Commons, Playdough image by mini-eco, Poster paint image by Pepper Paints, Glue image by Rakka via Flickr Creative Commons, Crayons image by ….Tim via Flickr Creative Commons]