As Easter rolls around (wasn’t it just Christmas?!) I start to see for sale everywhere those little seasonal craft kits. You know the ones, with a few Styrofoam pieces related to whatever the upcoming holiday is, some foam stickers, pipe cleaners, paddlepop (popsicle for you in the U.S.) sticks, etc.
My daughter loves these kits, but has usually used up all the pieces she likes in about a week, maybe two. Then there’s always the unused detritus, and the ever-growing number of small plastic containers that are shockingly easy to break.
Here’s a list, in no particular order, of the things that seem to be a real hit in these kits, plus the things we like to add to them, so you can make them up yourself and not have to wait for them.
School Glue
Price: $15.15
School glue, or as it’s called here in Australia, PVA glue, is always a must in these craft kits. It’s safe for little ones to use, and dries clear, so even if they go to town with it, their projects will end up looking how they intended it to!
Adhesive Glue Dots
Price: $18.23
These are fabulous! If you’ve seen a child try to use your average glue stick, you’ll notice that glue sticks suck and are pretty much useless. It was driving me crazy watching my daughter gluing school work into her book, only to see them fall out the next day. We got her some of these and she uses them all the time, and they’re so good for so many craft activities, too!
Wooden Craft Sticks
Price: $6.99
You may know these as popsicle sticks, but here in Australia we know them as paddlepop sticks! They’re one of those quintessential kid’s craft item, I mean, need I say more?
Foam Stickers
Price: $9.99
My daughter LOVES these foam stickers. They come in so many shapes and colours and they become a part of many of her crafts. Be warned, though, give your little one a clear place to put the peel-off backs of you’ll forever be vacuuming them up! Also, make sure little ones know not to stick these where they’re not supposed to be, they’re a pain to peel off carpet!
Gem Stickers
Price: $5.99
Another one of my daughter’s favourites, these are so cute and a great addition to her craft kit. We also used some on her stainless-steel water bottle to make hers unique on the bench at school. They stayed stuck on despite regular washing for over a year!
Sequins and Spangles
Price: $6.99
I love giving my daughter these assorted sequins and seeing what she comes up with. It’s fun going through them together and seeing the amazing variety in each pack. I’ve also seen some pretty amazing combinations of sequins to form whole new things, like beetles made from overlapping shells. Very fun and pretty.
Pipe Cleaners
Price: $7.99
I’ll be honest, I hate these things. I hate the texture of them, I hate that our cat always tries to steal them because she desperately wants to play with them! But they’re not cat-safe, even under supervision, so we always have to keep the cat out when they’re in use, or hide them away. All that being said, my daughter loves playing with them and making things out of them, so they remain a staple in her craft kit.
Twist Ties
Price: $6.69
Yeah, I feel the same way about these as I do the pipe cleaners, and for pretty much the same reasons. And for pretty much the same reasons as above, we get them anyway! For reasons that I find unfathomable, my daughter loves to include these in her creations, and who am I to stifle her creativity!
Foam Shapes
Price: $7.99
These forbidden marshmallows are one of those things I remember using in crafts at school when I was a kid. We covered them in sequins held on with dress-maker’s pins with the plastic pearl heads and made them into Christmas decorations. My daughter enjoyed doing the same activity (though again we have to hide them from the cat because she a) loves trying to eat the foam, and b) loves trying to steal my sewing pins, and yes c) sometimes I do wonder about her seemingly inexhaustible desire to play with things that can hurt her) as well as using them for all sorts of other activities.
Pom Poms
Price: $6.99
My daughter loves gluing googly eyes to these things and making them into little characters. They turn up in a lot of her crafts and she loves having HEAPS of them to work with!
Glass Beads
Price: $11.99
My daughter loves getting out her beads and making things, usually necklaces for Mummy and Daddy! In fact, beading was the first craft hobby that I picked up, too! These aren’t for the very young, and if you have a little-one who likes to put things in their mouth this isn’t for them either, but for most children these beads will be a source of hours of entertainment. I opt for glass beads because they’re much more environmentally friendly for only a slightly higher cost.
Acrylic Paints
Price: $4.99
This is a nice set of paints with a few paint brushes. My daughter loves painting and incorporating paint into her various creations. I like her using acrylics as they’re water based and wash out with little fuss.
Coloured Card
Price: $6.99
My daughter just loves doing so many different things with coloured card. We get many very sweet cards, but she also likes to paint on them, draw on them, stick stuff to them, tear or cut them up for projects, you name it! We generally like to get big stacks of these and let her have at them!
Storage Container
Price: $23.99
As I mentioned before, those craft kit tubs are super thin plastic and fall apart really easily. Also, our cat, the one with the penchant for things that are dangerous for her, seems to be able to open them all by herself. This storage container, however, is perfect for storing all these fun crafty bits and bobs, and our cat hasn’t figured out how to open them!
There You Have It! Your Start Up DIY Craft Kit for Little Crafters!
So, there you have it! The perfect assortment to keep any little one happily entertained for hours and hours! This kit will even entice adults into happily whiling away some well-spent craft hours! To save money on craft supplies, shop during sales and use coupons from store apps or websites. Buying in bulk can lower costs, especially for frequently used items. Repurposing everyday materials like old clothes or packaging is another budget-friendly option. Additionally, explore thrift stores, garage sales, and crafting communities for deals and swaps, helping you get the most out of your crafting budget.
