Stocking Your Craft Cupboard

Whether you have a real craft cupboard or just a box in the basement, here are some of the BASICS you will need! You do NOT have to go out and purchase everything all at once, but these are some ideas to consider when you're at the craft store or discount shopping store. I like to make a list of activities that we can do during the week and purchase supplies for the particular crafts we will be doing during the week.

Art Smock (Recycle an old t-shirt)
Chalk
Child-Safe Scissors
Contact paper (clear and colored)
Colored Pencils
Colored Tape
Construction Paper
Cottonballs
Crayons (I always buy Washable)
Food coloring
Glitter
Glue Gun
Glue Sticks
Googly Eyes
Index Cards (plain & lined)
Masking Tape
Paper Clips
Pencil Sharpener
Pencils
Pens
Pipe Cleaners
Plain White Paper (I like to buy my kids their very own ream of computer paper - 500 sheets/$5. Deal!)
Pompoms
Rubber Cement
Ruler
Sponges
Stapler/Staples
Stickers
Straws
Paint, Water & Tempura
Paint Brushes
Paper Plates (the cheap ones)
Tissue Paper
Transparent Tape
Washable Markers
Wooden Spoons
Ziploc Bags, in several sizes

Things to Consider Buying:
Balloons
Beads (all different sizes - with toddlers, be sure to only put out large beads to prevent choking)
Bells
Butcher Paper
Clear Acrylic Spray
Clothespins (craft and spring-type)
Colored Cellophane
Craft Magnets
Crepe Paper
Liquid Starch
Magnet Strips
Newsprint pads or rolls
Paper Doilies
Plastic Easter Eggs