I love to have a well stocked art closet for my kids! My advice would be to start small.
Originally, I repurposed an over-the-door shoe organizer into a craft materials holder. I place
items that all three of my kids can use (8, 7 and 3) in the lower pockets. Materials that are
geared more for the older kids are placed in higher pockets (scissors, glitter glue, etc) Stocking
up on supplies during the Back to School sales (usually after the 4th of July) is the way to go! I
buy crayons, markers, pencils, paper and glue sticks (lots and lots of glue sticks!) The Dollar
Spot at Target has great craft supplies and is where I often get seasonal supplies (think
Valentine scrapbook paper or Christmas colored pom-poms). The Dollar Tree is also another
store to find craft supplies- felt and foam sheets are the perfect size to fit in one of the pouches
in the shoe organizer! Another craft item that I LOVE is a roll of paper. I usually buy mine at Ikea
and it lasts forever. Roll out on a coffee table or dining room table with a bunch of crayons- easy peasy!

I have a designated area for making crafts- the dining room table. There is lots of space
and multiple kids will have enough room to “create”. I also have hung up string on our chair rail
with clothespins attached. Projects that need to dry can immediately be hung up or completed
projects can be hung and displayed. Having the “Wall of Art” makes a great conversation piece
and sometimes serves as a review of what we have learned (snowflakes, rainbows, etc).

To make crafting more portable for my youngest, I made up a craft bag. I bought a
shower tote on clearance at Target (in the Back-to-College section). It’s perfect because there is
a vinyl lining (in case of spills), has lots of outside pockets and durable handles. I put crayons,
markers, glue sticks, safety scissors, bingo markers, ink pads, stamps, stickers in the outside
pockets. In the main compartment there are different types of paper. The bag is placed in our
craft closet and put at a level she can reach.

I find the best way to encourage art and crafts with your kids is keeping some basic
supplies on hand, designating a spot for creating and making some of the supplies accessible
for everyone. I would love to hear how you store your craft supplies, where you craft with your
kids and what craft supplies are a must in your house!