Toddler Art Supplies I Actually Use (Parent + Teacher Approved)
Let’s be honest, toddlers aren’t making masterpieces. Most of the time, they’re smearing, tearing, mixing, pouring, and abandoning projects halfway through snack time.
But that doesn’t mean art doesn’t matter.
In fact, open-ended art exploration is one of the best things toddlers can do. It’s not about creating something “pretty” or even “complete”—and definitely not about following steps to get a final product that looks like the example. It’s about process. About learning how materials behave. About fine motor practice, hand strength, color recognition, spatial awareness, sensory input, emotional expression… and honestly, just plain joy.
Not every child is going to be an artist—but all children benefit from making art.
As someone who’s taught toddler classes (ages 2–4) for years, and also as a parent who has to clean up after those projects at home, I care a lot about the art supplies I keep around. I want materials that invite experimentation, work reliably, and don’t drive me nuts. And I’ve learned to stay away from most “toddler” art kits that promise easy cleanup but offer very little creative value.
I stick to a few guiding rules:
- Real materials over flimsy “kid” versions
- Water-based and washable (I’m not a hero)
- Open-ended possibilities, not craft kits with instructions
- And always, freedom to explore without correction
So here it is—my list of go-to toddler art supplies. These are things I’ve used with dozens of toddlers in group settings and the ones I’ve kept using at home with my own child.
While this list will be focused on toddlers and home supplies, I’ve also put together my favourite classroom art supplies, as well as a list of great gifts for creative kids.
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The Best Toddler Art Supplies for Open-Ended Play
Table of Contents
Watercolor or Mixed Media Paper
Paper matters more than you’d think. Cheap sheets curl, tear, and get soggy fast—especially when toddlers go heavy with paint or glue (which they will). I stick with thick watercolor or mixed media paper.
It holds up, it dries flat, and you can reuse scraps for collage or printing later.
Have you ever heard of collographs? Here are some ideas on how to reuse paper scraps:
Xuan Paper
Often mistaken for rice paper, Xuan paper is something else entirely. It’s made from bark fibers (usually from the blue sandalwood tree) and has been used in Chinese painting and calligraphy for centuries.
What makes it special is how it absorbs water and pigment—slowly and beautifully—so toddlers can watch colors spread and blend right on the page. It’s inexpensive, durable when wet, and perfect for ink, watercolor, or gouache.
Here are some project ideas to get you started:
- Paper sculpture: Engaging Process art for Toddlers and Kids
- The Complete Guide to Chinese Rubbing Art: Tayin Techniques, History, and Materials
Gouache Paint (or Tempera Paint)
Most toddler paints are frustrating—they don’t mix well, turn to brown quickly, and only come in a handful of basic shades. I use real gouache instead. It’s non-toxic, water-based, and easy to dilute. The colors are rich, they blend beautifully, and they dry quickly.
To keep things manageable, I usually offer just three colors at a time. It cuts down on mess and gives toddlers a chance to make real choices—what colors do they want to use? What happens when they mix them? That decision-making is part of the creative process too.
Here are a few projects and techniques to try:
- Kandinsky Circles Lesson for Kids: Practical color theory
- Red Watercolor Art Inspired by Louise Bourgeois
Oil Pastels (and White Crayons)
Oil pastels are one of my favorite tools for toddlers. They’re super saturated, smooth to apply, and offer that perfect balance between strong pigment and low mess. Even very young kids can get bold, satisfying marks without pressing hard.
They’re also perfect for resist painting. Just draw first, then brush over with diluted gouache or watercolor—the pastel lines will pop through the wash. It’s an easy, process-based activity that always feels a little magical. I always keep a few white crayons or pastels on hand too—they’re especially fun for hidden drawings that only appear once paint is added.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Wax Resist Art for Kids: Whimsical Cityscapes
- How to Create a Wax Resist Winter Landscape Inspired by Hundertwasser
Soft Brushes (Or None at All)
I do like using soft watercolor brushes—especially ones with natural bristles or calligraphy-style tips—but honestly, they’re not essential. In fact, in many of my toddler classes we skipped brushes altogether. Fingers, sponges, sticks, bits of fabric… anything can become a tool.
At this age, it’s less about “how” to paint and more about what happens when you touch a surface with color. Toddlers don’t need tools that teach control—they need materials that invite movement, texture, and curiosity.
Here are some “alternative brushes” to try:
- Printmaking with Found Objects: Exploring Shapes & Textures with Kids
- 9 Creative & Easy Art Projects for Kids with Recycled Materials to Try at Home
Plastilina (Modeling Clay That Doesn’t Dry Out)
This is my go-to modeling material for toddlers. Plastilina is soft, doesn’t dry out, and doesn’t leave crumbs everywhere. It’s easy for little hands to shape, flatten, roll, and poke—perfect for open-ended sensory play that doesn’t require cleanup the moment they walk away.
One of my favorite toddler projects was using plastilina to create flat textured designs—lines, shapes, objects—and then pouring plaster over them to make permanent prints.
The results were always beautiful, and toddlers loved peeling the clay away to reveal their “real” artwork underneath. It quickly became one of my most requested classes.
Foam clay is another great alternative to try!
- Keith Haring-Inspired Art Project: Plaster Art for Kids
- How to Create Foam Clay Rooster Sculpture with Kids
Polymer Clay
Polymer clay can work really well with toddlers—especially if you let go of the idea of sculpting and instead focus on shape and line. We’d often roll the clay into little coils and use them to doodle directly onto a flat surface.
To keep things simple, I’d offer just a few colors and focus on form rather than mixing. I also gave them old ceramic tiles to work on, so their creations could go straight into the oven without having to be moved.
Elmer’s Glue (The Teacher’s Best Friend)
There’s a reason this stuff shows up in every classroom: it just works. Elmer’s white glue is non-toxic, washable, and endlessly versatile. We’ve used it for everything from classic papier-mâché and collage to hardening yarn into standing thread sculptures.
One small reminder: rinse your brushes well right after using it. Once it dries in the bristles, they’re done for.
Here are some non conventional elmer glue projects:
- Squish it, smash it, soak it! Paper pulp sculpting with kids
- Matisse Inspired Art Activity: Three-Dimensional Still Life
Recycled & Reclaimed Materials
With the right attitude, anything can become an invitation to create. I always keep a small stash of clean, everyday materials on hand—nothing fancy. Just things that would otherwise be thrown away, now given a second life in the art corner.
Toddlers love real materials, and there’s no pressure to make something “pretty” with them. We use them for building, gluing, stamping, pouring, wrapping—whatever the day calls for.
Some of my staples include: cardboard rolls, boxes, takeout containers, fabric scraps, straws, chopsticks, thread, egg cartons, syringes, and bubble wrap. I especially like using take out containers to hold water, glue, or paint—easy to reuse a few times and toss when they’re past their prime.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Monochromatic Sculpture for Kids: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creative Exploration!
- 9 Creative & Easy Art Projects for Kids with Recycled Materials to Try at Home
What About Pencils, Scissors, and Erasers?
For toddlers, I don’t consider any of these essential.
Scissors are a useful skill, but not urgent. For most projects, I actually prefer to let toddlers tear paper freely. It’s more intuitive, builds hand strength, and doesn’t require direct supervision.
As for pencils and erasers, we don’t use them. Not even with older kids in the studio. There’s no need to “fix” anything in early artmaking. Erasing implies there’s a right and wrong version of the work—and that’s not what this stage is about. I’d much rather let toddlers make big, bold marks and keep moving forward.
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