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The Best Art and Craft Gift Ideas for Preschoolers

Inside: the best art and craft supplies that serve as excellent gifts preschoolers and toddlers from ages two to four.

My three-year-old son Lennox has finally started to take an interest in arts and crafts. As a crafty mama, my heart is gleaming with joy.

I’m not sure if his second year of preschool is to credit or the fact that we have been locked away in the house searching endlessly for ideas to keep him entertained. Or, maybe it is a combination of both.

Regardless, he asks me to paint and color all the time. 

Ever since we have implemented loose parts into our household, I try to stray away from toys as much as possible, except for open-ended, multipurpose toys. That said, this Christmas, I plan on getting him arts and craft gifts.

Being in his preschool class with him on occasions as a cooperative helper, I have seen some of the best arts and crafts supplies and which ones the kids love the most!

That’s why today, I am going to share with you some of the most-loved arts and crafts supplies that will brighten up your preschooler’s Christmas this year.

Enjoy! In the comments at the end of this post, let me know which of these items you think your preschooler will love the most. Or, let me know if you have any recommendations that are not already on this list!

A list of Art Supplies for Preschoolers

Coloring Supplies

There are so many fun coloring options to choose from nowadays, but the most important thing you want to look for when purchasing supplies for preschoolers is that they are washable and non-toxic.

Here is a list of art supplies for preschoolers

In my opinion, you can never have too many crayons. One thing I love about crayons is that they don’t dry out. If your preschooler is anything like mine, markers don’t last in our house. The caps end up in one room and their counterparts, sad and dried-out in another. 

It is also essential to choose the right crayons.

 As an artsy gal, Crayola crayons are the only way to go. They draw smoothly, break less, and when they are worn and torn, you can repurpose them into fun crayon molds and use them as party or classroom holiday gifts.  

Check out my tutorial on how to easily make crayon molds here.

 When it comes to buying crafts, I say go big or go home. Eventually, you are going to buy more in the future. I recommend these crayons because they come with 240 crayons as well as storage for the crayons! 

If you’re looking for a smaller quantity, I recommend this two-pack of 24 count crayons. Use one as a stocking stuffer and the other as an Easter basket filler!

 My absolute favorite crayons are the Crayola Oil Pastels. They draw so smoothly and beautifully. They even come in a neon version!

If you want to go crayon crazy, here are some fun Crayola twistable crayons, and even better, try these Crayola twistable crayons with a silly scent!

With a younger toddler, try these large crayons or these Crayola My First Egg Crayons that allow for easier coloring. 

If your preschooler is struggling with a proper-writing grip, try these triangle-shaped crayons.

Here are some more fun crayons that your preschooler might enjoy in their stockings:

Markers

A list of art supplies for preschoolers

Markers are also an excellent choice for preschoolers, but make sure they are washable. Unless you want their artwork permanently muraled on walls, furniture, floors, and more.

Some markers are not as washable as advertised, so I recommend these ultra-clean washable markers to be safe.

Below is a list of fun washable Crayola markers you can add to your preschooler’s collection.

List of Art Supplies for Preschoolers

Paint

Paint is a preschooler favorite. It’s messy, sensory, and provokes creativity. I love watching all of the kids in Lennox’s class paint. Some are interested in mixing colors; some want to draw real-life things. 

Lennox loves to use both of his hands to cover every last bit of white on his paper. 

As with markers, you want to make sure you are purchasing washable paint.

One of my best pieces of advice with paint is to buy bigger. Paint is used up quickly with preschoolers. After one stroke of color, they are going back for more. 

I made the mistake of buying 2 ounces bottles last year, which did not last very long. For a couple of dollars more, I recommend investing in the 8 oz bottles of washable paint.

You can have your preschooler use their fingers with the washable paint or get them some paintbrushes. 

These no-spill paint cups are perfect for storing paint and maintaining a mess-free paint area. 

One of my favorite painting items is the tempera paint sticks. They create a painting effect, but without the mess, and they look like a marker!

Check out some more fun painting supplies below!

Dot Markers

Do-A-Dot Markers are another fun coloring resource for preschoolers. They can create their own art, or use a Do-A-Dot coloring book.

I have seen a lot of bloggers offer free Do-A-Dot coloring pages. It is something I am interested in doing in the future.

Below you can find some thematic Do-A-Dot coloring books

A list of art supplies for preschoolers

Coloring surfaces

To use your coloring supplies, you will need a surface, so below are some recommendations for the best coloring surfaces.

At home, I usually let Lennox color at the table or his toddler table. 

I recommend this toddler table. It is made out of wood and has storage underneath the table and chairs, perfect for all of the coloring utensils. 

At school, Lennox paints at an easel. This Melissa & Doug Wooden Easel is great for preschoolers. It is double-sided, with a chalkboard on one side, and it includes clips to attach paper for your preschooler to paint. It has a shelf at the bottom where you could put the no-spill paint cups.

Coloring books are also a great option, and are great gifts

Want free coloring pages? I have a collection of free seasonal printables for kids. All you have to do is subscribe and you will have complete access to our free printable library!

Below are some great paper ideas on which your preschooler can color.

A list of art supplies

Molding Art Supplies

Another fun and sensory way to create art with preschoolers is with molding supplies such as playdoh or clay.

Try this fun peppermint slime recipe!

Lennox and his papi love to create cute little animals out of Play Doh. Check out their cool sssnake!

A list of the best art supplies for preschoolers

There are so many fun tools and gadgets to use with molding supplies. I’ll list a few below.

More art supplies to inspire creativity in preschoolers

There are many other household supplies you can use to art and craft with your preschooler. Popsicle sticks are a great option. We created a bunch of fun spider crafts out of popsicle sticks last Halloween. We also repurposed an old planner and made animal popsicle puppets. Lennox loved the imaginary play! 

Craft pom poms and pipe cleaners are also a lot of fun. They can be used as crafts, sorting activities, or can form part of a tinker tray like the Christmas Tinker Tray we did last Christmas. 

Don’t forget about the googly eyes or glue for all of those fun crafts! These googly eye stickers are fun for fine motor work!

If you want to seal your precshooler’s work, it’s important to have some contact paper on hand.

Magnets are also useful for hanging fun seasonal crafts on the fridge!

Felt and foam sheets are handy for crafting as well!

For paper crafts and to work on your preschooler’s fine motor development, safety scissors are a must! I just bought him this fun Scissor Skill Activity workbook for Christmas, but some of my free printables include cutting practice for preschoolers if you are looking for free resources.  

Related post: 5 Sensory and Fine Motor Fall Crafts for Toddlers

Stamps are also a great way for preschoolers to explore the transference of materials. Melissa & Doug have many thematic wooden stamps that invite your preschooler to stamp their own scene. I bought this vehicle stamp set for Lennox, and he created a little town!

Below are some of Melissa & Doug’s thematic wooden stamp set

With a creative mind, anything can be used! The next time you are tidying up around the house, make a box full of random household items and go to Pinterest for some crafting inspiration!! Check out some posts below use household items in preschool crafts.

Here’s a list of household items that can be used in crafts:

  • Toilet paper rolls
  • Tin cans
  • Boxes
  • Cereal boxes
  • Caps
  • Cotton Balls
  • Cue Tips
  • Egg Cartons
  • String

smock is definitely a must if you have an extremely sloppy artist, which most of them are at this age! I recommend these smocks. There are two in the set, and they come with pockets to keep all of your preschooler’s tiny tools nearby!

Gift sets

Lastly, since Christmas is right around the corner, I wanted to mention some gift sets that include a combination of some of the items mentioned earlier in the post

Related post: The Ultimate List of Stocking Stuffers That Will Time Hop Your Children Back to the 90s

Well, I think I covered most of the essentials, I am sure if I kept looking I could find more and more.

Other posts you might enjoy:

I hope you enjoyed this post and find some items that will put a big smile on your preschooler’s face. Stay on the lookout for more crafty posts because I have a lot more coming your way!

Don’t forget to leave me a comment below with your thoughts, concerns or questions, and don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for daily updates on Bilingual parenting, Spanish printables, play-based toddler activities, artsy inspiration and mucho más!