Art Supplies Every Young Artist Should Have at Home

When it comes to raising a creative kiddo, you don’t need to spend a fortune at the craft store or buy every shiny new thing that pops up in your feed. The truth is, a few thoughtfully chosen supplies can unlock a whole world of imagination right at your kitchen table. Whether your child is a doodler, a painter, or a “cut-everything-into-tiny-pieces” kind of artist, here are some tried-and-true art supplies I recommend for every home. At the bottom, I've included a printable PDF checklist that you can take with you on the go for your art supply shopping trip!

1. Drawing Basics

• Pencils: A simple pack of #2 pencils is great for sketching - and you can create a wide range of value with just one simple pencil! Ticonderoga are my brand of choice - and they are easily available in a variety of stores, like Walmart, Target, and online at Blick Art Materials and Amazon!

  • If your child is already showing remarkable ability with pencil sketching, and you want to help them step it up, look for a set of sketching pencils with different hardness levels (you’ll see them labeled H, HB, B, etc.). This helps kids experiment with using different pencils for lighter vs. darker lines, beyond what is achievable with their basic #2.

• Erasers: Don’t underestimate the power of a good eraser. A white plastic eraser or a kneaded eraser will give them way more control than the pink nub on the end of a pencil. Besides, some pencils have awful erasers. I am a self-proclaimed eraser snob. Just trust me! Find them online at Blick or Amazon!

2. Paper Types

I don't like to overthink paper at first. It can feel overwhelming... there are different papers recommended for all the things! Stop the googling, and stop trying to find the perfect paper for every single thing. Your artist can draw and paint at home with just a few types of paper on hand.

• Printer paper: I am a BIG fan of encouraging the use of printer paper whenever possible. It's affordable, it is easy to keep a lot on hand, and is great for experimenting and practicing, building a habit of making art. When it comes to getting started, don't overthink it. Just grab some printer paper and go! When you're ready to start using more archival papers for those in-depth projects, or want to incorporate paints or other media, then consider keeping the following on hand:

  • My printer paper recommendation: The GREEN Hammermill Premium Color Copy paper is the GOAT for casual drawing practice. It works great with markers, too - even alcohol markers! For a long time, I used the orange pack, which is also pretty good - but the green pack is by far the number one pick - especially if your child will explore alcohol markers. Far less bleed and feathering with the green pack paper. If you can't find it in any local stores, you can find it on Amazon.

• A Sketchbook - This is only necessary if your child is interested in pencil sketching. If they are only into markers or crayons or painting right now, then skip it. For exploring pencil sketching or colored pencil art, a sketchbook with thicker paper makes kids feel official and gives your kids a special place to keep all their ideas in one spot. You can find options in-store at many retailers, or check out Blick's options. Of course there is always Amazon as well!

  • Note: sketchbook paper has a texture that is great for pencil, but not for marker. For best care of your art supplies, teach your child to use their sketchbook for pencil art, and different paper for their marker art!

• A mixed media pad of paper is a big step up from your printer paper. This paper is often a larger size, providing more space for creativity. It works well for many types of wet and dry media. This could be a go-to for drawing, acrylic painting, coloring, mosaic, and more! Using this paper for projects that you might like to hang up to display is a great idea! You can find these in person in the art section of most stores, or online at Blick or Amazon. You can also utilize cardstock if that's something you have on hand!

• Watercolor paper: it is really a must to use watercolor paper for watercolor paint exploration. This paper can handle the amount of water saturating it during the painting process, and will allow your child to explore wet on dry or wet on wet techniques. You can purchase watercolor paper in a pad or loose. Sometimes it's easier to buy a pad of different paper types just for storage purposes. The cover of the book provides an easy label for your child to identify the paper type and the book keeps the paper safe inside.
  Find at Blick or Amazon if you want to shop online.

3. Color Tools

• Crayons and Colored Pencils: Classics for a reason! They’re low-mess and versatile. I especially love colored pencils for layering and shading. I have found that the quality of the colored pencil can really make or break the experience. A low-quality colored pencil can cause frustration in the child (and an adult like me!) when trying to work with it. This can cause inaccurate assumptions like, "I don't like using colored pencils", resulting in future avoidance. I've never been let down by Prismacolor colored pencils. I've also recently been using Ohuhu oil-based colored pencils, which have been really great as well. For children I would go for the Prismacolor, which are soft wax-based pencils. It requires less strength to get a nice blend as they are a softer pencil. They have such a lovely saturation and blendability compared to most of those "back-to-school" brands you may see advertised. You can find Prismacolor pencils at many retailers, or online at Blick and Amazon. Prismacolor also makes a hand sharpener that works GREAT with their soft pencils. You do not want to put these types of pencils in an electric sharpener as it can damage the inside.

• Markers:

  • Washable markers are a parent’s best friend, especially if you’re worried about doodles ending up on more than paper. There are many affordable options - including Crayola Super Tips, which come in so many colors that it will keep your child busy exploring them all for some time. These markers generally don't bleed through paper, unless you over-saturate. You have to be careful with this - if your child wants to layer colors, the paper may tear from too much water.

  • If your child is ready to level up their coloring, try alcohol markers. These come at a higher price tag, but are also a completely unique art tool. Alcohol markers can be blended and layered - no more paper tears from over-saturating the paper. You can color over the same spot again and again. If you haven't already explored #colortok, then check it out and you'll see all of the creative and mind-blowing special effects that can be made using alcohol markers. These markers will bleed through most papers, so it's important to have an extra sheet of paper behind the one you work on. Maybe even two! Or, you can use a sheet of parchment paper (from your kitchen!) behind it as well. Works great! The best quality alcohol markers will be Copic, Ohuhu, and Blick. If you're not sure your child will use them and want to try a less spendy starter pack, try Caliart, Shuttle Art, or Sfaih. If they really get into it, then it might be worthwhile to invest in one of the better quality markers! With those pricier professional options, they are also refillable, which is a bonus!

4. Paints and Brushes

• Watercolor Paints: A simple pan set is perfect for everyone. I like to keep it simple. If your child falls in love with watercolor and wants to upgrade to a better paint later, then great! But even I still use inexpensive "kid" pans to teach all of my watercolor lessons! You can find the most affordable options at retailers or on Amazon. I use this UNDER $10 48-color set!

• Acrylic Paints: Great for painting on paper, cardboard, or even old jars and rocks. They dry quickly and are super versatile. You can find them by the bottle in many stores, or a packaged set of bottles or tubes. I would say choose based on how you'd like to store them. I find it a bit easier to store the tubes than the bottles, myself.

• Brushes: A mixed pack with a few different sizes (round, flat, small detail) goes a long way. Don’t forget a cup for water and an old rag or paper towels! You can find a lot of options at many retailers in person or online. While there are technically different brushes made for different types of painting, it's my philosophy that when your child is exploring painting, it's best to just use what you've got and get started - don't overthink it or wait to have the "right" supplies. Just get creating with what you have!

5. Collage + Craft Essentials

• Glue Sticks + White Glue: Both are handy. Glue sticks for paper projects, liquid glue for sturdier creations.

• Scissors: A good pair of child-safe scissors is a must. For older kids, upgrade to sharper craft scissors so they don’t shred their paper.

• Odds and Ends: Save cardboard, magazines, tissue paper, egg cartons, and other recyclables. Kids see treasure where adults see trash.

6. Bonus Supplies That Feel Extra Special

• White Gel Pen: Perfect for highlights, doodles, and making their art pop. I love these.

• Black Fineliner Pens: These are a game-changer for leveling up drawings before using marker. Get that clean and crisp cartoon or graphic novel look! I have this set, and it's very versatile!

• Canvas: Not required, but kids feel like “real artists” when they get to use their acrylic paints on a real canvas. This is not something I generally use or teach with, but it can feel very special and elevated for your young artist to work on - especially after demonstrating an interest in acrylic painting on their mixed media paper or cardstock.

A Quick Note for Parents

You don’t need everything on this list at once. Start simple, add new supplies little by little, and let your child’s interests guide what you pick up next. What matters most is that they have a space to create and permission to make a mess (within reason 😉).

When your child has access to the right tools, their creativity blooms. They’ll surprise you with what they come up with—and maybe even inspire you to sit down and join them.

Download and print this PDF for an easy checklist. Extra spaces to add your own extra supply ideas!