Art & Craft Supplies - Some Tips for Newbies!
Author: villaget Date Posted:22 November 2013
Crayons - Some crayons are way to hard for children under 5 to use. They can be frustrating in that they don't leave many marks on paper at all! Small thin crayons also break easily so go for crayons which are at least 13mm in diameter.
Chalk - If you must do chalk sticks avoid the skinny hard chalks. Children will be addicted to snapping them into pieces - Why you ask? Answer: Because it sounds great and they can! For children under 5 Micador Egg Chalk is just awesome - its easy to hold and it can't be broken so it goes along way! Save the thicker stick chalk for the older kids.
Dot Markers - Pre-schools and toddlers can have alot of fun with quality dot markers. Available in many colours a dot marker can be used to create lots of different art and craft.
Oil Pastels - With a smooth texture and vivid colours oil pastels can be used to create the effect of an oily chalk and they are lovely to draw with.
Paint Brushes - A good quality paint brush is a must. We have found that Micador's Early Start Bubble Gum brushes are a real favourite and are easy for toddlers to use! However, equally important is the cleaning that needs to follow afterwoods! Avoid leaving your brushes to dry out or leaving them too long to soak will ensure the metal holding the brush will quickly rust!
[caption id="attachment_28" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Just right for toddlers![/caption]
Textas - Technology has come along way. For little people say under 3, the temptation is always there to push on the nibs, and you guessed it once this happens its straight to the bin! Do try Micador's sink proof markers which are guaranteed to be sink proof and also have extra large ink barrels for long lasting colours!
Staples and staplers - Use medium sized staplers say 10-15cm long as the smallest size breaks easily and the larger ones are too hard to press down.
Scissors - Cheap inferior scissors just don't cut it!! They will soon not cut and will only tear paper creating frustrating times for little ones. Scissors that have blunt ends and open to a maximum 80 degrees are far safer than pointy scissors! Do accommodate the "lefties"! Given that 10% of the population is left handed it makes sense to have tools that are more comfortable for left handers and are actually able to be used in the left hand! Try our Micador scissors for lefties and righties!
[caption id="attachment_27" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Consider all the lefties in the world![/caption]
Dot Markers - Pre-schools and toddlers can have alot of fun with quality dot markers. Available in many colours a dot marker can be used to create lots of different art and craft.
Oil Pastels - With a smooth texture and vivid colours oil pastels can be used to create the effect of an oily chalk and they are lovely to draw with.
Paint Brushes - A good quality paint brush is a must. We have found that Micador's Early Start Bubble Gum brushes are a real favourite and are easy for toddlers to use! However, equally important is the cleaning that needs to follow afterwoods! Avoid leaving your brushes to dry out or leaving them too long to soak will ensure the metal holding the brush will quickly rust!
[caption id="attachment_28" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Just right for toddlers![/caption]
Textas - Technology has come along way. For little people say under 3, the temptation is always there to push on the nibs, and you guessed it once this happens its straight to the bin! Do try Micador's sink proof markers which are guaranteed to be sink proof and also have extra large ink barrels for long lasting colours!
Staples and staplers - Use medium sized staplers say 10-15cm long as the smallest size breaks easily and the larger ones are too hard to press down.
Scissors - Cheap inferior scissors just don't cut it!! They will soon not cut and will only tear paper creating frustrating times for little ones. Scissors that have blunt ends and open to a maximum 80 degrees are far safer than pointy scissors! Do accommodate the "lefties"! Given that 10% of the population is left handed it makes sense to have tools that are more comfortable for left handers and are actually able to be used in the left hand! Try our Micador scissors for lefties and righties!
[caption id="attachment_27" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Consider all the lefties in the world![/caption]
- Glue Sticks - ideal for paper alone
- Clear Gum - paper, cardboard and some textiles
- Craft PVA - best for paper, cardboard, wood, and textiles
