What I'd Put in and Why
When I surveyed readers on Fun at Home with Kids' Facebook page, most people were interested in me running a series of posts reviewing Discount School Supply products that culminated in a shopping list. If you haven't seen all of the posts in the series, here is a list of them:
10+ Ways to Use Fingerpaint
Make Your Own Puffy Paint Shirt
Like my Sensory Starter Kit shopping lists for Target and the Dollar Tree, I'll include what I would put in with a list of alternates.
Before we get into the list, I'd like to say the reason behind it is that Discount School Supply charges a bit for shipping (understandably, since paint is heavy!), unless you purchase $79 worth of supplies - then the shipping is free. I know that $79 sounds like a lot to spend, but the supplies last quite a long time. You guys know how often we use our liquid watercolors, and our bottles are still around half full. I generally find that if I plan well, one shipment from Discount School Supply will last us at least a year, if not longer.
Some other helpful money saving tips:
Discount School Supply's Facebook page announces a promo code for the week just about every Tuesday. You could also try submitting a craft/activity to their website - if your craft/activity is chosen, you'll be sent a $50 giftcard to use at Discount School Supply. And finally, don't feel like you need to buy every color of every paint. We generally stock 3-4 paints per color - the one exception being liquid watercolors. I definitely LOVE rainbows, so I had to have a full set of those. :)
All photos used courtesy of Discount School Supply
1. Liquid Watercolors
We use our liquid watercolors constantly (in lieu of food coloring, but also as watercolor paint). In fact, you can click here to see a long list of activities that feature them.
2. Washable Tempera Paints and/or Fingerpaints
If you have a very young child, fingerpaints may be the way to go. If your child is older - they may prefer tempera paints to fingerpaints. Fingerpaints are a bit goopier and are slightly translucent whereas tempera paints are much more like what you think of as a traditional paint (we have and love the Confetti Fingerpaints). S enjoys both, so we have a few colors in each type, but you may want to go all fingerpaints with an infant/toddler or all tempera paints with an older preschool aged child. For ideas on how to use these sort of paints beyond unstructured painting, check out our post on Painting the Bathroom Mirror and 10+ Ways to Use Fingerpaint
3. Paper
We have a butcher paper dispenser/rolls from Ikea that we use, and we alternate between using that, watercolor paper, and construction paper. Discount School Supply has really nice large sized high quality construction paper.
4. Brushes
Now that she's older, S likes having a variety of sizes of paintbrush to choose from. She would probably most enjoy this set currently. However, when she was younger, she really liked having chubbier brushes. She has been using the Wacky Painting Tools and Foam Rollers like crazy as well, so those are some other types of brushes to consider as well. And if you're going for a set of fingerpaints only, well, you already have the painting tools you need. :)
The above are sort of the base supplies necessary to create lots of art. Here are some added bonus supplies that are also fun:
5. Tissue Paper
We love using this in art projects - especially when making Contact Paper Window Art.
6. Contact Paper
To see all the ways we've used contact paper click here.
7. Make it More Additives
We used the Make it Shine to make our Golden Slime and we use the Make it Puffy to make our Puffy Paint Shirt. We love these and they're a fun way to make a set of paint even more exciting.
8. Biocolor Paint
You will want to get some of these if you're looking for permanent paints to use in a variety of settings with an older child. These were also necessary to make our Puffy Paint Shirt.
9. Plastic Glitter
We used this to make our Golden Slime and it's amazing. It is the best glitter I've seen. I love that it doesn't dump everywhere and that it is plastic and is therefore glass and metal free!
10. Seashells
We have a set of Medium Sea Shells that we use frequently in sensory bins and small worlds (you can see some of them in our Fizzing Hidden Ocean World!).
11. Stamp Ink
The Colorations Stamp Ink is truly the most washable stamp ink I've ever encountered. S enjoys inking her hands and stamping that way as well as using the stamps - so I REALLY appreciate that it doesn't stain her skin.
12. Kid Safety Scissors
S loves practicing her scissor skills and she is old enough/careful enough that we feel comfortable with her having metal safety scissors. We both appreciate how well/cleanly they cut. We also have some of the Colorations Plastic Scissors - which we love for playdough play. These plastic scissors are ultra safe - the blade is plastic - it won't cut hair, etc - but they do not cut paper (particularly thin paper) very cleanly because they are plastic. If you are concerned about your child getting hurt with scissors (or cutting their hair - ha!) then the plastic scissors may be a better choice.
13. Foam Paint
Well, I hope that gives you all plenty of options. I do not make any commission off of the sale of any of these products, nor was I paid to write this post (I did receive some free product to use in writing some of the previous posts, but was not asked or obligated to write this post) - I just am a fan of Discount School Supply and their product lines. We've tried a lot of paints/glitter/etc in the last four years, and these are hands down our favorites!
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Make Your Own Puffy Paint Shirt
Like my Sensory Starter Kit shopping lists for Target and the Dollar Tree, I'll include what I would put in with a list of alternates.
Before we get into the list, I'd like to say the reason behind it is that Discount School Supply charges a bit for shipping (understandably, since paint is heavy!), unless you purchase $79 worth of supplies - then the shipping is free. I know that $79 sounds like a lot to spend, but the supplies last quite a long time. You guys know how often we use our liquid watercolors, and our bottles are still around half full. I generally find that if I plan well, one shipment from Discount School Supply will last us at least a year, if not longer.
Some other helpful money saving tips:
Discount School Supply's Facebook page announces a promo code for the week just about every Tuesday. You could also try submitting a craft/activity to their website - if your craft/activity is chosen, you'll be sent a $50 giftcard to use at Discount School Supply. And finally, don't feel like you need to buy every color of every paint. We generally stock 3-4 paints per color - the one exception being liquid watercolors. I definitely LOVE rainbows, so I had to have a full set of those. :)
All photos used courtesy of Discount School Supply
1. Liquid Watercolors
2. Washable Tempera Paints and/or Fingerpaints
3. Paper
We have a butcher paper dispenser/rolls from Ikea that we use, and we alternate between using that, watercolor paper, and construction paper. Discount School Supply has really nice large sized high quality construction paper.
4. Brushes
The above are sort of the base supplies necessary to create lots of art. Here are some added bonus supplies that are also fun:
5. Tissue Paper
6. Contact Paper
7. Make it More Additives
8. Biocolor Paint
9. Plastic Glitter
10. Seashells
11. Stamp Ink
12. Kid Safety Scissors
S loves practicing her scissor skills and she is old enough/careful enough that we feel comfortable with her having metal safety scissors. We both appreciate how well/cleanly they cut. We also have some of the Colorations Plastic Scissors - which we love for playdough play. These plastic scissors are ultra safe - the blade is plastic - it won't cut hair, etc - but they do not cut paper (particularly thin paper) very cleanly because they are plastic. If you are concerned about your child getting hurt with scissors (or cutting their hair - ha!) then the plastic scissors may be a better choice.
13. Foam Paint
This foam paint is such a fun sensory experience. We also love playing with shaving cream paint, which is similar in appearance, but foam paint is much drier/fluffier in texture and the color is much richer. We love using our foam paint for full body painting (hands and feet at the same time!) and we have also made a beautiful 3D pretend cake with it.
Well, I hope that gives you all plenty of options. I do not make any commission off of the sale of any of these products, nor was I paid to write this post (I did receive some free product to use in writing some of the previous posts, but was not asked or obligated to write this post) - I just am a fan of Discount School Supply and their product lines. We've tried a lot of paints/glitter/etc in the last four years, and these are hands down our favorites!
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Please always supervise your infant/child at play. Please stay within arms reach and never leave infants/children unattended.
Thank you for this list. I've been wanting to make an order with DSS, but I could never figure out enough things I wanted to get the free shipping, and I wasn't sure about some of the brands I was unfamiliar with, so it's great to have all this info! The tip about the promo code on their Facebook page is really helpful, too...going to go Like them now!
ReplyDeleteYou're so welcome, Jessica! SO glad to hear that it's helpful. And I'm excited for you to make an order because I just know you will love what you get! :) :) :)
DeleteI've been wanting to try the liquid watercolors for about two years now, so I'm excited, too!
DeleteYou are going to LOVE them. I waited forever to try them, too, because of the price - but I'm so glad I finally bought them!!!!
DeleteHey Asia - we actually got a roll of 36" butcher paper from DSS and we do SO many projects with it. I don't know when the supply will actually run out - it seems endless - but I love it (I use it for making my own patterns too!)
ReplyDeleteThat's so great to hear, Rachael! I didn't have a chance to try their butcher paper and I hate recommending things I haven't tested first - so I am super glad to hear from someone who has! And this reminds me that I need to go read and pin your awesome teepee post!
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