In case you missed it, I recently decorated a few crafty toolboxes for my daughters and they love them! So many of you have been asking what I put in them and how I organise them, so I thought I would share.
Personally, I’ve always found that one of the easiest ways to get kids into arts and crafts is to make their supplies accessible. The problem is that it can quickly become messy, which is where these craft toolboxes come in. I’ve packed them full of creative supplies and usually leave them out on the table the night before so the girls can dive straight in when they wake up. I swear it transforms the chaos in our house! (For context, I have a 4 and 7-year-old, so things can get a little crazy.)
The best part about these toolboxes is that they’re basically portable art stations. Everything the girls need for creative play is stored in one easy-to-carry spot, making it simple for them to grab their toolbox and get started independently. Anddd one of my favourite things to keep in the toolbox is a selection of worksheets from our Craft Cabin course.
If you’re unfamiliar, Craft Cabin is a ten-day creative adventure your kids can join from home, designed to spark imagination, independence and hands-on making. Each day, your child joins for a guided video filled with storytelling, simple supplies and crafty challenges! It’s perfect for parents who want to encourage creativity but don’t always have the time, energy or confidence to come up with activities themselves.
I like to print out a few of the warm-up activities and store them inside the box so they’re always ready to go. They’re perfect for a little morning activity, a quiet-time task, or those moments when you need something engaging to keep little hands busy while you get a few things done. The girls love pulling out a worksheet and working through it with their craft supplies.
Let me preface this list by saying that we have SO MANY craft supplies in our house, but we treat these craft boxes like little portable craft stations and they are especially great for plonking in the middle of the dinner table or kitchen bench so that kids can craft away and be kept amused while I’m doing other things in the house. I especially love them because they hold, organise and also disguise what can be a somewhat messy experience.
What’s inside their toolboxes:
– Stickers for decorating
– Markers for drawing and colouring
– Stamp markers
– Coloured pencils
– Colour crayons
– Oil pastels
– Watercolour travel set
– Water brush pen
– Edgers scissors
– Mini stapler
– Pencil sharpener
– Glue stick
– Rubbers
– Coloured paper
– Craft Cabin worksheets
I keep scissors, rubbers, pencil sharpeners, glue sticks and stickers in the top section of the toolbox. Then, the first drawer is dedicated to drawing supplies like markers, oil pastels, crayons and pens. When it comes to drawing tools, get whatever has the strongest colour for the age of your child. If they are young, opt for good quality pencils, Faber-Castell or Micador ones. As kids get older, bright colours become even more important because they’re often what keeps them motivated and excited to create, so I like to give them Oil Pastels, you can get washable ones which are great.
At the bottom in the second drawer I put painting supplies, but no actual paint and I leave that for days when I set up outside. I have small watercolours and these water brushes. You just fill it with water, so good! The last drawer contains coloured paper and worksheets!
That’s our portable craft kit. These are are lovely as a gift or for your own little one!
