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Craft supplies, whether for you, your kids or for you to use together, can get really expensive. But there are lots of great things you can find at the dollar store or other discount outlets that will get you and your kids creating together without spending a lot of money.
Some of these are things you’d expect, but there are some treasures to be found in the aisles, too. Come along with me and see.
My $10 Challenge
I decided to see what I could buy at the dollar store for craft projects using $10 (I cheated a little because I bought 10 things, so with tax it was a little more than $10, but still).
Here’s what I came up with.
- Paper goods. You can find all sorts of coloring books (which are great for car trips!), construction paper, notepads and more at the dollar store. I picked up an Elmo coloring book, because my daughter’s still in that phase (though she doesn’t use coloring books much), a 200-sheet little lined paper notebook and a three-in-one half-sheet sized collection of construction paper, “scribble paper” and tracing paper, which will be great for a lot of projects.
- Stickers. We already have a lot of stickers, but I couldn’t resist this page of 25 sea creatures, some of whom have googly eyes. What fun!
- Markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc. There are lots of different kinds of crayons, pencils and other drawing/coloring goodies at the dollar store. I figured a pack of crayons would be great for traveling and using with that coloring book. My girl also loves coloring with highlighters, so since she’s stolen all of mine, maybe we can share this package.
- Glue. You can never really have too much glue when there are kids around, and you’ll find lots of options at the dollar store. I picked a pack of colored glue sticks, just for fun.
- Stamps and ink pads. I was surprised by the variety of stamps available at the store I visited, and I couldn’t resist a roller stamp. That will be a lot of fun for both of us to play with. And a purple ink pad, because purple is her favorite color.
- A bag to put it all in. This cute little canvas bag came with markers to color it with, or you can use any fabric markers or crayons you have in your stash.
Most of these things are great for open-ended projects, but in the coming months I’ll be sharing some more specific things you can do with inexpensive items. The main thing is that you don’t let a limited budget keep you from buying a few things so you can get creative with your kids. Drawing time is a really great time to talk without a lot of pressure and it’s time that you’ll both/all come to cherish.
Have you scored any great craft supplies at the dollar store? I’d love to hear about it!
