Most people think that kids’ craft supplies are only for kids, but there are some awesome kids’ craft supplies that you should borrow from your kids for your own craft projects!
Part of what I like to do here at Little Red Window is help you think about crafting with a more flexible out-of-the-box mindset. After all, crafts are all about creativity but they also sometimes seem to have a lot of traditional “rules.” So today we’re chatting about craft supplies marketed for and loved by children that you can use to inspire and enhance your own adult crafting projects!
Why should I borrow craft supplies from my kids?
For one thing, you probably already have them at home, so you won’t need to buy anything new. It also helps us all to use what we already have because it’s better for the environment AND sticking to using what you have instead of buying new can really spur creativity and help you think outside the box. And thinking outside the box almost always leads to better craft projects!
Another great reason to borrow craft supplies from your kids is so that you can craft together. You certainly don’t have to make the same thing, but if you are using the same materials it’ll be fun!
And finally, I’m just gonna say it…kids’ craft supplies are cheaper. It’s true. And not necessarily lower quality either. It’s a big pro!
What kids’ craft supplies should I borrow from my kids?
- Glue Sticks
Glue sticks are marketed almost exclusively to children as school supplies and kids’ craft supplies. They’re much less messy than other adhesives, they dry quickly and they’re easy to use. They’ve even developed glue sticks that change from colored to clear when they dry so kids can see where they’re already applied them.
But glue sticks are also amazing for adults and you should definitely borrow them for your kids too! Because glue sticks dry quickly and aren’t messy they’re fantastic for paper crafts and scrapbooking among other things. They also work well to attach paper to cardboard which can be handy for a lot of adults crafts including DIY Halloween costumes or other cardboard crafts. The other major advantage to glue sticks for adult crafts is that when you used them for paper crafts, the paper won’t wrinkle as it dries like it will other wetter adhesives. - Pipe Cleaners (aka chenille stems)
Pipe cleaners are an iconic kids’ craft supplies. They’re colorful, easy to bend, easy cut if necessary and can be used in a million different ways on both 2D and 3D craft projects.
But adults shouldn’t ignore that bin of pipe cleaners either! Pipe cleaners are great to provide structure inside a craft project like my candy cane ornament. They have the advantage of being wire but also having a soft outside so they can be super handy for things like costumes. They’re great for 3D craft projects because they can be twisted and bended into both simple and more complex shapes. They can also be used for more sophisticated craft projects like adorable pipe cleaner animals or shockingly beautiful pipe cleaner flowers. Don’t sleep on the pipe cleaners! - Air Dry Clay
Obviously kids love air dry clay because there is no oven or kiln required and it’s easy to work with. It’s also cheap so parents might be more likely to give it to kids to make whatever masterpiece their little heart desires.
But art dry clay is an amazing craft supply for adults too! It think there’s a common misconception that art dry clay isn’t “real” clay and it’s too low-brow for adults. But if you get the right air dry clay, you can make amazing projects with it. My favorite air dry clay has an identical texture to regular clay, can be shaped into details shapes and can even be smoothed with water before it dries. Plus you can sand and paint it after it dries which is even better than “real” clay! Don’t snooze on air dry clay and consider using it for ornaments, coasters, trinket dishes, earrings, pendants or almost anything else you can think of. Just keep in mind it’s not food or dishwasher safe.
And hey, don’t even knock the super kid-targeted types of air dry clay like Crayola model magic or foam clay, because it’s lightweight it mades a fantastic, moldable base for all kinds of 3D crafts and sculptures! - Felt
When you buy the sheets of craft felt from the craft store, I think many of use, based on the cheap price assume it’s solely a kids’ craft supply. And indeed kids love to craft with felt, it comes in tons of bright colors, it’s easy to cut and it’s soft.
But lots of adults love crafting with felt too. And no, it’s doesn’t have to be 100% wool felt to qualify as an adult craft supply. Though, if that’s what you like, use it! Adults should love crafting with felt because you can use it for intricate detailing, creating texture in mixed media art, or crafting and sewing 2D or 3D shapes. Adult artists use felt to make incredible artwork like artist Lucy Sparrow who makes the most amazing and fun 3D felt foods and other items for huge and intricate interactive displays. But if you’re not that ambitious, use felt to make ornaments, collage, home decor or even stuffed animals! - Stickers
Of course tons of kids love stickers. They are easy to use, they’re colorful, they come in a million different styles and themes. They really are a fantastic kids’ craft supply.
But the scrapbookers and paper crafters among use will tell you, stickers aren’t just for kids anymore. Stickers are perfect for adding flair to planners, journals, or handmade cards. They can be used creatively to enhance various projects without the mess of traditional glue. And if you haven’t ever visited the sticker aisle at your local craft store because you thought stickers were for kids, take a look next time. There are incredible stickers (usually marketed to scrapbookers and paper crafters) and they come in a ton of colors, some are even interactive and 3D and they can range for simple alphabet typeface stickers to incredible intricate “stickers” that are more like tiny little flat sculptures! - Washable Markers
Of course when I say washable markers you probably think of the kid classic Crayola markers. And there’s a reason kids love them. They’re cheap, they come in bright fun colors and of course, they’re washable.
But don’t miss out on the “fancier” washable markers you can get nowadays. Kids can use them too but adults will enjoy nice washable markers for adult coloring books, doodling, zentangling, mandalas and creating intricate designs. And washability can be a handy feature for temporary projects. Washable markers are also great for adults because there’s usually less bleed through and they don’t have fumes like “adult” markers like alcohol ink markers or styptic markers. - Rubber Stamps
Kids love rubber stamps because they give you a lot of bang for your buck. One quick stamp results in a detailed image on your paper, they’re fun!
But one of the great thing about rubber stamps is that there isn’t a huge difference in stamps for kids vs. stamps for adults. And they come in SO many designs now. Adults can make their rubber stamp projects more sophisticated by using permanent inks or other techniques like heat embossing! - Washi Tape
While washing tape isn’t always marketed for kids, it’s a great kid craft supply because it’s fun, colorful, so easy to cut/rip and it’s repositionable.
But you should definitely snag your kids’ washi tape to use for your crafts because it’s great for adding decorative borders, creating patterns, or even as an alternative to traditional adhesive in planners, scrapbooking, and card-making.
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Craft and Knitwear Designer at Little Red Window Design
Welcome to Little Red Window! I’m Cassie, a professional craft and knitwear designer working in the field for more than 10 years. I have a degree in Art History from Northwestern University and a Master's Degree in Architecture and Design from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I've designed more than 300 separate knitting patterns, hundreds of craft projects, and I love to bring joy to your crafts and knitting with well-designed, easy to understand tutorials and patterns.
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