Toddler craft supply essentials?

[Magneto]

I'm thinking of going out at the weekend and putting together a box of craft essentials for ds so we can break it out each afternoon and have a play while I cook tea. He doesn't understand "projects" yet, he just likes making a mess so I have on my list; paint, playdoh and felt tip pens (he already has crayons and pencils), plus paintbrushes, lots of paper, cookie cutters and some wipe clean tablecloths!

But now I'm all out of ideas!

What would you add to the box?

Stickers. And then some more stickers. And maybe even more stickers after that. I bought a giant box of foam ones all shaped like different vehicles and one of the easiest ways to fill an hour is to get a huge bit of paper off a roll, draw a wiggly road on it and then he sticks them all along it.

Stickers sound like a great idea thanks!

children's scissors, pva glue (and a yog pot or similar and a gluespreader or 2) and gluesticks

keep a tupperware for bits for sticking - cut up colourful envelopes, magazines, add bits from crackers, birthday cards, string, sequins, any odd little bits.
THen, when he wants to make something, you can whip out the box of bits, find a 'bottom thing' to stick them on to (a box, piece or paper or card, back of a large envelope...) and hand over the glue. Quick and easy.

If you like you can then cut out a pleasing bit of his collage, stick on on a folded piece of card and voila, a birthday card for a doting relly!

zgaze oh. My. God. That is the best idea I ever heard.
Where does everyone get stickers?

I'm with PandaG on the cutting up of bits and bobs. Also the inside of loo roll/kitchen roll. Googlie eyes, glitter, feathers, pom poms, pipe cleaners etc etc

Tissue paper is great too, our local £1 shop do a great big mixed bundle.

I keep buttons and beads of broken jewellery in a jar too, obv for when a bit older, but by then we will have a good stash.

Ribbon's cut off from clothes are good too. And stamps, ask relatives to collect them up.

Yes to glue and scissors.

Some colouring books - even if I end up doing most of the colouring!

Poundland is often good for mixed packs of bits. And we do general stickers from the supermarket, or poundland, wilkos, B&M bargins and those types of places. If you want something special, get to a hobbycraft or on line.

And get a big roll of value wall lining paper (the stuff you put on the walls underneath wallpaper if you have bad plaster). We've had hours of entertainment similar to zgaze, or drawing round the child, and then getting them to draw their clothes on.

Factor in the time to clear up afterwards - I often find that takes more time than the arty stuff. Luckily he loves sweeping up mess!

This is good for foam stickers

I get ours from Hobbycraft, The Range (think this is where the transport ones were from, a big tub of 500 for £4.99), lots of pound shop type places and Wilkos.

Oh and these www.amazon.co.uk/Melissa-Doug-Sticker-Collection-Blue/dp/B002W5U03S are awesome, there's a few different ones

Homebargains is your friend.

They have loads and loads of sequins, beads, stickers, paint, playdoh is dirt cheap there.

The craft sequins and things are 19p for 5 test tubes full.

Great idea to create stand-by emergency box!

plastic straws
tissue paper (to make in to little balls and stick on)
plastic apron
glue that dries clear (forgotten what its called - starts off white)
glue sticks
cotton wool balls
stuff you don't have to buy (eg old yoghurt pots, foil and transparent coloured sweet wrappers, cardboard tubes, egg boxes, corrugated card, bubble wrap, clean feather)
bendy pipe cleaners
cardboard of various thicknesses and colours

this company is really good with a terrific range of products. Especially good for parties (check out craft supplies under loads of different themes). They take at least a week and a bit to order though (but I live abroad so possibly less to UK).

here baker ross are amazing!! I use them a lot for gifts.

Loads of ideas here

We have an art "drawer"
I have to say that for an unattended toddler, the idea of paint or pva glue gives me palpitations! Although it depends on the toddler I guess!

Mine love making "cards" - so folded paper and cheap envelopes - they find that outrageously exciting. Stickers are always good. pritt stick - although again depends on the toddler. DD1 got on with it "properly", DD2 smears it all over her face, the chair and any surrounding surfaces Loads of great ideas on here

Oh yes and keep cardboard boxes, cereal boxes and stuff.
Sellotape on a dispenser!!! They can't do it themselves as a toddler but my children both love sellotape!

also we got these felt tip pens recently, they are lasting better than the previous ones!

i try and direct them to the crayons and pencils but only felt tips cut the mustard, and I can't really blame them TBH...

also what they love with play-doh is a rolling pin of some sort and a knife (blunt-ish) and a fork, to chop up and make patterns.