Looking for an Art Cart to Organize Kid Art Supplies? I was. It was time to get the loose stickers off the ground and put the scattered markers in an art cart. Everything needed a home.
You see, we once had an organization system for art supplies, and quite frankly, that system was no longer working. It was broken and needed to be fixed before someone slipped on a stapler. So here we are, all tidied up and ready to rock and roll with my art supply cabinet tips!
RELATED: Love art as much as we do? 20+ craft supplies will get you started!
What Should be Included in a Preschool Art Supply Cabinet?
I am here for you! These basic art supplies will help your budding artist have a creative space to explore new ideas. Before we get into what’s INSIDE the organization, read this first.
Involve Your Children in the Art Supply Cabinet Set-up
I assure you, this was not the easiest task. In fact, it was a lot of redirecting and refocusing. Catch our Instagram stories for some behind-the-scenes how this all went down. For one, my three-year-old was certain the bottom drawer would be used for his Matchbox cars.
No worries; we eventually worked together and finished everything in our art supplies storage cabinet. This is all part of the process. Pick a Saturday when everyone is home or your next rainy day.
Why Include Kids to Fill the Art Cart?
Investment. When children are involved in the decision process, they are MORE LIKELY to keep the art supply cabinet tidy and put the stamp markers back with the stamp markers.
The entire point of organizing art supplies is that the art supplies have a place to call home.
When children understand the system, they are more likely to use it!!!
Start Your Art Cart with Markers
This also makes a fantastic Breakfast Invitation.
- Label one bin with a happy face – this represents the markers that work.
- Label the other bin with a sad face – this represents the markers that no longer work.
- Allow your child to test and sort the markers – getting them involved is good.
- Throw away the markers that no longer work – your kids can help with this step too!
- Sort the markers that do – a great additional activity that helps with math and problem-solving.
Both my toddler and five-year-old came back and forth with this activity as the boys shifted their attention. Keep in mind; it is age-appropriate for your child to lose interest and return. Toward the end, I sat with them to finish the job.
Incorporating art (like this watercolor painting idea) into every day is a gift we do not want to take away from our children. That’s why an art supply cabinet is a must!
A Kids Art Cart Needs Glue
Don’t let this scare you. Remember, you have been scooping and pouring, throwing, and squeezing. You have been doing these things to help with life skills such as this. Just like cleaning out the marker drawer, let them fill the glue. Did it spill? Yep.
But this was only after I didn’t screw on the cap tightly. One pour at a time helps children gain self-confidence and thrive.
Art is a big deal over here; you can find everything from process to product art here. You can also read Why art is important for early childhood development here.
Let’s See Inside That Art Supply Cabinet!
The Art Cabinet – From IKEA
Art supply cabinets don’t have to be pricey. We used many bins we already owned:
- Melissa and Doug’s reusable toy wooden boxes – they look good too!
- Small storage boxes I found at Home Depot and Publix – I searched an Amazon link for you all; they were overpriced. Sterilite made the bins I ended up using. Check your local grocery store or Home Depot to see what they have in stock.
RELATED: Proper toy storage starts with these tips.
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Art Cart Drawer One
- Crayola Washable Markers – washable…need I say more?!
- Highlighters – these are a must in your art supply cabinet to help with tracing shapes.
- IKEA colored pencils – everyone needs some color!
- Skinny Markers – a really good addition so children can explore different sizes.
- Stamp Markers – I love having stamps in my art supply cabinet; they’re so much fun!
RELATED: Love to paint? Here is how to paint with kids.
Art Cart Drawer Two
- Clothespins – great for developing fine motor skills in your art supply storage cabinets.
- Honeysticks Crayons – perfect for one-year-olds.
- Hole Puncher – this is best for making DIY confetti and also for organizing paper
- Paper Clips – a super simple way to keep art together and let kids experiment.
- Post-It Notes – you always need stationary in your art supply cabinet!
- a great addition to your art supply cabinet if you want to add weaving into the mix.
- Tissue paper squares – a quick and easy addition to your craft supplies.
- Washi Tape – this stuff peels off easily so won’t leave any marks if it gets stuck somewhere in the house!
RELATED: You can use these art supplies for Build Your Name, Sticky Pumpkin, and Washi Measurement Game.
Art Cart Drawer Three
- Glue – I prefer the large containers to refill what I already have.
- Glue sticks – trying to keep the lids on is a nightmare! But these ones help my kids’ creations.
- Jumbo Craft Sticks – I always keep a stack of these in my art supply storage cabinet.
- Mini clothespins – so many ways you can use these in your art supply cabinet!
- Painters swatches – find at your local paint store.
- Rubber bands – are great for everyday play and go perfectly with an art supply cabinet.
- Stapler – ensure use supervision with those tiny hands.
- Scissors (the ones we use)
- Tape – top of with tape to keep the art supply cabinet going.
Art Supply Cart Drawers Four and Five
- Cardboard – who doesn’t have that in the house?!
- Paper tubes – these never get old!
- Small pieces of wood – these are so much fun to color and maybe even practice nailing into with supervision.
- Sandpaper – give this a try in this drawer along with the wood.
RELATED: Here are 40 terrific painting ideas for kids.
Art Supply Cabinet Drawer Six
Save this drawer for your random sticker collection. Here we have traditional stickers and felt.
- Felt Alphabet – these ones are all uppercase which is great for a first learner.
- Felt Numbers – a terrific addition to include math in your art supply cabinet
- REUSABLE sticker book – what, reusable?! You heard me right! Save money in your art supply cabinet by grabbing some of these stickers.
- Sticker book – every kid loves a sticker so these are essential.
Now Your Art Supply Cabinet is Ready to Go!
Invite your children to create and see what they can make. What will you add to your art cart? We LOVE ours and use it every day!
Read More
- Art Cart – Kids Art Supply Organization
- Tissue Paper Pumpkin Art
- Nature Murals; An Outdoor Art Idea
- Bubble Wrap Art
- Easter Art Paintings for Kids
Begin storing art supplies with a few items at a time. Make sure each art supply has its own container. This helps with cleanup. Learn how to use one art supply at a time, and add more as your child demonstrates responsibility. Keep in mind that less is more.
Art caddies make great alternatives to an art cabinet. Add washable markers, a glue stick, blunt-edge kid scissors, and some paper. Store the art caddy on a table, or put in a cabinet to be taken out as needed.
Include your child in setting up the art cart. This helps children take ownership of what they have. Include your child in cleaning up and checking for dried-out markers. Involving your child will help them better understand how to keep the art supplies tidy over time.
Love this post! Thank you- as an Art teacher you would think that I could do this on my own (smh) but it’s harder than you think.
I have a few questions though. Where is this space in the pictures? Is this the playroom? Also, what about the 1 year old that can open the drawers, pull out all the markers, possibly color on the curtains, suck on the markers, pull all the tape out of the dispenser, etc. LOL I have a 16 month old and I just can see it ALL go down right now, haha.
Hey Tricia!
The set up is in the playroom. Blog post coming soon since we just spent time making it a more usable space.
I hear you! Setting something up and then having my 18 month old rummage through it is not my favorite to watch.
However, I don’t discourage it. I try to stay close and offer help by bringing him back to the table with the supply and showing him his workspace. This isn’t saying that accidents don’t happen, but by having him feel comfortable also being able to use the space helps with bing able to respect the space down the road. Also, since the big guys helped set it up, they seem to help with the management of putting it back where it belongs. LOL
Dried up markers can be recycled through Crayola’s Colorcycle program at a nearby school that participates – which is a great message for little ones to learn about recycling.
Thank you for sharing this!!
I love this! But did I miss it somewhere, exactly which IKEA cabinet is this? It’s so hard to search their site, or store! Thanks ?
frantically scrolls and clicks through DWG blog posts to find THE. ONE.
I’m remembering this post today. Came back to it because I have a situation: My 6.5 year old is a crafter/creator/jr. engineer/etc… I love the creativity and want to support it. BUT the messes her exploring creates are going to be the end of me. I’m trying to find a way to allow for some level of independence but also set expectations for clean-up and storage of future materials. What do you think?
I’m in the process of setting up an art cart and got those washi tapes. Where is that wooden holder from? Thank you!
Hi! This wooden dispenser came with the tape. I do not see a link right now for it on Amazon, but it is the size of painter’s tape.