Craft resources

[Ellisha]

I've had a bit of time on my hands this week (due to DS being poorly) so have been thinking about reorganising my craft bits. At the moment I have a low kitchen cupboard wit most of my bits including paints, scissors in - it has a child lock on it so the younger kids have to ask to get something out. I have a some writing bits out all the time. The cupboard getting in a mess with me pulling bits out. So wondered how people store their craft bits in an organised, accessible way?

[loocyloo]

:-) hahaha 'organised' hahaha :-)

I have a bottom corner cupboard in my utility room that I keep paint, paper, glue, pots, brushes, box of collage bits and miscellaneous craft in ... The cupboard doesn't have a shelf in so I can keep the paints in an old veg rack, and everything else in stacking boxes. However, invariably the bottles of ready mix paint end up on the side in utility room, along side glue and the dirty paint pots sit in bowl in sink. Plus paper and collage bits we've used/using/may use again!

I have a wooden crate with with little shelves/boxes on the side in utility room that hold pens, crayons, pencils, scissors, chalk, rulers etc that the older children can reach and help themselves too, and a set of drawers in a unit with paper, printed sheets, colouring books, stickers and whiteboards that anyone can help themselves too, but I train the younger ones to ask! When the children have been at it, things are everywhere or also just sitting on the side!
I then have a shelf in my playroom cupboard with more craft sets, beads, stencils/templates, stamps, more collage bits/nice papers etc. Only I go in this cupboard!
This is frequently a mess as I tend to put stuff back in a gap, not where it came from.

[Maza]

It's evolving constantly!

In my kitchen I have a low cupboard which holds all my paint - I love it and have a lot - water colour tablets, liquid watercolours, ready mix, powder etc. It also holds runny glue. Then I have a low drawer with paint pots and printing tools. No locks, but I have always had really sensible children.

Under DD's bed (live in a flat, so rooms all on one level) I have several under-the-bed storage boxes - she has a king size bed, so I can get a lot of boxes under there! One has paper - A2, A3 and A4, another has card
another has random papers in it - sugar paper, patterned paper, corrugated, shiny etc
another has paper plates, pipe cleaners, doilies, straws etc
another has fabric - felt etc
another has balls of wool, string, elastic and sewing stuff.
The trick is not to over fill these boxes because then the stuff at the bottom either doesn't get seen/used, or it gets squashed and dog-eared so that no one wants to use it anyway.

I also have some little storage boxes which sit on a low shelf in DD's room. These contain sequins, beads, small feathers, buttons, googly eyes, pompoms etc.

In the dining room I have a little writing area which has rulers, staplers, scissors, pritt sticks etc.

It's all accessible to the children. It's a shame that it isn't all in one room together, but I'm not a purpose built nursery. The children are quite happy to drag the resources from one room to another, or use it in the room where it is stored. I quite like that it is not fixed in one place because they do crafting in all the different rooms - on the floor, a little table or the big dining room table. I like painting to be done in the kitchen where we have no carpet, but water colour tablets can be used in any room.

As I say, it is constantly evolving. I'm sure in a few years time if I am still childminding then DD wouldn't want so much craft stuff stored in her room - and she probably wouldn't want little mindees helping themselves to it even if she did have it stored in there. I would have to re-think it all, but for now it works.

[Ellisha]

It's good to know I'm not the only one who stuffs things back in their cupboards. And has things everywhere! I have a cupboard lock on my craft cupboard in the kitchen mainly because of my own 3 year old. I think he's on the verge of being able to get things out himself but maybe not paint so I could store that somewhere else! I would like have glue sticks, scissors, etc more accessible as my own kids are very much into making things at the moment. I need some sort of container that I can leave higher up so the littlies can't get them unsupervised.

[FloraDora]

Organising the learning environment to allow more free access to art and craft resources was a key action point on my action plan a couple of years ago. It made me deal with it, though this summer I am having a big change round to my environment as the ages of the children have altered.
In the end, after several trial and errors I settled on:
Two types of storage, one for general storage for me and one for storage of immediately accessible resources for child choice.
The child choice environment is now through two vegetable racks. Just the plastic sort - addis style. It gives me 8 storage bins - DH has made a fitted top to them too as a shelf on top - this is removable so I don't always have it on. I change some of the shelves/ bins monthly but for continuity most stay the same.
This storage is predominantly art and craft but I do have a writing / scribbling/ mark making corner using one shelf of my living room book shelf where there is a small A4 paper drawer with a variety of papers, a basket with notebooks and post it note type things, a basket with rulers, set squares, curvy lines and templates, pots of all size crayons, coloured pencils,whiteboard markers, felts and chalk - I do change these depending on clientele age and interests, a stack of whiteboards and blackboards. The children take them off the shelf to use on nearby table or bring them through to dining table. My under tv cupboard now stores these at night when we tidy away and the shelf on my bookshelf returns back to my colouring books, magazines and newspapers.
So back to art and craft, in each bin/ shelf: 1) pots with different mark makers, window pens, paint sticks, people felt tips and crayons, thin & thick felts, pens and drawing pencils, sparkly glue sticks, variety of sponge tips for painting and paint brushes.2) small paint pumps ( I decant into ex hand wash bottles) paint trays, bowls ,cups pots to put paint in 3) different attaching things which includes pva glue in small old film canisters, stick glue, gloy, various sticky tape, sellotape dispenser, plastic tags etc...4) variety of collage type materials ( chineses takeaway boxes) 5) variety of craft papers, including felt and foam, tissue etc , stickers and scrap pictures and paper books 6) printing resources, sponges, shapes etc with plates with foam that they pump some paint on to. 7&8 are the ones I change monthly, depending on focus or child interest- last two weeks of term one was a dinosaur related area as one child just had a mad focus for all things dinosaurs the other had a plant focus, found fresh plants and sticks from our walks, vases and jugs and bottles ( flower arranging/ perfume making) sticky back plastic shapes, flower press.
There is a space in between which has 3 ' collage boxes' - small (A4) plastic storage boxes with divided compartments- the children help me fill them and then if they want to quickly collage/ stick they collect a box- has inside stick glue and scissors but lid is tricky to open so I know they really can't access the contents without my help. These sit on a basket with home made playdoh resources.
The above is to enable the children to choose when and what they want - take it to the dining room table next to it. I just carry them upstairs to my den at the end of the day/ week when I want my dining room back.
Big tubs of paint, boxes and bottles and pots,trays and sponges and paper for my selection is in an IKEA drawer unit in my downstairs hall cupboard - for my use only to replenish their area or store other things and smaller things and scissors things I want to access quickly and stuff that little ones can't access is stored amongst DH model making stuff in our dining room bureau. We have a console table in there too for our photography computer printer cameras and it has 3 IKEA rush boxes/ baskets under neath - one of which I have donated to aprons, I have a picture of an apron on the shelves that the resource will require an apron as an extra reminder, but training means they know which one to choose- under 18 months all over for everything - patterned, then after 18 months ish. ?.depending on child, a slip over for runny glue etc -red and an all over for painting, printing messy etc... Green I also keep water aprons- blue in there too.
On the shelves at the top of the veg baskets the older child sometimes works if doing something small or I put out a Montessori style tray activity to invite them to a specific activity that might help next steps/ link with theme/ cover an area that I've noticed they haven't visited for a while.
I chose a 4 shelf veg rack as the younger children can't then reach some of the bins and so what they can reach is ok for them.
But....since I have young child and a baby in Sept and only one 3 year old I am having a rethink- probably more sensory based...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastic-Sta...ds=basket+rack

[Mouse]

It's good to know I'm not the only one who stuffs things back in their cupboards. And has things everywhere! I have a cupboard lock on my craft cupboard in the kitchen mainly because of my own 3 year old. I think he's on the verge of being able to get things out himself but maybe not paint so I could store that somewhere else! I would like have glue sticks, scissors, etc more accessible as my own kids are very much into making things at the moment. I need some sort of container that I can leave higher up so the littlies can't get them unsupervised.

I've got one of these.

https://www.gltc.co.uk/product/carry...5?sku=L1194RAI

It's got scissors, glue sticks, pencils, pencil sharpeners, felt pens etc in it. When I have all 3 and 4 year olds here it's on a low shelf so they can help themselves, but as soon as the babies arrive it goes on a higher shelf as they do like to pinch the scissors. The older ones can still reach it, or I will put it on the table for them. It's also handy because we can take it outside.

[Maza]

I've got one of these.

https://www.gltc.co.uk/product/carry...5?sku=L1194RAI

It's got scissors, glue sticks, pencils, pencil sharpeners, felt pens etc in it. When I have all 3 and 4 year olds here it's on a low shelf so they can help themselves, but as soon as the babies arrive it goes on a higher shelf as they do like to pinch the scissors. The older ones can still reach it, or I will put it on the table for them. It's also handy because we can take it outside.

We have the same thing Mouse. It's great. Actually, clearing I out has been on my 'to do' list for a while, because like everything else, I do tend to put odd miscellaneous items in there when I'm having a quick tidy up and it's looking a bit over stuffed at the moment and consequently not being used as it should be.

I was VERY excited yesterday to see that a GLTC has just opened up near me. I love their stuff and thought they were only on line. It looks like a big store too! Haven't managed to get in it yet. Hubby was a bit perturbed by my enthusiasm for a new shop.

We recently bought some chalkboard pens and DD loves writing different labels on the little chalk board section on the front of the caddy.

[Ellisha]

Love these ideas, thanks. I want to come and have a look around your settings! They sound like lovely places for little ones.

[mumofone]

We have the same thing Mouse. It's great. Actually, clearing I out has been on my 'to do' list for a while, because like everything else, I do tend to put odd miscellaneous items in there when I'm having a quick tidy up and it's looking a bit over stuffed at the moment and consequently not being used as it should be. I was VERY excited yesterday to see that a GLTC has just opened up near me. I love their stuff and thought they were only on line. It looks like a big store too! Haven't managed to get in it yet. Hubby was a bit perturbed by my enthusiasm for a new shop. We recently bought some chalkboard pens and DD loves writing different labels on the little chalk board section on the front of the caddy.

Hi maza, which chalkboard pens do you have? Do they work ok? I've been looking at getting some but there's so many to choose from and I'm worried they won't wipe off!

[Mouse]

Hi maza, which chalkboard pens do you have? Do they work ok? I've been looking at getting some but there's so many to choose from and I'm worried they won't wipe off!

I use Chalkola pens and they wipe off easily enough with a babywipe or a cloth and water. They're also really good for writing on a tuff spot, windows, mirrors and white boards.

[FloraDora]

I think chalk board pens have a place and I have 'sign' boards for the older children to write on and place around the setting, but always require that extra rubbing off skill from an adult or older child.

So for sheer independent exploration, being able to scribble and rub off, being able to fill a chalkboard all over with chalk then rub it off for those younger children's early independent Mark making I would always choose old fashioned chalk. It is so easy to make marks with. A 1 year old last year used to love rubbing away the marks as much as making them too.
It is one of the activities that is always out here, whether on small boards or an easel. Cheap and Simple, so very young children can use ( with supervision so that they don't eat it) and older children can explore different ways to make marks ....leading onto pastels and charcoal drawings later.

[Maza]

I have 'Stationery Island' chalk pens. Sorry - I will practise doing links soon! They are beautiful but when I got them I thought they didn't work at first because you have to shake them vigorously and then press them down on paper for a bit longer than suggested on the instructions. I have got a heart shaped chalk board (from Tiger) and DD sometimes spends ages doing mandala type of designs on it and ends up with a beautiful work of art. We have some little a5 chalkboards that she uses to make signs when she plays shop/café etc. I agree that they are too expensive for everyday use and better as a bit of a treat for older children. Chalk is great because it is totally different on wet surfaces. We have also grated it and made chalk paint.

Mouse, I would be too nervous to use them on mirrors or windows - I had an absolute disaster with bath crayons a few years ago where they came off the inside of the bath no problem but just wouldn't come off the outside of the bath. Magic Eraser eventually got it off but it was so stressful.

I do have some glass pens that I got from Baker Ross. We use them on old jam jars to make candle holders.

[Maza]

Pack of 8 3mm Wet Wipe Liquid Chalk Ink Pens

Does that work as a link? It's my very first attempt...

[Maza]

Pack of 8 3mm Wet Wipe Liquid Chalk Ink Pens

Does that work as a link? It's my very first attempt...

Oh no, it hasn't worked. How do I do links?

[FussyElmo]

Oh no, it hasn't worked. How do I do links?

Usually I copy the link I want and then press paste when I'm back on the forum. When I have saved stuff on my phone it comes up saved to clipboard

[FussyElmo]

Pack of 8 3mm Wet Wipe Liquid Chalk Ink Pens

Does that work as a link? It's my very first attempt...

Are these it

[FussyElmo]

[QUOTE="FussyElmo;1424879"]

Are these it

[FussyElmo]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stationery-.../dp/B00KVCNV6C

[Maza]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stationery-.../dp/B00KVCNV6C

Yes, lol.

I will learn how to do this. I will learn how to do this...

[Maza]

Stationery Island Chalk Marker W30 - 8 Brilliant Bright Colours Liquid Chalk Ink Pens - 3mm Bullet Nib - Wet Wipe Erase

Ok, I'm being really 17th century now. Which bit do I copy? I'm obviously just copying the title of the product and not the link. Where do I find the link.