Wanting to encourage creativity and imagination in our kids is something all parents aim for, yet if you’re on a slightly more modest budget, it can be difficult to know how to supply them with art materials for them to have fun and get creating.

With a little bit of know-how, however, it doesn’t have to cost you the earth. We’ve put a few tips together for stocking up on kid’s art supplies for your little artists on a budget.

Think about what you need (and what you don’t)

It’s a good idea to have a look at different art materials and supplies so you can think about what you’d like to buy for your child and so that you can plan exactly what you’ll need so you don’t end up wasting any money.

Here are the basics for what you’ll need:

• Something to draw with; whether it’s paints, pens, pencils, crayons etc.
• Something to draw on; from notebooks and pads to paper and scrap cardboard
• Something to paint with; if you’re opting for paint you’ll need things like a couple of paintbrushes and mixing palettes.

When it comes to shopping for each of those things, there are a few things to think about. Firstly, remember that you won’t need to go out there and buy absolutely everything on the list – start off with one or two things for your child to experiment with, and then you can soon build up their art collection as they go along. (It will be perfect too for when friends and family members ask what they want for their birthdays/Christmas etc).

Also, remember that you don’t have to go out there and hunt for top artist supplies and the best options available; your kids won’t need the best art pens in the world or the highest quality artist notepads. Go for fairly cheap options as they won’t care either way!

Don’t forget the extras

You’ll need things to protect their clothing and your surfaces as well which shouldn’t be forgotten about. Sheets and tablecloths will usually suffice, but when it comes to using things like paints, you will tend to need waterproof materials. Luckily, you can pick up things like children’s waterproof art aprons for a few pounds online, and you could just use party tablecloths to protect your surfaces.

Look in alternative places to find them

Instead of heading to the main high street stores for your craft supplies, think outside the box and look in alternative places instead. Discount stores like pound shops and even second hand stores can help you save your pennies as you can usually find great bargains in them, which will make no difference to your little ones, either.

You can get surprisingly cheap art supplies online these days that will be of just as high quality as those in craft stores. Options like art supplies at Artifolk are great as they are great value for money and there is pretty much everything you’ll ever need in one place.