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Art is essential for preschoolers. It develops fine motor skills, encourages creative thinking, provides emotional outlets, and brings pure joy to little learners. But if you’ve ever stood in the art supply aisle watching your cart fill up with finger paints, play dough, glue sticks, and markers, you know that nurturing creativity can get expensive quickly.
Here’s the good news: many of the best art supplies for preschoolers can be made right in your kitchen using ingredients you probably already have. These DIY alternatives are often safer than commercial products (no mysterious ingredients to worry about), gentler on your wallet, and kinder to the environment. Plus, making art supplies together can be a fun activity in itself!
At The Blue Elephant Learning Center in Frisco, we believe that creativity shouldn’t be limited by budget constraints. Our approach to early education emphasizes engaging, hands-on activities that help children develop into well-rounded learners. Whether you’re a parent looking to extend creative play at home or simply want more sustainable options for art time, these DIY recipes and ideas will help you provide endless creative opportunities for your preschooler.
Before we dive into recipes, let’s talk about why making your own art supplies is worth the small effort involved.
Commercial art supplies marketed as “non-toxic” are generally safe, but homemade versions give you complete control over ingredients. This is especially valuable for children with allergies or sensitivities. When you make your own supplies, you know exactly what’s in them—and you can feel comfortable if some inevitably ends up in your child’s mouth.
A single container of commercial play dough costs several dollars and dries out quickly once opened. A batch of homemade play dough costs pennies to make and can be easily replaced when it’s time for fresh dough. Over months and years of art projects, these savings add up significantly.
Many commercial art supplies come in plastic packaging, contain synthetic ingredients, and can’t be recycled or composted. DIY alternatives typically use natural ingredients, reduce packaging waste, and break down safely in the environment.
Making art supplies is itself a learning experience. Children can help measure ingredients (math skills), observe mixtures change (science concepts), and follow sequential steps (following directions). The process of creating supplies builds anticipation and ownership over the art that follows.
When you make your own supplies, you control the colors, scents, textures, and quantities. You can make exactly what you need, in the colors you want, with or without scent as you prefer.
Play dough is perhaps the most versatile and beloved preschool art supply. Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest to make at home.
This recipe produces smooth, pliable dough that lasts for months when stored properly.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Combine flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan. Add water, oil, and food coloring. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat and let cool until comfortable to handle. Knead until smooth. Store in an airtight container.
For a quicker option that children can help make from start to finish.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Add oil and mix. Gradually add water (with food coloring mixed in if desired), stirring until dough forms. Knead until smooth, adding more flour if sticky or more water if dry.
Skip artificial food coloring with these natural alternatives. For red or pink, use beet juice or beet powder. For yellow, use turmeric. For orange, use paprika or carrot juice. For green, use spinach juice or matcha powder. For blue or purple, use blueberry juice or butterfly pea flower tea. For brown, use cocoa powder or coffee.
Looking for a preschool that values creativity and hands-on learning? Contact The Blue Elephant Learning Center or call (469) 287-0332 to schedule a tour!
Painting is a preschool favorite, and homemade paints can be just as vibrant and fun as store-bought versions.
This simple recipe creates a smooth, washable paint perfect for little artists.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Whisk flour and water together until smooth. Divide into containers and add different colors to each. These paints store in the refrigerator for about a week.
Silky smooth and perfect for sensory exploration.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Gradually add water, stirring to prevent lumps. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, divide into containers, and add colors. Let cool before use.
Completely taste-safe for the youngest artists.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Simply stir food coloring into yogurt. This paint works best on cardboard or thick paper and creates interesting textures. Perfect for babies and toddlers who explore everything with their mouths.
Raid your spice cabinet for natural watercolors. Place small amounts of different spices in a muffin tin or ice cube tray: turmeric (yellow), paprika (orange-red), cinnamon (brown), spirulina powder (green), activated charcoal (black), and beet powder (pink). Add a few drops of water to each and paint away.
Take painting outside with this easy recipe.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Divide into containers and add colors. Paint on sidewalks or driveways—it washes away with water.
Preschoolers use a lot of glue, and homemade versions work surprisingly well for most projects.
Perfect for paper crafts and collages.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Whisk flour and water together until smooth. Add salt and mix. For thicker paste, use less water. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Creates a smoother, clearer glue.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix cornstarch and water in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes thick and translucent. Let cool before use.
Surprisingly strong and perfect for paper projects.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Heat milk and add vinegar—it will curdle. Strain out the curds and add small amounts of baking soda until mixture stops foaming. The resulting liquid is a natural, effective glue.
Beyond play dough, other modeling materials offer different textures and possibilities.
This classic recipe creates dough that can be air-dried or baked into permanent creations.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix all ingredients until dough forms. Knead until smooth. Create sculptures, ornaments, or handprint keepsakes. Air dry for several days or bake at 200°F until hardened. Paint when completely dry.
Soft, moldable, and wonderfully sensory.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix flour and oil until crumbly but moldable when squeezed. The texture is unique—soft and silky, holding shapes but also crumbling apart. Add a few drops of essential oil for scent if desired.
This fascinating substance is liquid when still but solid when squeezed—perfect for science and sensory exploration.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix cornstarch and water (add coloring to water first if using). The mixture should flow like liquid but feel solid when pressed. Messy but endlessly fascinating for children exploring states of matter.
At The Blue Elephant, we engage all of your child’s senses through intentional, imaginative activities. Schedule a tour or call (469) 287-0332 to see our approach in action!
While crayons and markers are harder to replicate at home, there are sustainable approaches to drawing supplies.
Making crayons from scratch requires beeswax and isn’t practical for most families, but you can extend the life of broken crayons by melting them into new shapes. Peel paper from broken crayons, place pieces in silicone molds, and bake at 250°F until melted. Cool completely before removing. Children love the multi-colored results.
Nature provides drawing tools. Soft rocks like limestone or soapstone can be used to draw on sidewalks. Charred sticks from the fireplace create natural charcoal for drawing. Collect these natural “crayons” on nature walks.
Cut vegetables become instant stamps. Celery creates beautiful rose-like prints. Bell peppers make flower shapes. Potatoes can be carved into any design. Apples cut in half show star patterns. These stamps work with any homemade paint and can be composted after use.
Gather natural materials to create unique painting tools. Pine branches make textured strokes. Feathers create soft, sweeping marks. Leaves can be used as stamps or brushes. Flower heads create interesting prints. Sticks wrapped with rubber bands or yarn offer varied textures. These natural tools encourage children to observe and collect from nature.
Sensory experiences are crucial for preschool development, and art provides perfect sensory opportunities.
Vibrant colored rice is perfect for sensory bins, collages, and pouring activities.
Ingredients:
Instructions: For each color, place rice in a bag with a splash of vinegar and several drops of food coloring. Seal and shake until color is distributed. Spread on a baking sheet to dry completely.
Colorful, squishy, and fascinating to touch.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Divide spaghetti into bags, add different colors to each, shake to coat. Add a drizzle of oil to prevent sticking. Refrigerate for sensory play—can be used for “painting” by dragging across paper.
Moldable and silky, perfect for building and sculpting.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix sand and cornstarch. Slowly add water until mixture holds together when squeezed but crumbles when released. Add more water as needed over time.
For sensory play without commercial shaving cream, whip coconut oil with a hand mixer until fluffy. It’s messier than shaving cream but completely natural and moisturizing for skin.
Some of the best art supplies aren’t made—they’re saved from the recycling bin.
Save cereal boxes for painting canvases and building projects. Toilet paper and paper towel tubes become sculptures, characters, and stamps. Egg cartons are perfect for sorting, paint palettes, and craft projects. Newspaper works for papier-mâché and under-painting protection. Junk mail and magazines provide collage materials.
Yogurt cups become paint cups and storage containers. Bottle caps are perfect for stamping and collage. Plastic bottles can be cut into scoops, funnels, or art tools. Berry containers make great paint splatter guards.
Old t-shirts can be cut into rags for painting or strips for weaving. Buttons from worn clothing become collage materials. Fabric scraps are perfect for texture collages.
Incorporate nature into art projects with leaves for printing and pressing, sticks for sculpture and tools, pinecones and acorns for collage and creatures, flowers for pressing and natural dyes, and shells and pebbles for mosaics.
Help your child explore creativity through hands-on learning.Contact The Blue Elephant or call (469) 287-0332 to learn about our programs in Frisco!
Once you’ve made your supplies, proper storage keeps them fresh and accessible.
Save glass jars for paint storage—baby food jars are perfect sizes. Use plastic containers with tight lids for play dough. Ice cube trays work well for small amounts of different colors. Squeeze bottles (like old ketchup bottles, cleaned) are perfect for dispensing homemade glue or paint.
Label all homemade supplies with contents and date made. This helps you track freshness and quickly identify what you need.
Most homemade supplies have shorter shelf lives than commercial products. Make smaller batches more frequently rather than large batches that may spoil. This also provides regular opportunities for children to participate in the making process.
Store supplies where children can access them independently (with supervision). When children can choose their own materials, they take more ownership of their creative process.
The process of making art supplies can be as enriching as using them. Involve children in measuring ingredients (counting and math concepts), stirring and mixing (fine motor skills and cause-and-effect), choosing colors (decision-making and creativity), and observing changes (science and observation skills).
Talk about what you’re doing as you make supplies together. Why does the play dough need salt? What happens when we add heat? Why does the mixture change color? These conversations build vocabulary and scientific thinking.
While DIY supplies work wonderfully for many purposes, there are times when commercial products make sense. Markers and crayons are difficult to replicate at home with comparable results. Some projects require specific materials like glitter glue or puffy paint. Convenience matters too—when time is short, store-bought supplies are perfectly fine.
The goal isn’t to eliminate commercial art supplies entirely, but to supplement them with homemade alternatives that save money, reduce waste, and provide additional learning opportunities.
At The Blue Elephant Learning Center, we understand that creativity is essential to early childhood development. Our research-based curriculum, which incorporates the best elements of Frog Street and Handwriting Without Tears, engages children through intentional, imaginative, and thoughtful activities.
We believe that every day and every activity should offer a meaningful balance of instruction, creativity, and fun. Our professional early childhood educators help children develop problem-solving skills, fine motor abilities, and creative confidence through hands-on exploration.
Owned and operated by Clay and Meredith Carpenter since 2011, The Blue Elephant has been helping Frisco families nurture their children’s development for over a decade. We serve children from 6 weeks through 12 years old, with programs including infant care, preschool, school readiness, after-school care, and summer camp.
Our mission is simple: to make every day your child’s BEST day. We support multifaceted growth using age-appropriate curriculum, engaging classroom activities, and three spacious playgrounds. We celebrate every child’s uniqueness and accomplishments through regular praise and encouragement.
We proudly serve families throughout Frisco and the surrounding communities of Allen, Plano, Little Elm, and McKinney. With flexible care options from 7am to 6pm, we’re here to support your family’s needs.
Ready to give your child the gift of creative, nurturing early education? Contact The Blue Elephant Learning Center today or call (469) 287-0332 to schedule a tour of our Frisco campus. We can’t wait to welcome your family to ours!