15 Best Activity Supplies for Kids

Storage Bin

I want to say this list is all in random order – and from here on out it really is – but this is my number one activity supply for a reason. Most of my activities end up in a bin: sensory, science, and art are almost always contained here.

Activities to try with a storage bin:

• Rainbow Rice: my viral sensory activity
• Pouring Station: an absolute legend
• Painting Dinosaurs: a terrific way to do art with kids

Easel Paper

Having a large roll of paper has saved my bacon more times than I can count. These giant rolls are the best. They’re heavy weight paper which is great for art, dot stickers, sticky notes, and tons of other activities. You’ll be surprised how often you reach for this roll.

Activities to try with a roll of paper:

• Sticky Note Matching: a viral hide and seek activity
• Roll and Dot: a fabulous math activity for preschoolers
• Pointillism: a fun and detailed way for kids to paint

Painter’s Tape

Everything comes back to painter’s tape for me. It’s how I hold my activities on the wall (it’s designed to protect paint) and give kids a chance to work on a vertical surface (which is super important). It’s also fantastic in an actual activity – check the links below, you’ll see.

Activities to try with painter’s tape:

• Animal Line-Up: Use tape to make lines and let kids build parades
• Dot Sticker Matching: See how I’ve use the tape on my wall?
• Rescue the Toys: The tape becomes a spider web in this fun activity

Permanent Marker

This is not for the kids to use. It’s for you! A nice big marker is key for making sharp, big lines that stand out to kids. I feel like these markers will forever be synonymous with activities to my kids: when they see this come out, they know fun is coming with.

Activities to try with a big marker:

• Box Road: Use the marker to make a road for kids to build around
• Shape Hunt: My kids love this find and color activity style
• Number Matching: This activity is easier to see with a giant marker

Dot Stickers

The absolute love of my activity’s life. Once I started using dot stickers with my kids, a whole new level of activity fun unlocked. We absolutely always have a pack (or two) on hand. For what it’s worth: I still use dot stickers with my 10 year old in his school work.

Activities to try with dot stickers:

• Sticker Lines: The original idea I had for these was a fine motor workout
• Sticker Sorting: An easy place to start with young toddlers and stickers
• Letter Matching Tubes: Pair stickers with a paper tube for a great “on the go” activity

Do-A-Dot Markers

Plain markers work just fine but I love this specialty marker for making dots and thick lines. I use these a lot for making outlines in activities – and my kids have just always loved these as an art supply on their own.

Activities to try with Do-A-Dots:

• Glue & Match – A dot from the marker, a dot of glue, and a pom pom ball
• Sticker Flowers – These flowers are drawn with Do-A-Dots. Nothing easier!
• Sticker Match – Not ready for glue? Try matching dots to dot stickers.

Sticky Notes

Bless Romy and Michelle for inventing these. Kids and sticky notes are in a very “peas and carrots” relationship. I can find about a million uses for sticky notes (and, of course, I’ve listed 3 here).

Activities to try with sticky notes:

• Name Building: One of my favorite activities of all time for learning to spell a name
• Number Line-Up: Have kids make a number line in this hide and seek activity
• Shape Matching: A great activity for young toddlers learning to match symbols

Pipettes

This may seem like a deep pull but hear me out: Pipettes come in handy. You can wash them and use them again, even though they literally come in a 200 pack. They’re great for little kid hands and big kids too.

Activities to try with pipettes:

• Oil and Water: Let kids explore science in this fun experiment
• Baking Soda Science Bin: A family favorite that my kids ask for all the time
• Color Mixing: Use pipettes in this activity for a fun look at color theory

Plastic Tongs

These tongs. I’ve had a set of these since I opened Busy Toddler in 2015. They were in a random package from my husband’s aunt who thought my kids might like them. I usually buy them at the Dollar Store, but Amazon does sell a 4-pack.

Activities to try with tongs:

• Pom Pom Drop: Create a fun fine motor and STEM activity for kids
• Grab and Push: Use the tongs and pom pom balls, but add a bottle this time
• Animal Search and Rescue: Bury animal toys in a sensory bin for kids to hunt and find with their tongs

Ice Cube Trays

Even if you have an ice maker, you need ice cube trays. We use them to make specialty ice cubes all the time (like paint cubes), for sensory bins, and to hold paint as a make-shift pallet. The sky is the limit with these trays!

Activities to try with ice cube trays:

• Paint the Toys: You’ll see my beloved tray is a paint-holder here
• Rainbow Ice: I keep a tray of rainbow cubes on hand always
• Scoop and Transfer: An ice cube tray in a sensory bin (it’s perfect!)

Pom Pom Balls

You had to sense these would make the list – they’ve been featured in a lot of the other activities so far. Pom poms are fantastic (but they are a choking hazard). Make sure to use great supervision and judgment. Once your child is ready for them, get yourself ready for a lot of activity fun!

Activities to try with pom pom balls:

• Pom Pom Bath: Yes, you can get pom poms wet (and I have a trick to dry them!)
• Rainbow Ice: I keep a tray of rainbow cubes on hand always
• Scoop and Transfer: An ice cube tray in a sensory bin (it’s perfect!)

Washable Paint

Of course washable paint is on the list (and can I recommend these paint brushes too?). This paint is actually washable – use hand soap & scrub before tossing it in the wash (that’s the trick to getting washable paint out of clothing). This is my favorite and most trusted brand.

Activities to try with paint:

• Paint the Trash: You read that right (and kids love it)
• Paint Ice Cubes: A really cool (get it) way to use paint
• Tape Resist Paint: The final product looks amazing

Dry Rice

Rice is my favorite sensory material. It is ageless, limitless, and lasts for years of playtime. It’s also cost effective: I can’t think of another toy/learning material that costs under $5 and will be used hundreds of times over 5+ years. I have this 5-lbs bag. Store it in a tight, resealable bag or container.

Activities to try with rice:

• Rice Bin: The basic rice bin – it’s an absolute GOAT
• Rainbow Rice and Funnels: Rice loves a funnels and so do kids
• Scooping Rice: A terrific life skills activity for young toddlers

Baking Soda

Another supply set I will always have on hand is baking soda and vinegar. The science experiments never get old so I just keep teeing them up for my kids. From toddlers to tweens, this is one supply set that I plan to always have and in bulk.

Vinegar

A tip for using vinegar with kids: Vinegar doesn’t need to be full strength to make the classic experiment work. Cut vinegar with water (I dilute it about 50-50 and use half vinegar/half water).

Activities to try with baking soda and vinegar:

• Hidden Colors: One of my favorite ways to make this experiment into an activity
• Fizzy Ice Cubes: Did you know you can freeze baking soda? It’s so awesome.
• Droppers and Bubbles: A fun color mixing way to play with science

Food Coloring

The idea that food coloring stains largely a misnomer: food coloring is water soluble. When it gets on fabric (even in the concentrated form), it just needs time in water to dissolve. In kids activities, we are typically using a single drop diluted in a ton of water which means the risk of it getting on anything is low (and again, if it does, it will come out).

If food coloring is still a no-go for you, try liquid water color or using washable paint as a dye alternative (it just won’t be taste safe).

Activities to try with food coloring:

• Color Mixing: I love this activity (and do you spy the peri bottle?)
• Color Bath: A color-themed bath is perfect to break up a rough day
• Painting Snow: An awesome way to bring snow inside and have some warmer fun with it