How to Gather Craft Materials for Your Daycare

It is not always feasible to purchase all of the craft materials that a daycare provider will need to keep on hand, especially when the economy is not as good as it should be. You may find yourself wondering how you will acquire all of the items that you will need in order to provide crafting opportunities for the children in your care.

Scraps from Daycare Projects

As you and the children are cleaning up from each craft project, be sure snag any scraps that you may find useful for future projects. Quarter sheets of construction paper, a few sequins and broken crayons can all be saved.

Scraps from Home

There are many projects that you do at home that will provide you with scraps to use with the children at the daycare center. Scraps of paper, extra borders and little stickers from scrapbook and card making projects will be useful. Small pieces of ribbon and lace from sewing projects will also come in handy, as will scraps of wood from home improvement projects. It is acceptable to ask parents of the children in your care to look for opportunities to glean these items from their own homes as well.

Recycled Products from Home

Toilet paper tubes, as well as those from paper towels and gift wrap, will come in handy for projects such as the creation of rain sticks. Aluminum foil will cover stars to make them shiny for a holiday tree, and baskets will give the children something to place decorated eggs into during the spring. Parents might also bring in mismatched socks so the children will be able to make puppets.

Yard Sales

Visit yard sales to collect materials for the children to use when crafting. This will not likely net you full sets of craft items, but you will find odds-and-ends to use with the children. Think outside the box. Wooden skewers will serve as flower stems, and a sheet cut into squares will provide the children quilt blocks to decorate.

Stores and Shops

Craft stores often have clearance sales that will have a number of items you might think about spending money on. Sheets of foam and felt, magnet strips and beads are often found at these sales. Thrift shops may have odds-and-ends such as partial packages of crayons and markers, and dollar stores have items such as glues, paints and scissors.