| A well-stocked craft box has saved many a | | | | Greeting cards |
| parent from despair on snow days, rain days, | | | | Buttons and beads |
| days a child is sick at home, and just the | | | | Fabric and felt pieces |
| universal, "There's nothing to do!" What we're | | | | Q-tips (for spreading glue) |
| talking about is a box of arts and crafts materials | | | | Cotton balls |
| reserved for special occasions. Give the average | | | | Magazines and calendars with age and gender |
| child a box of craft supplies to keep in his room | | | | appropriate pictures |
| and you'll soon have a child who's bored again, as | | | | Plastic lids |
| well as your carefully assembled materials all over | | | | Baby food jars |
| the house. Keep this box put away and out of | | | | Corks |
| sight for those moments when your child needs a | | | | Berry baskets |
| little extra magic in the day. | | | | Paper grocery bags |
| If you toss something new in from time to time | | | | Egg cartons |
| it will be new and exciting every time you open it | | | | Pasta shapes |
| up. Assembling a craft box needn't be expensive, | | | | Clean, empty tuna or pet food cans (check for |
| but you will need a few purchased items to start. | | | | sharp edges) |
| Buy these one or two at a time when you | | | | Large and small plain paper plates |
| grocery shop or when you're at the dollar store | | | | String |
| and it won't be painfully expensive. Fill in with | | | | Toothpicks (for older children) |
| "found" items and odds and ends that you can | | | | Old socks (make great puppets) |
| pick up very inexpensively here and there. The | | | | Your only restriction is your imagination and the |
| most costly item you will need is a sturdy plastic | | | | space you have to store these items. |
| box with a lid that seals. Make sure your box is | | | | If your budget is slightly a larger and you want to |
| large enough to store craft paper flat. Curved or | | | | purchase a few extra fun crafting items, look for: |
| creased paper is not nearly as much fun. To start | | | | Chenille sticks |
| you will want to include the following items in your | | | | Craft sticks (what used to be called tongue |
| tote box: | | | | depressors) |
| A pack of plain white or newsprint paper | | | | Feathers |
| A pack of multi-colored construction paper | | | | Pom-poms |
| New crayons. Get the largest box you can afford | | | | Beads |
| Glue stick(s) for younger children, white glue for | | | | Googly eyes |
| older children | | | | Ribbons |
| Scissors, rounded or pointed according to age | | | | Doilies |
| Washable markers | | | | Crepe paper |
| Paint. The typical child's water colors are fairly | | | | Tissue paper in assorted colors |
| insipid, but inexpensive. Tempura costs more, but | | | | Avoid glitter, sequins and plastic or paper |
| covers much better. | | | | confetti-like decorations unless you have extreme |
| Extra paint brushes | | | | patience for clean-up. These will get everywhere |
| Tape | | | | and re-surface for days or weeks after the |
| Now comes the fun part. You will have numerous | | | | project is done and forgotten. Be sure you |
| items at home that will make great additions to a | | | | always have several old sections of the |
| craft box. Start collecting these and soon you'll | | | | newspaper handy for protecting work surfaces. |
| have more than you'll need. | | | | An old adult shirt with the sleeves shortened will |
| Re-sealable plastic bags in various sizes to keep | | | | serve nicely as a work smock. Try to resist |
| supplies controlled | | | | instructing your child on how to use these craft |
| Flat pieces of cardboard (cut up your cereal | | | | materials. Instead, sit back and watch the creative |
| boxes and other cardboard packaging) | | | | process at work as your child explores the |
| Toilet paper and paper towel rolls | | | | materials at hand and uses his unlimited |
| Stickers and "stamps" from your junk mail | | | | imagination. Whatever emerges from the |
| Old cds | | | | contents of your child's craft box will be a |
| Yarn remnants | | | | treasure. |