You could go crazy filling your cupboards, closets, and rooms with craft supplies (I speak from experience here!) but you can really make do with most of the items listed here. Note that items at the beginning of each list are more basic than the others. My favorite brands are in parenthesis.
Make your mark:
crayons (Crayola)
markers
colored pencils (Prismacolor)
oil pastels
colored chalk
Paints:
watercolors (Prang)
tempera paint
acrylic paint (Delta Ceramcoat)
Textiles:
yarn
felt: craft or wool
fabric scraps
thread
embroidery floss (DMC)
muslin
burlap
Three Dimensional:
homemade dough
air dry clay
aluminum foil
chenille stems
toothpicks
scrap wood
craft/popsicle sticks
wood shapes (Woodsies)
polymer clay (Sculpey)
clay
Stringing & Beading:
string
straws
pony beads
wood beads
glass beads
fishing line
Printing:
ink pad
sponge
brayer
rubber stamps
printing ink
Fun to have:
glitter
pom poms
feathers
cotton balls
googly eyes
craft foam
sequins
floral wire
Stick it together:
white glue (Aleene's Tacky Glue)
glue stick
painter's tape
brads
Mod Podge
liquid starch
fabric glue (Fabric-Tac)
wood glue
Tools:
scissors
paintbrushes
foam brushes
hole punch
variety of needles
ruler
wire clippers
Papers:
copy paper
construction paper
tag board/card stock
wax paper
colored tissue paper
coffee filters
paper towels
clear contact paper
freezer paper
roll of white paper (i.e. butcher paper, wrapping paper)
brown paper bags
newspaper
crepe paper
From The Recycling Bin
cardboard
magazines
junk mail
egg cartons
milk cartons
empty boxes
clean cans & jars
small plastic containers
netting from produce bags
bubble wrap
packaging peanuts
styrofoam trays
plastic lids
Natural Materials
leaves
sticks
small rocks
acorns
pine cones
flowers
seeds & seed pods
feathers
nuts
Keep it clean:
newspaper
apron or large shirt
old sheet(s)
small plastic containers for water
