If you pay top dollar for your child's early learning center, there's a good chance that your tot's teacher buys some of her teaching supplies. Take it from someone who's worked with and interviewed many preschool teachers: The classroom budget is often quite tight.
While most schools supply teachers with the basics, specialized items like art materials are often shut out of the school budget. Help your little one's teacher by donating some household items to the classroom for preschool supplies, or organizing a classroom supply drive to supplement the school's art center. As a bonus, your child will get to use the items to build her creativity!
Throughout my years as a mother, arts educator, and preschool teacher, I've realized that some of the best art supplies are the items we toss into the trash every day. Here is my short list of reused and recycled materials that make great art supplies:
Cardboard tubes: Instead of throwing out tubes of toilet paper and paper towel, save them for your child's art class. The class can use these items to make binoculars, musical shakers, and many other cylindrical art crafts.
Foam fruit or vegetable trays: These are great for making paint palettes, or to use as part of a larger construction project. Avoid meat, fish, or poultry trays as they pose the risk of bacterial contamination.
Fabric scraps: Teachers can cut up different fabric scraps to use for a lesson on textures. Another great use for these scraps is for creating clothing for puppets.
Wrapping paper: Why toss out leftover holiday gift wrap when your preschooler can use it to decorate greeting cards or make a collages?
Cardboard boxes: Boxes provide endless opportunities for artistic projects. The class could create a playhouse for their puppets or use the boxes for book-making crafts.
Make sure to wash all items thoroughly before bringing them into the classroom (especially anything that originally contained food). Also, check with the teacher to see if any of the children have allergies of any kind.
What are your favorite reused preschool supplies that double as art materials? Share in the comments section below!