A wide selection of materials to introduce creative hobbies to children from a young age. With creative activities, children can awaken their creative minds and make use of their various talents to express their ideas. On wesco-eshop.ie, you will find all the necessary materials for DIY projects: painting, drawing, collage, decorating supports, creative kits, modeling, molding, sewing, beads and jewelry, recreational cooking...
DIY for daycare, school, or home.
Around the age of 12/18 months, babies can be introduced to their first creative experiences, such as finger painting or using their first ergonomic brush (always under adult supervision). To add a sensory dimension, with the help of an adult, babies can create footprints using paint.
As the child grows, creative activities become more complex to incorporate fundamental learning, such as recognizing colors, mastering fine motor skills with bead activities, and learning to write, starting with reproducing models in modeling clay.
Whether at daycare, school, or home, as standalone projects or in kits, creative activities offer a fantastic opportunity for children to unleash their creativity, express their emotions, and affirm their interest in one creative technique over another.
Art of drawing and coloring.
To introduce babies to their first drawings from the age of 12 months, crayons are particularly recommended. Crayons in a crayon shape and size are suitable for small hands. Additionally, crayons have the advantage of not staining the skin or clothes.
Around the age of 2 years, children can start using their first colored crayons, especially those with a wide shape and tip for easy grip. Short colored crayons are particularly suitable for early drawing experiences as they are easy to hold and require an effort that matches the child's age to produce markings on paper, for example. As the child grows, colored crayons or markers become longer and thinner, enabling them to create more precise
coloring and drawings. Additionally, other colors are introduced alongside the primary colors initially offered to toddlers. This provides children with pastel-colored crayons or markers, skin tone colors to create multi-ethnic characters, and glittery colors, among others.
For more sophisticated and diverse drawings, a wide variety of crayons are available, such as oil pastels, fabric markers, erasable or permanent markers, and wax chalks.
Painting for little ones and older kids.
Gouache paint now comes in less conventional forms to accompany toddlers in their early creative steps. Gouache is available in pots for finger painting, in solid stick form (with the advantage of not dripping), or in ergonomic bottles with applicators for ready-to-use and mess-free application.
In preschool, children experiment with
gouache painting using brushes, sponges, and rollers. They are encouraged to let their imagination run wild on large format canvases. By using stencils for painting, children can enhance their artistic creations.
In elementary school, children have gained more autonomy and precision in their movements. They become familiar with other forms of painting to create their masterpieces: acrylic paint, chalkboard paint, fabric paint, 3D paint, drawing ink, and more.
Creative sets & kits
Creative leisure activities presented in the form of kits are perfect for children seeking autonomy or during group creative time. There is a wide variety of ready-to-use creative sets and kits that allow children to engage in various DIY activities and unleash their creative potential: sewing, origami, stickers, sand art cards, iron beads, jewelry beads, velvet coloring, magic noodles, and more.
On our Wesco site wesco-eshop.ie, we offer
creative kits for individual use at home, as well as comprehensive maxi kits for daycare centers or preschools.
Decorative bases
In wood, cardboard, polystyrene, glass... decorative bases encourage children to express their creativity freely.
Decorative bases are among the favored creative activities during special times of the year, such as Christmas, carnival, or making gifts for parents' day. Moreover, these bases allow children to explore various graphic arts techniques like collage, painting, applying sequins and glitter. Working with decorative bases helps children improve their dexterity, patience, and concentration.
Modeling and molding
With modeling clay, children exercise their hand grip by reproducing models (letters, numbers, shapes) or creating their own compositions. On wesco-eshop.ie, there is a wide variety of
modeling clays available, including soft modeling clay, plant-based modeling clay, hardening modeling clay, and even moldable sand. To further develop their fine motor skills, children can also use modeling tools such as cookie cutters, impressions, modeling tools, plastic rolling pins, and clay cutting wheels.
After working with modeling clay, older children can explore more complex creative activities such as molding, cold porcelain, or working with clay, which is a self-hardening paste. These activities offer children a chance to express their creativity and experiment with different textures and materials.
Protective accessories
While most paints or crayons are now washable, it is highly recommended to protect children's clothing, especially during creative activities in group settings like daycare or school. On our website wesco-eshop.ie, you can find a wide selection of high-quality and adjustable aprons or
smocks that can grow with the child in terms of age and body size. These protective accessories are designed to keep children's clothing clean and safe during their artistic endeavors, allowing them to explore their creativity without worry.
