Whether they’re painting a watercolor masterpiece or doodling away in a sketchbook, art projects are one of the easiest ways for your kids to channel their inner creativity. There’s only one problem: they can be really, really messy. Who likes coming home to find paint splattered all over the floor? Not me, and definitely not you. Thankfully, there are tons of artsy products out there that don’t involve paint — and I’ve gathered a bunch of them for you to check out below.
From kits that help you write and illustrate your own book to vibrant fabric markers, there’s a little something for everybody in here — even if you aren’t artsy. And if your kids can handle being creative without making a mess? I’ve made sure to still include a variety of easels and canvas panels for them to paint on. So what are you waiting for? The weather is looking a little dreary this week, and I’m sure that the candle-making kit you’ll find below will wind up being fun for both you and your kids.
You will love our editor’s curated product picks! FYI: We are an Amazon affiliate partner and may get a share of the sale of your purchase (at no cost to you).
This Kit That Comes With Everything You Need To Make Candles
Having to buy new candles all the time quickly gets expensive, so why not make your own at home with this kit? It comes with all the tools you’ll need, including wax, wicks, tins, and more — a must-have for your next rainy afternoon indoors.
A Giant Box Of Wax To Go With That Candle Kit
Grab this giant box of wax, and you’ll be able to keep making candles once the wax in that kit runs out. You can even add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to give your candles a pleasant smell — and each order even includes 100 pre-cut wicks so that you don’t have to make your own.
This Paint Set That’s Perfect For People Of All Ages
Not only does this acrylic paint set come with every color you could ever imagine, but they also dry quickly so that there’s very little risk of any smudging. They also blend easily so that you can customize your shades — and each order even includes three brushes to get you started.
These Canvases That Are A Total Bargain
You’re gonna need something to paint on, right? With that in mind, these canvases are a total steal at less than $50 for 12 of them. Or, if you aren’t into painting, they also work great with pencil or charcoal sketches — and the frames are even made from tough pine, not plastic.
This Hand Casting Kit That Creates Lasting Memories
With thousands of positive four- and five-star reviews, it’s clear that this hand casting kit is a fun way to spend an afternoon indoors — especially if you’re looking to make lasting memories. “I got this casting kit so I could mold my mom’s hand and have a piece of her with me always,” wrote one reviewer. “So glad I did. Now that she has passed away I have something so special and treasured I could never be given any amount of money for this.”
A Helpful Mat That Helps You Make Precise Cuts
Whether you’re scrapbooking or sewing, this mat can help make sure that you don’t wind up trimming that piece of fabric too short. It’s also self-healing, which means it’ll gradually reseal itself should you ever happen to slice into it. Plus, the non-slip surface helps keep you safe when using sharp tools.
This Easel Set That’s Perfect For Small Spaces
Don’t have a ton of room for your arts and crafts? Not a problem — this easel set is nice and compact, making it easy to stash away in a cabinet when you aren’t using it. The best part? Each order includes one collapsible easel, 12 tubes of acrylic paint, six brushes, as well as one canvas to get you started.
A Box Where You Can Stash All Your Art Supplies
It’s almost too easy for your art supplies to completely take over the kitchen table, so why not toss everything into this little box instead? Adjustable dividers help you keep everything organized, and there’s even a label on the front so that you’ll always know what’s inside without having to open it up.
The Sewing Kit That’s Perfect For Beginners
Don’t know how to sew? Not a problem, as this sewing kit comes with nearly every sewing-oriented tool you could ever possibly want to experiment with. Crochet hooks, needles, thread, thimbles — you’ll find all of them (and more) inside. Plus, everything comes packaged in a convenient travel case, just in case you pop a button while you’re on vacation.
These Chalk Markers That Easily Wash Away
With 33 colors included in every set, these chalk markers make it easy to create stunning doodles on your car windows, bathroom mirrors, or even on a simple chalkboard. The best part? They also come with chalkboard labels, which would look so good on those dry food containers you’ve got stored in your pantry.
The Candle Tins That You Can Customize To Your Liking
You can paint these candle tins however you like since they’re completely white — and each order comes with 24 tins for less than $35. The wide rims make them easy to fill with wax. And if you aren’t into candles? They’ll also work great as small containers for candy, loose change, Bobby pins, and more.
These Essential Oils That Cover All The Bases
Whether you want your candles to smell like stimulating eucalyptus or relaxing lavender, this set of essential oils has got you covered. Each order comes with 30 therapeutic-grade oils that you can mix and match to create your own custom scents. Plus, their dark amber bottles help keep them safe from UV light degradation.
The Stencils That Cover All The Bases
Dinosaurs, sea creatures, alphabet letters — you’ve got options when it comes to this set of stencils. Both adults and kids can appreciate them, as they’re great for casual afternoon art projects as well as scrapbooking. And unlike other stencil sets, these ones come with 50 colorful sheets of paper and 20 colored pencils.
This Crafting Jar That Comes With So Many Accessories
There’s no need to spend money on a box of glitter or googly eyes, as this crafting jar comes with all the little accessories that kids love to add to their artwork. “My little 6-year-old daughter loves everything to do with crafting this set is going to keep her busy all year!!” raved one reviewer. “Amazing find for homeschoolers too!”
These Hole Punchers That Create Fun Designs
Stars, dinosaurs, palm trees — with 58 different designs to choose from, this set of fun hole punchers is about to become your go-to whenever the mood to scrapbook hits. And if you aren’t into scrapbooking? Not a problem, as they’re also a great way to add little details to your envelopes, letters, cards, and more.
These Plywood Sheets That Can Be Used For Anything
Your imagination is the only limit when it comes to deciding what to do with these plywood sheets. Use them for painting, fortifying the bottoms of collapsible boxes, or even customizing the sides of drawers. Each one is individually wrapped so that they arrive without any scratches — and they’ll even hold screws exceptionally well.
These Fabric Markers That Are Oh-So Vibrant
With more than 30 super-vibrant colors in every order, there’s no reason not to grab this set of fabric markers. Each one features two tips: one for thin lines and one for thicker lines. The rich pigments show through clearly on everything from canvas shoes to pillowcases — and the water-based formula is safe for kids to use.
These Stuffed Animals are Adorably Mini
For less than $25, this 30-pack of stuffed animals is an adorable addition to your little one’s crafting supplies. Each animal has a small loop at the top so that they can attach them to their backpacks or make them into keychains.
This Memory Foam Filling That’s Perfect For Empty Stuffed Animals
Are your kids interested in making their own stuffed animals? You’re gonna need some filler to put inside of them — and this bag of shredded memory foam is a solid pick. Or, if they aren’t into stuffed animals, you can also use it in your pillows, or even to fill up a bean bag chair so that it’s extra plush.
A Drawing Pad That Reviewers Can’t Get Enough Of
Since this drawing pad lights up, it’s easier to see the precise lines that you’re trying to trace. Reviewers are kind of obsessed with it — one even wrote that “This tracing pad is so cool! I bought it for my 10-year-old goddaughter, and she loved it so much that I bought it for my 12-year-old niece. Now my 7-year-old daughter has seen it and used it with each girl, and now it’s at the top of her Christmas list.”
A Kit That Comes With Everything You Need To Create Cute Fairy Lanterns
Not only does this kit come with all the supplies you’ll need to create cute little fairy lanterns, but it also includes a convenient remote so that you can turn them on and off — all without having to get up off the couch. Plus, they only require two AAA batteries (not included) to operate.
This Painting Kit That Comes With 10 Different Dinosaurs
If your kids are into dinosaurs, there’s a good chance they’ll be stoked to see this painting kit sitting out on the table the next time they’re stuck indoors. Each kit comes with 10 blank dinosaurs that they can paint whatever colors they like — and if you do a little Wikipedia reading beforehand, you can even make this arts and crafts project a little educational.
These Paint Brushes That Cover All The Bases
From flat, wide tips to dainty pointed bristles, these paint brushes are a solid choice when it comes to all sorts of arts and crafts projects. “I have found these to be exceptionally good!” raved one reviewer. “I’ve used the flats to paint trees, water, and basic landscaping and I used them to mix my colors. Held up great. The smaller sizes are GREAT for doing detailed work as well. I use heavy body acrylics all the way to fluid acrylic paints. I will buy more of these and recommend them highly.”
A Crafting Kit That’s Geared Towards Toddlers
Most crafting kits are intended for older kids, whereas this one is specifically designed so that toddlers can join in the fun. Inside you’ll find 20 different projects to complete — and since they’re made for toddlers, each project is designed to help keep mess to a minimum.
The Scratch Paper That Reveals Brilliant Rainbow Colors Underneath
Looking for minimally messy projects your kids can work on? These scratch sheets are a game-changer, as they don’t require any messy glues, paints, or supplies — just the wooden styluses that come included. Kids can scratch their own designs into the sheets, or even just scratch the entire sheet clear if they don’t feel like drawing. Plus, the rainbow colors underneath give them a fun touch.
This Fun Kit That Helps Kids Make Their Own Illustrated Book
Got a kid that loves to read? Then they’re sure to get hours of entertainment out of this kit, as it takes them step by step through the process of writing — and illustrating — their own book. Plus, the how-to guide also helps them out when it comes to the correct adjectives and punctuation, so they’ll even learn something along the way.
A Kit That Lets Your Kids Make Their Own Sparkling Suncatchers
If your kids love anything that twinkles and glitters, they’re definitely going to enjoy this suncatcher kit. Each order comes with five blank suncatchers, five keychain hooks, as well as hundreds of small gems they can use to decorate. And once the suncatchers have been bedazzled, they can move onto sticking gems wherever else they like — like their school notebooks.
This Sand Art Kit That’s A Total Blast From The Past
You probably remember making your own sand art growing up — which means this kit is basically self-explanatory. But if you’ve never done it? All you have to do is fill up the included bottles with the colored sand. You can make all sorts of designs depending on how you fill them up, and each order comes with a funnel to help keep mess to a minimum.
These Art Supplies That Cover All The Bases
Watercolors, pastels, colored pencils, crayons — this little briefcase filled with art supplies truly covers all the bases. The briefcase is made from real wood rather than plastic, and you even get two large sketchbooks, as well as a coloring book with every order.
These Drawing Pads That Reviewers Rave About
Don’t take it from me — with more than 10,000 positive four- and five-star reviews, it’s clear that these drawing paper pads are a total hit with Amazon shoppers. “Great quality drawing pads,” wrote one. “Nice strong binding but sheets tear off easily. Paper is bright white, a decent weight (ink and paint don’t soak through to the other side easily) and folds easily.”
This String Art Kit That Lets Them Make Their Own Lantern
If you’re looking for a unique art project, this string art kit fits the bill. Simply blow up the heart-shaped balloon, soak the string in the special glue, then wrap it around the balloon. Once dry, you’ll be able to pop the balloon so that the string stands on its own, then add the included LED lights so that it lights up just like a lantern.
A Kit That Lets You Make Your Own Fridge Magnets
Whether your kids are bored on the weekend or you’re throwing a birthday party for them, this magnet-making kit is a fun way to get everybody channeling their inner creativity. You’ll find 11 different pre-made designs inside that they can decorate using the included googly eyes and paint — and many reviewers raved about how fun it is as a “family art project.”
This Organizer Is A Must-Have For All Your Art Supplies
Instead of cluttering up a drawer with all your markers and sketchbooks, why not just put all your art supplies into this handy organizer? It’s made from tough nylon fabric that can handle heavy loads without tearing — or, if you aren’t into art, it also works great with office and medical supplies.
A Sketchbook That Helps Kids Channel Their Inner Fashionista
If your kids are into fashion, this sketchbook is a fun way for them to create their own clothing designs — and it even comes with stencils to help get them started. “I purchased this as a Christmas gift for my niece and she loved it!” raved one reviewer. “Out of all the gifts she received this was the one she opened and used first. This kept her busy for the rest of the night and she was so proud of all of her creations. Definitely a great product for encouraging a child’s creativity and imagination.”
These Beads You Can Use For All Sorts Of Projects
Even though these beads come with all the supplies you’ll need to create bracelets, you can also use them to make anklets, necklaces, earrings, or even add them to macrame decor in your home. The best part? Each bead is made from eco-friendly polymer clay rather than plastic.
These Masks That You Can Paint However You Like
Not only are these masks made from eco-friendly paper mache, but each one is also large enough to fit kids as well as adults. You can decorate them however you like using paint, glitter, or even those beads — the only limit is your imagination. And since each order comes with 30 masks, you’ve got tons of extras just in case you mess up the one you’re working on.
The Finger Paints That Are Safe For Toddlers
Don’t worry if your toddler happens to get a mouthful of these finger paints, as they’re completely non-toxic so that they’re safe for kids of all ages. They’re also washable — just in case the paint gets onto clothes — and the silky formula glides across both skin and paper, providing hours of entertainment.