Art materials are wonderful for your toddler to play with, as the results are expressive and open-ended. Some of the classic, tried-and-true art supplies that are always appealing include the following:

• Crayons—Take off the paper, and choose the fatter size for your toddler

• Construction paper—Keep lots of colors on hand

• Poster board—Wonderful for collage and more durable constructions

• White craft glue—Choose a washable type

• Old magazines—Good for cutting and tearing

• Scissors—Beginner’s safety scissors are available for small hands

• Felt-tip markers—Choose washable markers

• Food coloring—Note: It does stain

• Recycled household materials—Cardboard tubes, egg cartons, fabric scraps

• Tempera paint—A good basic type of paint, and it is washable