How to Start an Art Club With The Ultimate Summer Art Supply List

Your stress-free guide to creative summer fun for homeschoolers.

Feeling the summer school slump? Want to keep art fun and flexible without overspending or overplanning?

You’re not alone.

Summer is the perfect time to start an art club with your own kids or a small homeschool group. But between the cost of supplies, decision fatigue, and curriculum overwhelm, it’s easy to feel stuck before you even begin.

That’s why we’ve created The Ultimate Summer Art Supply List. It is a simple, stress-free resource with substitutions, setup tips, and project-ready ideas to help you launch a summer art club your homeschoolers will love.

Let’s break it down so you can get started with confidence.

How to Start a Summer School Art Club

Starting a summer art club doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s a great way to keep creativity alive during the more relaxed summer months, without reinventing your entire routine.

Here’s how to begin:

Step 1: Gather Your Crew
Reach out to a few local homeschool families or neighbors who are also looking for screen-free activities. Start with three to five children for an easy-to-manage group that still allows for creative collaboration.

You can use community and neighborhood apps, like Nextdoor and Olio, to find other homeschoolers in the area.

Step 2: Pick a Weekly Day and Time
Choose a day and time that works for everyone. A consistent schedule, like Wednesday mornings or Friday afternoons, helps children know what to expect and builds a routine that families can stick to.

Step 3: Choose a Rotation (or Not!)
Decide if you want to rotate homes and leadership, or if you’ll take charge of hosting each week. Rotating can ease the workload, while keeping it in one location makes setup simpler. Either approach works. Just pick what feels right for your group.

Step 4: Download the Ultimate Summer Art Supply List
The Ultimate Summer Art Supply list will serve as your go-to planning guide. Found at Outside of the Box Creation, it includes the core materials you’ll need for a variety of art projects, smart substitutions using common household items, and tips to reduce mess.

Step 5: Set up a Creative Space (more on that below)
Your setup can be as simple as a kitchen table or a picnic blanket in the backyard. The key is to have a designated space where kids can freely create and know their mess is welcome.

Creating a summer art club fosters connection, creativity, and low-stress fun. It builds confidence in young artists and gives parents a break while cultivating community. A win-win for everyone.

Why Do You Need the Ultimate Summer Art Supply List?

Art can feel overwhelming when you’re not sure what supplies you actually need. That’s where this list shines.

It’s designed to make art more accessible, budget-friendly, and adaptable for all families.

First, the list helps you avoid overspending. Instead of buying every item at the craft store, you’ll know exactly what’s needed and how to substitute materials you already have at home. For example, don’t have watercolors? Use food coloring and water. There is no need for fancy paint palettes; use cupcake liners instead.

Second, it reduces decision fatigue. You won’t waste time debating between brands or guessing which glue works best for younger kids. The list does the thinking for you.

Third, the list supports mess-free creativity. With built-in pro tips, like storing glue upside down or using sponges instead of brushes, you’ll avoid unnecessary cleanup and frustration.

And finally, it removes the pressure. You can focus on the joy of creating art, knowing you’re prepared, organized, and flexible enough to go with the flow.

The brain-free system is ready and prepared specifically to keep your summer art club smooth, simple, and fun.

What’s in the Ultimate Summer Art Supply List?

Let’s make art without the meltdown, whether you’re stocked up or flying by the seat of your art smock.

This list gives you must-have art supplies for summer fun, easy substitutions using things you already have at home, and quick tips to avoid mess and overwhelm.

You’ll find items like:

Watercolor paints (or use food coloring + water in cupcake liners)
Paintbrushes (or cotton swabs and sponges that are great for exploring texture)
Glue sticks (or school glue and brushes. Pro tip: Store upside down for less mess)
Scissors (or just tear by hand—ripped edges create cool texture).

For the full master list with all of the substitutions and pro tips, download it now.

How to Set Up Art Stations

You don’t need a dedicated studio to run an awesome art club. With a little creativity, you can turn almost any space into a functional, fun, and welcoming art zone.

Here are a few tips on setting up art stations:

Cover your surfaces: Use a plastic tablecloth or a dollar store shower curtain to protect your table or floors. They’re reusable and make cleanup easy.
Keep supplies in reach: Create an “art tray” or portable bin stocked with basics like glue, scissors, paper, crayons, and markers. This grab-and-go solution saves time.
Dress for the mess: Old t-shirts work perfectly as art smocks. They’re washable and keep clothes safe from stains.
Create a display area: Use masking tape or string with clothespins to set up a mini gallery wall. This will celebrate each child’s creations and add excitement.
Organize small items: Store beads, googly eyes, or sequins in muffin tins or ice cube trays for easy access and cleanup.
Outdoor art setup: If you’re outside, use clipboards or weighted containers to keep materials from blowing away. Shade and a large towel or mat can help define the workspace.

Setting up your space thoughtfully makes it easier to jump into projects and reduces stress for you and your students.

What If I Don’t Want to Gather Supplies?

We’ve got you.

If the idea of prepping supplies, printing lesson plans, or even just managing a glue bottle sounds like too much this summer, Outside the Box Creation is here to help.

Our Monthly Art Curriculum Kit includes:

Artist-quality supplies
Illustrated instructions in kid-friendly language
Hands-on projects that go beyond crafts
A new artist or theme to explore each month

It’s perfect for busy parents who want screen-free, meaningful activities with zero prep. Just open the box and create.

What’s Included in the Curriculum Kits?

All the Supplies

Each box comes fully stocked with high-quality materials, so there’s no need to make extra trips to the art store. Just open and create.

4 Professionally Designed Art Lessons

Each lesson is crafted by experienced art educators and centers around a theme, an artist, or a time period in art history. You can use one lesson each week as a complete art class.

Expertly Selected Children’s Book

Every kit includes a book that pairs with the month’s art focus, reinforcing literacy and inspiring deeper creativity through story.

Illustrated Tutorials

Students follow easy, illustrated step-by-step instructions that make art-making fun and independent, even for younger learners.

Skill-Level Modifications

Each kit includes suggestions for scaling the lesson up or down depending on your child’s age or comfort level. This ensures that everyone feels successful.

Digital Art Room Access

Log into the digital hub for video tutorials, vocabulary games, and real-world connections to the lessons. It’s a perfect supplement for visual learners.

Young Artist’s Guide

This workbook-style guide offers reflective questions, reading comprehension activities, and review prompts to reinforce learning.

Certificate of Completion

Perfect for homeschool portfolios, this printable certificate helps document student progress and provides a sense of accomplishment.

The Bottom Line: Make Summer Art Simple, Fun, and Stress-Free

You don’t need a huge budget, a fancy studio, or a complicated plan to make summer art meaningful.

With the Ultimate Summer Art Supply List and a few thoughtful setups, you can start an art club, encourage creativity, and give your homeschoolers something to look forward to all summer long.

And if gathering materials feels like one more thing on your to-do list? Let Outside the Box Creation do it for you.

Our monthly art curriculum kits and monthly art boxes are designed with homeschoolers in mind, providing everything they need for confidence, connection, creativity, and summer fun.

Download the Ultimate Summer Art Supply List now and get ready to turn your homeschool summer into a colorful, creative adventure.