What to buy for an Animal Drawing Day

An Animal Drawing Day needs more than paper and pencils. You will need enough drawing materials for every participant, plus name badges, folders, animal photos, display supplies and refreshments. Plan the quantities around your confirmed registrations, then add a small reserve for damaged supplies and late arrivals. This list also covers the equipment people often forget, such as sharpeners, extension cords and materials for displaying the finished drawings.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 60
Coat racksqty 2
Tableclothsqty 8

Drawing materials

Drawing paperqty 300
Sketchbooksqty 60
Graphite pencilsqty 120
Colored pencilsqty 12
Markersqty 12
Crayonsqty 10
Erasersqty 70
Pencil sharpenersqty 20
Rulersqty 30
Drawing tablesqty 8
Coloring pagesqty 100
Apronsqty 30
Table coversqty 8

Decorations

Animal postersqty 20
Animal bannerqty 2
Balloonsqty 50
Name badgesqty 80
Poster puttyqty 4
Animal stickersqty 200
Animal photosqty 100
Exhibition boardsqty 10
Clothespinsqty 100
Label tagsqty 100

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Extension cordsqty 4
Power stripsqty 4

Catering

Drinking glassesqty 70
Platesqty 70
Cutlery setsqty 70
Pitchersqty 6
Serving traysqty 6
Coolersqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 4
Storage binsqty 8
Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Semi-skimmed milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Tap water - 20 liters
- Sparkling water - 12 liter
- Apple juice - 6 liters
- Orange juice - 6 liters
- Cola - 6 liters
- Cola Zero - 6 liters
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Tea biscuits - 6 packs
- Butter cookies - 6 packs
- Paprika chips - 5 bags
- Plain chips - 5 bags
- Salty pretzels - 4 bags
- Popcorn - 4 bags
- Apples - 6 kilogram
- Bananas - 5 kilograms
- Grapes - 4 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Carrots - 3 kilograms
- Hummus - 8 tubs
- Cream cheese - 6 tubs
- Mild cheese - 3 kilograms
- Turkey breast - 2 kilograms
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Strawberry jam - 2 jars
- Whole wheat bread - 12 loaves
- Mini rolls - 100 pieces
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Paper napkins - 8 packs
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 4 packs

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Bread knivesqty 3
Serving spoonsqty 6
Kitchen tongsqty 4
Measuring cupsqty 2
Aluminum foilqty 2
Food storage containersqty 12

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 6
Broomqty 2
Dustpan and brushqty 2
Mop setsqty 2
Cleaning clothsqty 20
Hand soap dispensersqty 4

Tips

Buy one complete drawing set per participant: drawing paper or a sketchbook, graphite pencil, eraser and sharpener. Add at least 10% extra pencils, erasers and paper for breakage, lost items or late registrations.
Provide several ways to draw rather than only graphite pencils. For a group of 20, prepare enough colored pencils, markers and crayons for shared table use, with at least one sharpener per drawing table.
Order or print animal photos, coloring pages and activity materials before shopping day. Keep one animal photo and one worksheet for each participant, plus 2–3 spare copies.
Protect the tables before distributing materials. Table covers or tablecloths prevent marker and crayon stains, while aprons are useful if participants will use wet or heavily pigmented materials.
Plan refreshments by headcount: allow about 2–3 drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person for each additional hour. Buy snacks for the full group and check dietary requirements before finalising the order.

Frequently asked questions

What supplies do I need for an Animal Drawing Day?: For each participant, prepare drawing paper or a sketchbook, a graphite pencil and an eraser. Add shared colored pencils, markers, crayons, rulers and sharpeners, plus animal photos, worksheets, name badges and display materials.
How much drawing paper should I buy for 20 people?: Plan for at least 2–3 sheets per person if participants will make several studies or a final drawing, so 40–60 sheets for 20 people. Buy an extra 10% to cover mistakes and late additions.
How many pencils and erasers do I need per participant?: Give each participant one graphite pencil and one eraser, then keep at least 10% extra supplies available. For 20 people, that means 22 pencils and 22 erasers, with shared sharpeners at the tables.
When should I buy supplies for Animal Drawing Day?: Buy non-perishable drawing and display supplies at least 1–2 weeks before the event. Purchase snacks and chilled drinks 1–2 days beforehand, after registrations and dietary requirements are confirmed.

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