Our old marker holder has a new admirer.
I have many, many photos like this—of Daphne grinning ear to ear while clutching a marker that she has just pulled from the holder.
This is one of the marker holders I made for Maia and her toddler art group buddies about three years ago. Ours has gotten so much use and still works great! The holder is supposed to prevent markers from drying out as much, mostly by providing an easy way for toddlers to put them back in the lids. They do eventually dry out though, and when they do, I just buy a new box of markers and put the new markers into the old lids.
The directions for making the marker holder are in MaryAnn Kohl’s First Art. The marker caps are held in place by plaster of paris and she suggests using an old metal loaf pan or something similar for the base. I think one of those decorative tins (you know, the kind that people use for giving cookies and fudge in during the holidays) would be perfect — attractive, but also sturdy.
Our bowl has been fine except that it can be a bit tippy sometimes when putting a marker back. It hasn’t stopped us from using and loving the marker holder, though.
It’s been lugged from table to table, easel to floor, and kitchen to studio during the past three years. And it looks like it’ll make the rounds again over the next three years…
By the way, if you didn’t want to make your own marker holder, I noticed that Discount School Supply now sells a wooden marker stand that works much the same way.
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I think we will have to make one of those too – that looks great.
And Daphne is so adorable!!!!
So great!!! Looks like our markers will have a better home here :)
Oh My Goodness, I’m going to expire from cuteness overload!
how much does she look like maia in that sweet cheese-grin photo?!!! such a cutie!!
What a fantastic and once you have seen it SOO obvious idea! great!
Thanks to your former post, we made this years ago and love it to this day! Such a fun, clever project!
There is nothing better than the smile of a baby! So cute, and neat idea too!
My kids are loving their marker holders, too. But I can’t keep it from slipping out!! First I used an old container. And that was no good. And now I put them in foil loaf pans. Still no good. Any suggestions for a medium that the plaster of paris won’t slip out of?? i want to make a bunch for E’s kindergarten class, since when we visited for their open house, they had marker chaos.
Jeannette, I think I just eventually glued mine in. It never slips out anymore and it gets carried around by one of the markers sometimes.
That ear to ear grin is contagious! Thank you, darling Daphne! I needed that!
Thank you so much for the link. I’ve noticed the marker holder on the site before and wondered how to do it. Looks like a great birthday gift for my nearly 2 yr old.
Juliette would love this, I remember seeing it in the First Art book when Emily was younger and I never got around to making it, this time I have all the supplies, I can’t wait to give it to Juliette to test out:0)
What an awesome idea. Love it!!!