Tool: List of suggested basic supplies
Creative ideas on using locally available supplies for activities with children and adolescents
There are a lot of useful resources that can provide you with creative ideas on using locally available supplies for activities with children and adolescents.
Borrow and share supplies
Check to see if you might be able to use materials, equipment and supplies from other projects, services or kits. For example, education, child protection, psychosocial and life skills programmes, sports and arts initiatives, and children’s clubs and youth organisations may have supplies that they can share for activities with adolescents.
- What materials, equipment or supplies does the entry point programme have that could be used in activities with adolescents?
- Do other programmes or services have equipment or supplies they could donate or lend?
- Are there other kits available for children or adolescents that include supplies that could be shared?
Similarly, it may be possible to access games, toys, education materials and other useful supplies from other UNICEF kits, such as the:
- UNICEF Recreation Kit: Supports children and adolescents to engage in games, sports and
recreation activities; includes balls for different games and play materials such as skipping ropes and frisbees; - UNICEF School-in-a-Box: Supports children and adolescents to continue their education in humanitarian situations; Contains basic school supplies such as exercise books, pencils, erasers and scissors, as well as educational posters and other teaching aids;
- UNICEF Early Childhood Development Kit: Supports early development activities such as structured play and learning for children ages 0-6 years; Contains games, toys, books and art supplies;
Guidance for other UNICEF kits is available on the Supply website.
See Tool: Creating your own supplies for more guidance on putting together your own set of supplies, or replacing items in the Supply Kit.
List: Suggested basic supplies
You won’t need to have every item in the Supply Kit, but you will need some basic items to run activities with adolescents. These include:
Suggested basic supplies
Should be strong, lightweight, waterproof, ideally with a strong strap or handles.
Note: Can be used to carry all of the supplies
Should be strong.
Note: To serve as a strap for the supply bag or container (if it doesn’t have one) so it can be carried or hung up.
Should be lightweight and waterproof.
Note: Can be used to keep supplies such as pencils and paper dry and organised.
Should be portable, lightweight and reuseable.
Note: Can be used by facilitators or adolescents to write notes or instructions
4 markers/chalk pieces per pack
Note: Can be used to write on a white board/black board
Can be cardboard, plastic or another hard material.
Note: Adolescents can put paper against them to write/draw on and/or use them as ground sheets to sit on.
500 sheets/pack, Can be manilla, composition or coloured paper.
Note: Can be used for adolescents to draw and write on.
Both regular and coloured if possible
Note: Adolescents can use for writing or drawing
Small
Note: Those with sharp edges should be stored and used carefully.
Medium
Note: Should be used carefully as they have sharp blades.
Extra strength if possible.
Note: Can help attach one piece of paper to another.
Paints, crayons, etc.
Note: Include anything that adolescents can use to make art!
Please note that these are simply estimates of how many items you might need for working with a group of approximately 50 adolescents over a three-month period! Do what makes sense for adolescent girls and boys in your particular situation – and remember that some items may be used up more quickly than others.
Highlights
There are a lot of useful resources that can provide you with creative ideas on using locally available supplies for activities with children and adolescents.
