Wood slices are a simple classroom material, but choosing the right pack can still be fiddly. A kindergarten using them for loose-parts play does not need the same slices as a Year 5 class making Christmas ornaments, and a school ordering for 120 students needs a different plan from a teacher buying a few pieces for one art lesson.
At Stringybark Supplies, we regularly supply wood slices to schools, kindergartens, early learning centres and childcare centres across Australia. Our slices are made in the Yarra Valley from salvaged timber, with sanded options ready for painting, drawing and decorating.
Most orders are straightforward: choose the size, decide whether you need holes or ribbon, and order online. We can also help with formal quotes, purchase orders, tax invoices and vendor forms.
This guide covers the practical questions schools usually need answered before ordering.
The quick guide
- General classroom craft: Start with 6–8 cm slices or a mixed classroom pack.
- Small-world and loose-parts play: Choose smaller slices, mixed sizes or a 100-piece classroom pack.
- Christmas ornaments: 6–8 cm is the most versatile size. Choose pre-drilled slices or ornaments with ribbon to save preparation time.
- Name tags and hanging keepsakes: 5–10 cm usually works well, depending on how much writing or decoration is needed.
- Detailed painting or pyrography: Choose larger sanded slices, usually 8–14 cm or larger.
- Tight budgets: Discount seconds are excellent for rustic classroom craft and activities where perfect matching is not important.
If you are unsure, the safest starting point is usually a mixed pack. Teachers are impressively good at finding a use for the extra pieces. Craft cupboards may look chaotic, but they do have their own ecosystem.
What can schools use wood slices for?
Wood slices are commonly ordered for:
- Painting and drawing
- Christmas ornaments
- Name badges and student keepsakes
- Natural and loose-parts play
- Number and letter counters
- Alphabet and spelling activities
- Noughts and crosses and other simple games
- Sorting by size, colour, shape or texture
- Pattern-making and sequencing
- Small-world paths, platforms and toy stepping stones
- Story tokens, characters and emotion faces
- Colour matching and transient art
- String art
Schools also purchase larger slices for individual art projects and rustic centrepieces for formals, graduations and other events.
For painting activities, our guide to painting wood slices with children compares acrylic paint, watercolour, markers, pencils and other materials, as well as preparation and sealing options.
The best slice still depends on the activity. A single painted ornament needs a different size from a communal basket of loose parts.
Early-learning note: Choose pieces that are appropriate for the children’s ages and your centre’s risk assessment. Supervise children who may mouth objects, and avoid small pieces where they could present a choking risk.
Which wood slice size should you choose?
For a detailed breakdown of every size, see our wood slice size guide. For schools, the simplest recommendations are:
| Activity | Suggested size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Loose-parts and small-world play | Under 6 cm or mixed sizes | Useful for paths, stacking, sorting and small structures; select age-appropriate sizes |
| Number, letter and game counters | 3–6 cm | Large enough for a clear symbol but economical for class sets |
| Painting with younger children | 6–10 cm | Provides a comfortable working area |
| Christmas ornaments | 4–10 cm | 6–8 cm offers the best balance of working space and weight |
| Name tags and hanging keepsakes | 5–10 cm | Choose drilled slices if string or ribbon will be added |
| Detailed art or pyrography | 8–14 cm or larger | Larger sanded slices provide more room for detail |
| Table centrepieces and school events | 15–30 cm+ | Choose from the large wood slice range |
A practical default
For most classroom painting and decorating activities, 6–8 cm is a useful starting point. It gives children enough room to work without the slices becoming unnecessarily large or expensive.
Choose smaller slices when each child needs several pieces, such as for games, letters or counters. Choose larger slices when every student is creating one detailed finished artwork.
How many wood slices should a school order?
There is no universal number because the right quantity depends on the project. A class ornament activity is usually counted per student. A loose-parts box is a shared classroom resource. A school-fair project depends on how many finished items you hope to make.
| Project | How to estimate the quantity |
| One finished item per child | Order one per student plus a few spares |
| Christmas ornaments or name tags | Add extras for mistakes, absent students and teacher samples |
| Loose-parts play or sorting | Start with a 100-piece or mixed-size pack rather than counting per child |
| Number or alphabet sets | Count the pieces required—for example, 1–20, 1–100 or a complete alphabet |
| Communal classroom craft supply | Choose a bulk or mixed pack that several teachers can draw from |
| School fair or market stall | Estimate the number of finished items, then add pieces for practice and breakage |
If the project has a strict headcount, a few extras are kinder than discovering one slice has vanished under a paint tray five minutes before the lesson starts.
Which products should schools consider?
Classroom craft and loose-parts play
For many schools, the easiest starting point is the Classroom Craft Wood Slices 100 Pack. It is available in consistent or mixed size ranges and can be ordered with or without hanging holes.
Choose mixed sizes for sorting, loose-parts play, natural play, pattern-making and varied art activities. Choose one consistent size when every student needs a similar blank.
You can also browse our complete range of wood slices for schools and kindergartens.
Christmas ornaments
For ornament projects, our blank Christmas ornaments with ribbon arrive ready for students to decorate and hang.
The 6–8 cm option is the most versatile. It provides enough room for names, paint, drawings or a simple message without becoming too heavy for a Christmas-tree branch. Smaller slices suit very simple designs, while 8–10 cm creates a larger statement ornament.
Name tags and hanging keepsakes
For name tags, class keepsakes or projects requiring string, choose blank wood slice hang tags or another pre-drilled slice.
Having the holes drilled before delivery saves considerable preparation time for a large group. If drilling is part of a supervised woodworking lesson, undrilled slices may be preferable.
Bulk small wood slices
Value and 200-piece bulk packs are economical when the number of pieces matters more than providing each student with a large art surface.
Available options include:
These sizes are well suited to counters, symbols, matching games, simple faces and other activities requiring multiple pieces.
Discount seconds
Discount wood slice seconds are a good option when budget matters and a rustic result is acceptable. Seconds may include unusual shapes, missing bark, saw marks, discolouration, uneven thickness or small cracks, but they remain useful for many classroom activities.
Choose full-quality sanded slices when the project requires the smoothest surface, greater consistency or a more polished finished result. Seconds are often best when the activity and quantity matter more than every finished piece matching.
Large art projects and event centrepieces
For substantial individual artworks, displays and centrepieces, browse our large wood slices. Sanded large slices provide a better surface for detailed art, while rustic options suit table displays and event styling.
Should you choose holes, ribbon or plain slices?
Choose plain slices when students are painting, drawing, sorting, stacking or using them as loose parts.
Choose pre-drilled slices when the finished piece will become a name tag, hanging keepsake, mobile, display piece or ornament. Drilling at school is possible, but ordering them pre-drilled saves a great deal of time for large groups.
Choose ornaments with ribbon included when decorating is the main classroom activity. If threading the ribbon is intended to be part of the lesson, choose drilled slices without ribbon instead.
For woodworking classes, undrilled slices allow drilling to become part of the activity. For everyone else, pre-drilled is generally the “save the teacher ten small jobs” option—and those ten small jobs do add up.
Ordering, quotes and purchase orders
Schools can order through our website and pay by credit card like any other customer. A tax invoice is provided via email with your order confirmation.
If your school requires a different purchasing process, we can also assist with:
- Formal quotes
- Purchase orders
- Bank deposit payments
- Tax invoices
- Vendor information forms
- Online supplier forms
- Custom quantities
For a quote, purchase order or vendor form, email Marcus at marcus@stringybarksupplies.com with:
- The product and size required
- The quantity
- The delivery address
- Whether holes or ribbon are needed
- Any paperwork or supplier setup required by the school
Most standard school orders can be dispatched within 1–3 business days. Larger custom orders, unusual sizes and peak seasonal periods may require more time, so ordering early is worthwhile for Christmas and end-of-year activities.
Seasonal project ideas
Wood slices can be used throughout the school year:
- Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts
- Christmas ornaments
- End-of-year student keepsakes
- Teacher gifts
- Beginning-of-year name tags
- School-fair or market-stall crafts
- Nature-play and loose-parts resources
- School-formal and event centrepieces
Christmas is the busiest period. Ordering in October or November is much more comfortable than relying on late-December panic ordering.
The simplest buying path
If you want the shortest possible answer:
- For a flexible classroom supply, choose a 100-piece classroom pack.
- For Christmas projects, choose blank ornaments with ribbon, particularly in the 6–8 cm size.
- For name tags or hanging projects, choose pre-drilled wood slice hang tags.
- For budget classroom craft, choose discount wood slice seconds.
- For large art projects or centrepieces, browse large wood slices.
If you are unsure what to order, email Stringybark Supplies with the age group, activity, approximate number of students and whether the finished pieces need to hang. We can recommend the most suitable option.