Construction paper is thick, slightly textured colored paper used for art projects and crafts. Unlike regular printer paper, construction paper is sturdy enough to be folded, glued, and cut into shapes without tearing easily. It comes in dozens of bright colors, from fire-engine red to deep purple to sunshine yellow.

You'll find construction paper in almost every elementary school classroom, where students use it to make everything from paper chains and greeting cards to collages and book covers. The paper's thickness makes it perfect for three-dimensional projects like paper lanterns or standing displays. Its rough surface helps glue and paste stick better than they would to smooth paper.

When you're constructing a craft project, you're building it piece by piece, and construction paper gives you a material strong enough to hold your creation together. Art teachers often stock construction paper in large sheets that can be cut down to whatever size a project needs.

One quirk of construction paper: it fades quickly in sunlight. That beautiful artwork you tape to your window will lose its vivid colors after a few weeks. But for projects meant to last just a season or a school year, construction paper remains one of the most useful and affordable art supplies around.