Question for Moms and Dads - Crayons!?

Question

My boy, whom I'm certain is 1/2 monkey (probably from me), insists on coloring EVERYTHING.....TV, windows, etc. We want to encourage him to color and draw to promote development, but he runs 100 mph to other items off the paper. Have you ever dealt with this successfully? We'd love to be able to just sit back on a chair and watch him draw. As it is now, we have to hover over him like guards.

He is 2 yrs old.

Please...if you're immature and incapable of giving ADULT dialogue as displayed poorly by "jacky" and "Colleen O" below don't waste the other adult's time on this topic. Thank you to those with CONSTRUCTIVE and INFORMATIVE input.

Answer 1

you can buy special paper and markers from crayola that will only let your child write on the special paper. Try those for a while and when he starts to stay put, change to regular crayons.

good luck dad

Answer 2

I Never ever buy any crayons or makers unless the box clearly states 'washable' so check that first :-) I agree with the other posts that you should remove the crayons if it gets out of hand and then return them later and try again. 2 is young but it is old enough to understand the basic concepts if you point to the paper and explain that crayons are for paper only. Maybe try coloring with him, so he can see you are only using the paper. You say you don't want to stifle his creativity, but do you want to encourage him to have no boundaries? You can try those bathtub crayons too that will allow him more creativity in the bath, although I can't say for certain that won't increase his desire to draw on walls :-) Or how about large sheets of paper taped all around the room?

Here's a cute story to remember when it gets frustrating:
I had a friend who's mother-in-law had this pristine house full of antiques and she would not let people sit in certain chairs, had to take your shoes off, etc.. One day, when she & her husband were cleaning, her husband found that one of the grandchildren (who was 2) had scribbled All Over the Wall behind one of the chairs. He was so scared of what his wife's reaction would be when she found out. So imagine his shock when he came home the next day and found the chair moved and around the scribbling the most beautiful gold frame just 3-feet off the floor. When he asked his wife about it, she replied that this was the best masterpiece in the house and deserved the best frame.

Good Luck! :-)

Answer 3

Your son is 1/2 monkey too? thank God! I thought I was alone. Well I have a 3 yr old and at times he would draw on things. Maybe he didnt do it as much as your child probably bc I just got rid of the crayons. You can try the washable crayons. They work real good. Not always as good on matte wall paint. Most kids arent old enough to "stay between the papers lines" Their attention spans are so small that they think its better to explore writing on everything in the house rather stay stuck to one sheet of paper. Id take the colors away until he's a little bit older. maybe just a year. they grow and change so fast. I dont know where you are right now but here in New Orleans it hasnt been too hot. Why dont you get some finger paints and let him go outside this weekend. And make it a rule only outside. Good luck! He has PLENTY of time to color those beautiful portraits for the fridge museum

Answer 4

Someone else suggested keeping the crayons out of reach and allowing their use under supervision. I agree,by setting aside a specific time for arts and crafts and participating with him by sitting at the kitchen table and coloring or drawing side by side, he will come to understand that crayons have a use and are not to be abused.( Also,I think Crayola now makes a washable crayon for the inevitable "accident".) I think he is too young to understand on his own that walls and furniture need no further decoration. So you can help him learn by example. Also,consider not letting him tear out the pages of his coloring books or he will not understand why you get upset when he tears up his regular books....just a little lesson learned the hard way and thought I'd pass it on.

Answer 5

Good suggestions from those who have said high chair and only use crayons with supervision. My monkey-daughter found the crayons before we got up. That day we put them out of her reach and supervised for a couple few weeks. After that, she was required to ask to color. Now she keeps them in a drawer and, amazingly, puts them back, too.

These things happen and you learn from them. Like when you didn't know that she knew where the scissors were and you woke up with a child who needs a haircut. Now where are the scissors? Locked up with a two-handed child lock.

BTW, we are not pefect. Last weekend from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, we asked her many times nicely to clean her room. She now has nothing but a bed and a dresser. So, obviously I don't have all the answers, but the crayon thing actually worked for me.

Answer 6

How old is your son? If he is at an age that he understands the meaning of no, just take them away if he enjoys coloring but only for a short amount of time stress to him over and over that he can only draw on his paper when you take them away and give them back. Make it clear and agreeable to him that he must only use paper or coloring book. Also, try a character he likes, in a coloring book. Children notice the black and white in coloring books and want them colorful. Tell them they have to color superman, sponge bob...whoever b/c they can't be here until they help them. Color with him show him you expertise and he will want to do the same. If you have stray marks on the walls and such try MR. Clean eraser sponges. Also you can designate him a table of his own and cover it with freezer wrap and any accidents on the table can be removed. good luck

Answer 7

This is what i did with my friends child. He was 2 and i was babysitting a lot for him. I moved his crayons out of reach. And he was only allow to access them when we said. And instead of allowing to sit on the floor and color or whatever. She still had his old highchair. So we started putting him in there. And gave him a piece of paper and a crayon. And over time he learned if he didn't want to be in his highchair when coloring, he need to sit down! He got the message after about a month.

And if you don't like that idea! I have one more for you! They do make special paint for walls that create a chalk board. Easy to maintain. And I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to teach him how to keep to just that wall. I plan on doing this to one of my daughters walls when she get a bit older. She is 13 months now!

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

This is a hard road to cross, my suggestions two ways:

1)Cover his room walls in paper so that he is able to draw without worries

and/or

2) Buy the washable crayons and Mr. Clean magic eraser.

we purchased the washable crayons, but now at three she sits to the table and colors and knows that when she gets down from the table, the crayon stays on the table.

Good Luck!!

Answer 9

I went through that with my son, you should have seen the walls when he woke up before we did on a couple of occasions,lol. It looked like a box of crayolas exploded over the whole bedroom wall. He grew out of it and now he even stays in the lines and he's only 4. Just keep hovering a little longer, he'll get the hang of it, just show keep showing him how to stay on the paper and he'll catch on eventually : )

Answer 10

let your little one know you like it when he colors you cool pic's but the rule is if you wont to color it must stay at the table on the coloring book or paper only . and at first he will test you and this is ware you need to be persistent if he's not at the table then take it away and say if you wont to color then you have to be at the table this way he's not running and coloring all over everything. this is what i did and my kids always go to the table now and it helps for when they get older to the will come home and do home work at the table to other then watching TV ex..hope this helps good luck

Answer 11

We had the same problem. Relax and try this. Buy chalk board paint. Paint a wall or walls in his room or playroom. Give him a box of colored chalk and watch him go. Before we did this I was cleaning walls, chairs, the shower, you name it, like a mad woman. Our little boy is 1/2 monkey also. It's been one year and he still loves it! Good luck and let me know if you try it.