Any ideas on how I can prevent my 2 and a half year old son from coloring on the walls?

Question

My son colors on anything he comes in contact with. I try to keep crayons and pens and such out of his reach but, he always seems to find something. My whole house is an art canvas.I let him color as much as he wants at the table but it dosent seem to be enough. Please, any suggestions will help. Thanks

Answer 1

Your question is 'too easy' ... try getting some 'blackboard paint' (it's usually either black or green) and painting one 'whole wall' with it, and telling him that he may 'color' ONLY on that wall, and ONLY with 'chalk' ... but be sure that the wall is someplace that people will SEE IT and 'Comment on it' ... which will give your 'artistic' son what he really wants, which is 'attention' ... but when he 'draws on the wall' that he is 'allowed to' people will 'admire what he's drawn' and not think 'he's colored on the walls again.' Also, if you make him a nice 'drawing area' ... with his 'own table and chair' and have a really 'nice' assortment of both 'colors' and also different colors and types of paper (at least a ream of each if you can afford that) then you'll be 'turning him into a real artist' and not having a 'bad son who colors on the walls' ... and you will probably have to 'display' some of his 'art' to the world, but DON'T put it 'on the fridge' ... have another 'bit' of wall where he may 'display his art' more 'formally' when he's done 'coloring' ...

Answer 2

You can't! My 28 year old husband was doodling on the desk with a pencil just because the other day. We have put all of the crayons, markers, pens, pencils and every other thing under lock and key and my little boys still manage to find something to write with all the time. When they do, I tell them no, take the implement away and then make them wash it off. To keep them from writing just so that they can wash, I let them wash the walls at other times too (my walls sparkle under three feet). It seems no matter how devoid of anything my house is, my boys can always find something to get into. When I find some artwork that I didn't catch them in the middle of, I take a picture of it but I don't let them know. I plan on sending them copies when they call me complaining about their kids some 25 years from now.

Answer 3

Telling him not to will just make him want to do it more. Give him a space to do it so he feels like he is winning, but in reality you both are. You have to compromise. Get some butcher paper and give him an area to go to town on. If he goes off the paper, get those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers - they're wonderful, and they got crayon off all my walls and the furniture my son drew on. He did grow out of it, and he is 5 now. Once he got into pre-k and had an outlet for art, he really took advantage of the school day and he doesn't color much at home anymore. Hope this helps! HANG IN THERE! It only gets easier!

Answer 4

When my son did this, I made him wash not only the walls, but the floors too. Each time. It only took three times before he stopped completely. I also removed the pens, markers, crayons from his reach. When he behaved in a manner that deserved a reward, I took the box down with paper and coloring book and let him color on the clean kitchen floor.

Good luck.

Answer 5

I had the part of the basement built into the "Art room with the washable foam on the wall. I only buy the washable crayons and markers. I made a rule for my boys if they tempt to write on the other wall than in the part of basement room. I take one of their favorite activity away for the day. If again and again, I add two to three days grounded for not coloring or other activity. Spank gently your child and talk with your son- explain you still want your child to express the imagination of coloring and you bought him a table for it, not on the wall-love your son at the same time. Be firm about it. When my oldest son, Jacob was 2, he would rip off the border of wallpaper on the wall twice, I told him that he won't have any more of his favorite animal wall paper up on the wall in his bedroom or not sleep in the room for while or will take his favroite toy away for the day. He stopped doing that. My youngest Joshua did the coloring or put clay on the wall. I told him with firm and light spank him and told him that he would lose his privileges of playing for 1 day or two days. I am still doing that with his potty training at 4 right now. The best is to be firm and love your son at the same time when your son gets tempt into coloring on the wall.

Answer 6

my daughter is 2 and she does the same thing. I keep all crayons put up and when I get them down i color with her. I try to explain coloring on the walls is bad. When she has done it i pop her hands and tell her bad. She seems to have got the hint because she has gotten a lot better. But it is normal and will happen

Answer 7

It is a battle of wills between the two of, but one thing that you can do to get a little and give a little. You can get him an easel for his room or paint one of the walls in his room with the special paint that is meant for kids drawing on the wall. Just at the end of the day after he has gone to sleep clean it off. On he will learn where is boundries are and after seeing the wall clean when he gets up in the morning he may get bored and just give up. If he has drawn something really nice that is worth keeping then it may be worth it in the long run for him to decorate that section of the wall him self. Also I like the wrapping paper idea too, plus again if there is anything worth keeping, it can be kept especially for when he gets older. Then you can embarass him too. Good Luck...

Answer 8

Spank his butt just enough to get his attention. Does not take much and then make him wash the walls with you. Then give him a treat, and have a fun thing planned. Some would say this sends mixed messages - and it will - if he has to mark the walls to get your attention. Next time do the paddle lightly with hand and make him start washing with you and you stop and make him continue. As he continues, explain to him why he must not mark walls and things. Afterwords; this time let him color alone at the kitchen table without treats or special time with you. Tell him that he colors only on paper and in his books - never anywhere else. Be a strong parent without shouting or being abusive and he will love you for that forever. Good luck.

Answer 9

We got our 2 year old daughter some of the color wonder markers that only color on the special paper. And then we invested in the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I SWEAR I didn't believe my sister that it worked, but let me tell you what! I have no more marks on my walls! It even takes pen out of our suede couch!

And for a special treat, she gets to color with crayons ONLY when Mommy colors along with her. :)

Answer 10

Put it all away. Pens. Pencils. Markers. Crayons. All of it. Lock it up if you must. There are markers that only color on special paper too. Throw away the crayons. Always make him clean the wall.