when do they start coloring with crayons?

We had our 12 month checkup recently and they do a development checklist for the parents to complete to be sure the kiddos are on track. Ours were okay, but one of the questions has me thinking. It asked whether they will scribble with a crayon. We said no, having never given our boys the opportunity to try. I picture at this point, they would eat the crayon, and they would also try to eat the paper, or just crumple it up and throw it on the floor. A crayon still seems like a choking hazard at this point rather than an appropriate activity. Am I way off here? When did your kids start coloring?

 

I had them using crayons since shortly before their 1st birthday. Tape paper to the floor with masking tape to keep the paper from flying all over the place. Go for it!

 

12 months seems early. I got that question at 15 months and that is when I started lettting the girls have a pen or crayon or something washable... They got to color and scribble in their high chairs while I wrote a quick thank you note or paid a couple of bills.

Just remember eating a crayon isn't the end of the world -- it's non toxic and will come thru the other end! LOL! Yes, you will have to sit right there and watch them like a hawk (not just crayons but everything) over the next 6-12 months. One thing that helped me alot was finding a public program where I could bring my kids and they could do a craft. that way I didnt have to prepare the craft. the twins could sit right down and start doing stuff with my help.

Another thing that helps is taping a large piece of cardboard to the table or floor. That way, they feel when they go Off the paper.

 

They used them consistently when they stopped eating them. I would say probably around 1.5 years old.

 

At 22m we still can't keep from eating them...so it's rare (restaurant entertainment) that we use actual crayons.

However, I do finger painting (pudding) with them and also the color wonder water-pen is a fantastic no-mess, no-rainbow-diaper option.

We also introduced Magna Doodles (basically like an etch-a-sketch w/a pen) at about 15m...it's a big hit.

 

We started coloring with crayons yesterday. My dd got really into it, but ds was so-so with it. They also have a magna doodle that they both love.

 

Mine are 14 months and I have tried a few times, but they just gobble them up! If I am careful, they will have red or blue teeth before I blink! LOL I am waiting another month...
We start playing with Playdough...My DD smooshes and plays with it, my DS just tries to eat it...You could try that...just giving them a ball of it and let them play with it...

 

mine all started around 15 mo's or so

 

We started at around 15 months. There's a great new crayon out there called "Crayon Beginnings". It's a 3-pack of big round ball-like things that hold the crayon and it's perfect for beginners with little hands. Mine loved them. At 18 months, we've started using regular crayons too, but like pp, they think they are food.

 

We gave the girls crayons a little before Xmas. They did eat the crayons and rip the paper, but they also colored! Just keep an eye on them and go for it!!!

We are going to try markers as soon as I can get my nerve up...

 

We were also told by early intervention that my twins should start using crayons at 12 months. So we tried it for a few months but all they did was eat them. I'd have them in their high chairs, tape the paper down, and color hand-over-hand with them. (meaning, they have the crayon in their hand with my hand over it.) They LOVED it but as soon as I took my hand off, they would eat it. So we stopped at 14 months, then started again at 16 months. LO AND BEHOLD they try to color 90% now, and eat the crayon 10% now. Slowly we are making progress!

 

QUOTE(TwinLove @ Jan 17 2008, 03:12 PM) [snapback]577052[/snapback]
We started coloring with crayons yesterday. My dd got really into it, but ds was so-so with it. They also have a magna doodle that they both love.


Mine just started too! Sometimes they try to eat them, but mostly they are trying to color everything in the room. We have drawings on the fridge and an old sofa :laughing:

 

I would say 18 months was when it became something they could actually sit there and do for more than a few minutes. I gave them crayons before that, but they didn't really "get" it. By 24 months, they seemed to get it even more, and now we have lots of paper and coloring books, they love it.

 

Around a year we started trying. I taped paper to the floor and they used washable crayons (I think all crayons are non-toxic). At first they definitely did try to eat the crayons, but they grow out of that. They really love to color and paint.

 

We started coloring with all the girls a month or two before they turned 1. We would tape the corners of the paper down to their highchair trays, strap them in and let them go for it!! We only gave them 1 color to start with and just watched them closely and showed them what to do!

 

We started pretty early (before 12 mos.) but with plastic, ballpoint pens so they couldn't eat them. Yes, I'm crazy like that. They'd get paper and a pen at the kitchen table (which I keep covered with a cheapie vinyl tablecloth) and I'd tell them to draw on the paper, not on the table and sit and watch like a hawk. I taped the paper down so it wouldn't slide around on them. They, of course, drew on the tablecloth but I'd just remind them and let them keep working at it. A couple months later, I got them some Color Wonder markers and they have had a great time with them... bit the tip off of one but did better than I expected. FWIW, they just got their first real crayons at Christmas and they aren't eating them.

 

My girls started using crayons right after their 1st bday. I bought them fat washable crayons so that they could hold them better and we would tape the paper to the table so it wouldn't slide around. You will have to sit with them for the first couple of times and keep reminding them "no mouth" but if they do take a chunk out when your back is turned for a sec, no worries. They are non toxic and will make for some beautiful colored poops! It's really a lot of fun once they start coloring. I actually prefer the washable markers. They are MUCH easier for the girls to use than crayons. With crayons, you have to have the ability to push down kind of hard and move it at the same time. With markers, they just have to lightly brush it across the paper and voila an art piece in the making. I also started soon after with letting them put stickers on the paper and then bought some glue sticks and let them stick colored paper pieces and stuff that I got from Oriental Trading. Of course I put the glue on it and then handed it to them to stick on their paper. Then they would stick it and peel it and re-stick it and peel it again. Just go with it. It's so much fun. You can buy them art smocks for 5 bucks at TRU or you can just put an extra large shirt over their clothes and let them go to town. GL!

 

I gave them crayons/paper around 12 - 13 months, and yep they crumpled the paper and ate the crayons. I think I reintroduced it at about 17ish months and now they can't get enough coloring, it's there favorite activity, I actually had to hide the crayons lol.

 

I just started letting them color a few months ago, so around 20 months? Thats when I noticed they werent trying to eat everything so I figured it was safe

 

Mine are just now at the age they can sit in thier highchairs and color for 20-30mins. It is GREAT at letting me pick up around the house or get meals ready for them. I was starting to lose it, since they were about 9 months and could be in an excersaucer it has been mayhem ever since

 

We had the same question on our 12 month forms. I introduced crayons soon after and now at 18 months they are STILL putting the crayons in their mouths. I still give them the opportunity to color several times a week while sitting in their high chairs (booster chairs). However, I immediately take them away when they put them in their mouths . . . which is only a few minutes. Good luck!