... which we use frequently in our artwork. In general, Junior J does his craft or artwork in his high chair, where the mess is confined to his table and easily cleaned up. Most sessions are done after meals, where he already is rather messy and is already in the high chair, and he will get a bath at the end of the whole session. :) Its a rather messy business, but I'm ok with it, since it encourages experimentation and creativity...
However, I must admit that I've yet to set up an area for corralling art materials that he can easily access, which I do see in many educational blogs. I do hope that he can have a little "art station" where he can obtain his materials and work on his art/craft at his own time, however, I am a little scared about letting him run loose with a glue stick or colouring pencils, since there are times that I do have to leave him to play on his own while I cook/ do the housework.
Previously, we were ok with him having access to his crayons, and sometimes he would ask for a piece of paper and do some doodling on his own... however recently, he has been testing the limits and has started drawing on other things like the floor and his table. Each time that happened, I took away his crayons and told him that his colouring should be confined to pieces of paper (which the hubby felt I was being rather rigid and stifling his creativity, but I didn't want a case that he took to drawing on the furniture in the homes of others, and think that was ok!). So far, the damage has been reversible, since all his crayons are washable. However, the other day, I left him with some of his Slick Stix (which are not washable btw), went to put some food to steam, and came back to see this:
After a scolding, and a prayer to God to say that he was sorry, I think the boy is repentant... however, even after an hour of scrubbing and a spin in the washing machine, there are still faint green stripes on my sofa. I guess it is partially my fault for leaving non-washable art materials lying around... but whatever the case, I am having second thoughts on letting the boy have free access to certain art materials. I read that if you provide enough drawing surfaces in the home for the child, they are less likely to doodle elsewhere. Other than that, do you all have any other tips to share on letting your child have their crayons, while preventing your house from looking like your little Van Gogh had free reign on the walls?
Hi, love your creative learning activities with the little boy.
ReplyDeleteSeen in the background of some pictures that you have a playyard ?
Maybe you could line the floor within it with mahjong paper and let it be his new creative area where art supplies are hung on the panels(in a bag or box) and he does his doodling there when you are busy.
But i think teaching him that he can only draw on certain things is still the best :)
Have fun letting the little boy's creative juice flow!
Anon: Thank you! And I think that is a fabulous idea, restricting the crafting in that area, that already existed! Thank you so much, will set it up and see how it goes!
ReplyDeleteO-M-G... luckily the colour faded, guess if my husband saw this he will certainly cream on me and started to yell at the kids!^^
ReplyDeleteI prefer my kids to colour at the front yard(tiles) or in the toilet(mosaic wall), better be sorry to my kids thn get scolded by my BIG BOSS!:p
Alice: Hmmm, actually the hubs was totally fine with it! I think I was more worked up... but he finally agreed that we had to tell the boy that it was only ok on paper, lest he tried his luck drawing on something else!
ReplyDeletei'm like you (heartache to see the sofa like this:p) and my hubs like your hubs too. so we reached the agreement that to confine one piece of the wall in the living room for the little ones to doodle... once the restriction is "opened", she seems less wild and abuse the furniture, hehehe. btw, the wall isn't as much art work too:D.
ReplyDeleteI leave out the art materials on the dining table where it's only accessible to Ally, who thankfully is old enough to know not to draw on other surfaces. But Max can see it from the ground and if he wants to doodle he'll point and ask for them. If I have to leave him, I spread out a mess mat on the floor and roll of drawing paper from Ikea.
ReplyDeletePainting is limited to bathroom walls and tiles only. I set them loose with the paint and yes, they paint in the nude. After that everyone gets a good wash down. The only problem is, once Ally was at a playdate and a mom suggested that the kids paint. My daughter was the only one that started to take off all her clothes! :)
I think it's kid's nature to enjoy doodling on large, empty area. I wrap a majong paper on their kids' table. I realise that everytime once I did that it get doodled on very soon!
ReplyDeleteI had same problem as you when I'm staying in a rented house oversea. I get my boy to scrab and clean his own drawing off the wall. He realise that he couldn't get the wall to be clean after trying very hard. This get him to think twice before doodling on the carpet or wall again.
Sean has drawn on our bedsheets with a pen on two separate occasions - he received a stern scolding and a rap on the hand both times! Think we just have to keep reinforcing the message that they can only draw on specific places and not others. I can't imagine giving him free access to art materials at this stage though as much as I want to encourage creativity!
ReplyDeleteour bedsheet has ink marks (sigh) and recently, it's gone on the dog's fur.
ReplyDeletei hide the markers/crayons now and buy the washable ones..we bring the markers only when I am able to hawk over him...and i when i say hawk, i really mean hawk, like I shriek, T, DON'T YOU DARE DRAW ON THE WALLLSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Choice of art medium is very important to budding artists too! so offering a variety of textures like fabric, wall, glass or any other surfaces is more interesting than confining to paper, so can put together a box of various art surfaces (fabric is better when mount on frame which is why the tautness of the sofa is perfect!) before adults pulled office cubicle scotch tape pranks, i did it to an entire room when i was like 4 or 5?! For beanie, I'm planning on disposable furniture / paint over walls for my next apt!
ReplyDeletePC: Wow, that's brave, allocating a wall for doodling!
ReplyDeleteJillian: Oh dear, it was so funny reading about how Ally would start taking off her clothes during the playdate! Actually, think painting the walls and tiles in the bathroom might be something I'd like to try!
CE: You have a point there about the empty areas! And same too, I got the boy to try to wipe the marks off the sofa, and then he became a little more repentant when realized they were not coming off!
Olimomok: Totally know what you mean! Guess we have to keep reminding them... they would always test the limits though!
ReplyDeleteJust Me: Dog's fur! Wow... didn't your dog run/protest?
Anon: You've made a really good point there about the painting surface! Might try fabrics the next round, thanks! :)
I have been reading your blog and always so inspired by the art work you do with your son. So I finally got down to letting him try veggie printing on his highchair for a start (I was so worried about the mess it would create!). Boy, I'm glad I did.. coz he was having so much fun! Sharing with you photos of his art adventure: http://ruthwongwrites.blogspot.com/2011/05/kenan-and-veggie-printing.html
ReplyDeleteThanks again for your sharing and how you've inspired me!
Ruth: So nice to hear that your little boy enjoyed the veggie printing activity! :) Thanks for sharing... and yup, if you confine them in the high chair, its way easier and less messy to clean them (and the surrounding area) after the whole thing is done! ;)
ReplyDelete