[mom2orionplus1]

This may seem like a totally absurd post, but my son loves to eat crayons. I want to give him experiences with paper and art, but we always have to end them prematurely because of his "habit". I don't want to stop his artistic experiences, but don't want him to keep on eating his art supplies. Advice?

 

[girlzmommy00]

I'm trying to think of other things he could write and draw with. Would colored pencils work or even non-toxic paints. Some kids even enjoy a bunch of shaving cream squirted on a cookie sheet to make pictures in. Or whipped cream if you think he'll eat that, too. I know they make paints for the bathtub as well.

Good luck. My girls just think it's fun to break all of the crayons.

 

[~Nikki~]

Haha, I feel your pain. Really, I do. My daughter is also a crayon eater. I'll never forget the day I pulled out crayons for her (the package said age one and up!) I layed out some paper, and let her go crazy, thinking maybe I'd get a few cute pictures to put on the fridge. She barely touched the paper. I spent most of the night with an electric toothbrush (which she loved, and I've had to use exclusively since) to get the crayon bits out from behind her teeth. Also, I was greeted with a bright array of colours the next morning when I changed her diaper.

Apparantly, she also shared a few with the dog. The backyard was covered in rainbow poo within a few days.

She loves to draw, so I found some pencil crayons for her to use, and had much better luck with them. I wanted to see if I could find some stubby, shorter pencil crayons (it makes me nervous to have her running around with long pointy things), but haven't had any luck so far. Then again, I haven't looked very hard. It's been awhile since I've been in the Crayola section. I'm still traumatized by the crayon incident.

 

[MamaE]

I have a crayon-eater too (20 months). The only thing that works for us is colored pencils. I just found some short ones today that I think will fit really well in her hand. She's been doing just fine with the regular adult-size ones though, too. She loves to draw - it is a favorite activity at our house. Unfortunately, she never did well with markers - straight to the mouth, just like crayons. For a long time, she was very good with chalk, but now she eats that too. Thank goodness for colored pencils and the magna doodle. We'd be artless without them!

P.S. I was once tempted by dollar store colored pencils - not even worth the dollar I paid for them! The leads break with even a small amount of pressure. I splurge on Crayola now. HTH!

 

[BrettsMama]

I have a crayon eater, too. I called poison control once after ds chowed on some crayons and they said it's fine as long as it's crayola or roseart. She said NEVER get dollar tree or cheap crayons b/c many contain lead! (imported.) That is so scary! Thank God ours are crayola!

nak

 

[mom2orionplus1]

I can't believe some crayons contain lead! Luckily these were Crayola or I would be freaking out right now. I wonder what kinds of crayons they use in restaurants. He has briefly put those in his mouth too. Hmmm. . .

After I typed this post, I had to take him to the bathroom to clean out his yellow mouth. Ack. Colored pencils are a great idea. I don't know why I didn't think of those. I also like the whipped cream idea.

Thanks!

 

[erikanorth]

we also use the crayola 'magic art' markers....they only colour on the 'special paper.' I know its a marketing ply, but it is nice to leave him sitting at his table colouring for a minute withough worrying that he'll colour all over everything (including himself

) We leave paper taped to his table in the living room and the other day he got ahold of a 'real' marker, promptly ran to the table and coloured on the paper! he eats crayons, too, btw.....so he only colours with them when I can sit right beside him and watch!

 

[megincl]

DS eats crayons too, and it was our college student babysitter who suggested colored pencils, and we thought that was such a great idea, until....DS started biting the tips off of the colored pencils!!!

so we're again at a bit of a loss for how to provide art opportunities for him!

 

[gardenmom]

On my way to chuck the cheap dollar store crayons we have right now--geez there's lead in everything, isn't there? I never liked them anyhow, they break really easily. I wanted to get dd a set of stockmar block crayons for Christmas, so I think I'm off to do that instead. I have to say that slightly before she turned 2, the crayon eating really dropped off and she almost never eats them now, thank goodness. Markers, however, are still used for writing on your face, hands and tongue. Ick :LOL .

I made a bunch of home made play dough for fun/safe arts and crafts--it's really easy (I think if you search the crafts forum you'll find links to recipes). DD loves it--I dig out all the weird kitchen utensils and cookie cutters and let her have fun with it. At least if she eats it I know what was in it--I just bought myself a set of all natural food colorings too, so I can put those in next time I make some.

 

[carolsly]

Chocolate pudding on wax paper! My mom did this for years! Put us in our highchair put down the wax paper, a dollop of choc. pudding..wala..hours of fun.

Kids eat crayons. Mine both did. They are fine. Well...just kidding HA HA. My kids really do like the Crayola markers that I got when I HS older dd last year. I just tell younger dd "if you eat all of them (she likes the marker tip) you can't color anymore." That puts a stop to that. She loves to color.

We also have pencils. The kids know that they can only color at the table (where I can see them). They also know that those colors only go on paper (well the 2yo usually gets a little carried away and colors her arms..). They grow out of it Mama. It's something we all go through. Well..except for my friend. Her son Kostas never does anything he shouldn't do..but he whines and I'll take a scamp of a kid over a whiner any day.

They are only young once. Enjoy the crazy things they do, and until your child stops eating crayons you might want to get some of those rice paper liners for your cloth diapers. As far as the dog..doesn't he know better?

 

[treemom2]

DD is over 3 now and still eating crayons and recently has developed a taste for playdoh--yuck!! Colored pencils are great until your little artist colors on the wall then they are a bear to get off. Markers don't go in the mouth either, but they do go all over the face, hands, legs, etc. . . (dressed DD as a cat last Halloween, colored her nose and gave her whiskers with an old eyeliner, so now she will color her entire face with marker and go around meowing). Ah, the joys of motherhood :LOL

 

[cj'smommy]

Crayola makes a crayon called Twisters that is a crayon but in a plastic casing, kind of like a pencil. It's a big thicker than typical crayons and it's stiff so it's pretty easy for toddlers to hold.

 

[cj'smommy]

There is also a recipe for edible playdough made with Peanut butter, I'll see I can find it somewhere. Not that you want to encourage Playdough eating but this way you won't have to worry!