Crayons?

MommyToAshley wrote: In one of the child development books I was reading, it suggested crayons as a good thing for a 12 month old (under adult supervision). I thought that to be odd... I never would have thought of giving Ashley crayons. I figured that they would go straight to her mouth. BTDT mommies, what do you think?

kit_kats_mom replied: Katherine has a magna-doodle and she likes to make designs on it. I think she just likes the cause and effect of her moving her hand and making something happen. She also has a chalkboard and the only thing I've learned so far is to make sure there are no bits of chalk or crayon left in her hand when she is done drawing. Apparently a piece of chalk broke and she kept a nub of it. I now have a nice dark-blue chalk mark on my carpet. I think crayons are probably ok.

paradisemommy replied: when we went to taven's 1 year appt. the doctor asked if he drew pictures with crayons or tried drawing at least - i answered that i had never even given him crayons yet and the whole question caught me off guard but then made me feel like i was holding my son back and not letting him play with crayons so i give them to him now and then and let him play - surprisingly enough - he hasn't tried to eat them yet!!

supermom replied: I would imagine it would be good for motor skills, but all Anders like to do is break them - LOL!! No, he does do some drawing with them, but when he gets bored, he breaks them into tiny pieces! So, I started giving him a pencil instead and he does real well with that.

~CrazieMama~ replied: Brianna uses crayons really well, but when she gets bored, watch out!!! She throws them or eats them!!!! I only give her non-toxic crayons.

A&A'smommy replied: I use to keep my neice and nephew when they were 1 and under one and i let them both color (with me sitting there with them) and i also use to keep the nursery and i try and find fun games that stimulate their minds. I think its a good idea to start trying to let her color while also counting the crayons and teaching her the colors. She may not really seem to pay attention or understand, but she is paying attention and she will understand. My nephew is almost three and he can count to ten and he can say his abcs (somewhat) and he KNOWS his colors but he has known some of those things for a while. Also my neice is almost two and she can count to five and she is learning her colors and shapes and stuff.

MomToMany replied: LOL, they are NUTS!?! I have to keep the crayons away from Hannah. She thinks they're a nice nutritious snack! I told DH (kidding, though) that she would end up with rainbow colored poop!! I have to make sure the pencils and pens (and markers) are out of her reach too, but I do let her use a pencil if she sits on my lap.

Hannah does love her brother's Magna-Doodle- which is a much safer alternative, I think!!

I agree with the others- it's good for them to express themselves and to see what happens when they move something across a piece of paper.

alice&arik replied: Arik just eats the crayons. When i go out to eat the waitress always gives him the crayons and placemat to color, i think that is so irritating, they can at least ask if you want them to have them. Now i just tell them on the way to the table he doesn't need the crayons! But my daycare helps him draw pictures for me with crayons and they are cute. He does a goo job. If he gets a hold of a pen he makes a mess. One day he got a pen and had marked all over his bellybutton, there were circles around it and everything.

It was cute though!!

Hillbilly Housewife replied: I'd never even thought of giving him crayons...until we went to a reastaurant a few days ago....

the waitress just brought him some paper and 3 crayons. He tried to eat them..wasn't sure what to do with them (they were non-toxic, it was written on the side)....so I showed him. I drew a little bit, then he drew. It was so cute! He had a blue one in one hand, and a red one in the other hand.... go Zach go!

So I went out and bought a big pack of crayons from the dollar store (64 crayons, non-toxic) and I think I'll start giving him some paper and a crayopn or 2 before dinner time.... keep him occupied in his high chair for about 15 extra minutes...

coasterqueen replied: I gave Kylie a crayon at a restaurant about a month ago and she just proceeded to eat it. LOL. So I think we'll wait a bit.

amynicole21 replied: I hadn't even considered it until daycare sent home some of her crayon masterpieces! We still haven't tried at home, but will probably do it soon.

MomToJade&Jordan replied: Jade has had some crayons in her hands, but they weren't in them long enough for her to do anything with them. I think she would just try to eat them at this point because that is what she tries to do with everything. I think under supervision they wouldn't be so bad. Just show her what to do with them first. Ashley is a bright little girl and she will probably will be drawing with them in no time. Let me know how it goes and if she takes to it maybe I will try with Jade. If they don't go in her mouth it would be a fun activity for her to do.