Suggestions on Crayons/Markers

I have two boys,2yrs and 3yrs old (only 12 months apart)

For markers we use Crayola Color Wonder. They only color on the special paper it comes with. you can also get finger paints, and Paint-in-brush from Color wonder, but are a little more messy.

in the warmer months I use Crayola Washable finger paint. It wipes right off kids, walls, (T.v.s) like magic. I would strip my boys down to diapers and let them paint outside on butcher paper.

for crayons we use Crayola Washables. They come in a varity of shapes and sizes and my boys love them.

chalk is also really fun to use on constructon paper.

Also, I use Scotch-Brite Easy Erasing Pads, (better and cheeper than Mr clean Magic Erasers) they will get (almost) any product off of walls, floors, etc..

From one twins mom to another, WASHABLE, WASHABLE, WASHABLE....

Congrats on making it through the 1st year. It gets harder as you go along, but in different ways. Mine are 9 now and girls... But all worth it..

Need any more twins advice, let me know. Trish

Crayola makes an art set where the markers will ONLY write on the special paper. That way he can get as creative as he wants, and you have no worries about tables, walls, etc.

My boys were very creative at a very young age also. They are only 18 months apart so keeping them busy at the same time was often fun! There are all kinds of coloring type things out there that are washable so if they do happen to get any on walls then it does come off. Most childrens things now days are non toxic so I don't think they can hurt them selves other than trying to swallow them.

You just have to make sure you give them plenty to color on that is "OK" so they don't get it in them to wander.
You definitly have to from the start let them know also what is "ok" to draw on and what is "NOT OK". I made sure from the start and kept an eye on them.
Good luck with the twins!

I would go with the old school fat crayons like we had in kidergarten - they help develop the hand muscles. A big roll of butcher paper is great and a supply of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers for when they forget to use the paper. The "washable" markers do not wash off wood, tile grout, some fabrics, skin or leather - I have a lime green dinosaur on my custom leather ottoman to prove it.
DO NOT LEAVE crayons in your car - unless they're in a baggie or box - they can melt and are a pain to clean up. Crayons in the dryer are a challenge too - I've learned to check pockets ;)
The Doodle Pro thingies are fabulous - great for car trips, restaurants, waiting rooms and are fairly indestructable. My son is almost 4 and still prefers the doodle thing over his expensive Leap Frog video games.
You can teach the tykes to only color on paper by taking the art supplies away if they stray onto a forbidden surface. My son caught on quick when I threw away all of his markers after the ottoman incident. He still marks once in awhile on a wall, etc. but we make him clean it up and put his art stuff away for a week. Sidewalk chalk is a huge hit too!
THe other problem with markers are the dang caps - they constantly get lost and then the pen dries up. My son is just now getting the hang of replacing the caps at age 4.
Anyway - that's my 2 cents - I'll send you a bill. ;)

Hi, They have those products that are called Aqua Doodle, they "write" without markers or other such utensils that could damage other items in your house. :)

COLORWONDER! A little pricy, but Crayola color wonder is awesome! I am still working to help my daughter to understand that we don't just color on anything, but until that concept becomes clear at least my sofa and other furniture/floor/wall etc... do not have to pay the price. Its a bit of a racket, but worth it for the peace of mind, I also bought her the washable crayons, but they do mark things so we go back and forth.

They have those new chunky shaped crayons for little hands. When our little one was little, we bought the color wonder markers. They dont write on anything bu the special paper. She still loves them today.

On a side note, if you go with washable crayons, buy some Mr. Clean Magic erasers while your at it, they are indespensible when it comes to getting crayon/marker off the walls!

Not sure if this will help, but when we moved I bought a TON of packing paper and we didn't end up using it all, however it's PERFECT for drawing. It's Large so you can lay it on the floor and they can have a larger surface to draw on, so the chances they run off the paper are reduced.

You can buy it at any packing store for about $5 for a HUGE stack (200 sheets maybe??)

Good luck and congrats on making it thru year one.

K.

Hi!

Sounds like your son is very artistic! There are lots of products that you can purchase at Toys R Us, Michael, and many discount stores. Some products have a roll of paper for drawing. Let your son know that he needs to draw on the paper only, not the walls. Costco has pre-Christmas art kits for kids too. Good luck! Twins are a joy! You are very blessed!

Kat

Okay....this one is messy but fun and non-toxic. Lay out a brand new shower curtain liner. Give the kids plenty of drawing paper and lay it out on the liner. Give them a bowl with chocolate pudding and let them finger paint. You can also give them paint brushes to dip in the pudding. It sure is messy but tastes really good! And the pictures come out nice too.
After you are done, just hose off the liner and you can reuse it for other craft projects to protect your floor.

Hi. I am a mother of twins also, but they are 13! And, yes, so far I have survived it too.

I bought my girls the Crayola markers that only color on the special paper. That way, if they "accidentally" start coloring on other things, it doesn't leave a mark. Plus, at 1-year old, they may lose interest in coloring on anything except the special paper that actually makes a mark.

Good Luck

Buy Color Wonders by Crayola. They are special markers that only write on the special paper they have. They have blank paper and they have their own coloring books. My 15 month old has used them, with no problem.

The Crayola washable markers are great, as you have already heard.

We also bought big pack of packing paper from the box store. My daughter loved to color on that. Still does. It's great for putting under smaller paper (which she mostly uses now that she's 7.) and for math homework. We even story plan on it.

When she was 3 we started buy her real art supplies because she really loved it. We set up an area for her to do art. If she is going to splatter, she must go outside. She does.
Now that she is 7, she has a table and an easel (doesn't like to use that as the paint runs), water colors, brushes (Ikea), pastels, acrylics, markers (all sorts...Crayola to the professional kind, $3 each), water color brush markers (OH YEAH! These are the favorite this year.), paper, Prismacolor color pencils, and books about technique, style, artists, etc.

Enjoy!
Stephanie

Dear M C,
I don't think it's too early at all to let your children begin to explore their artistic side! My daughter began wanting to write and draw very early and she was clearly a "leftie" from the very beginning. In fact, my father just passed away, and my sister brought me back all kinds of photos and letters that I had sent to him and my grandmother. I was surprised to see some of my little one's "artwork" included. Mostly just scribbles at first, then her stick person phase. She'll be 22 in October and it touched me that they had been saved all these years.
So no....it's not too early.
That said, you just need to be close to your kids at such a young age as they write or draw to make sure they don't put things in their mouths, etc. I think it's the perfect time to get them used to understanding that "we only write or draw ON PAPER, up at the table" (or in their high chair for now since they are so little). My daughter had a little table and chairs that we could sit at and that's where she was allowed to play with modelling clay and play dough when she got a little bit older.
You can get washable, non-toxic markers. My daughter really loved colored pencils. They have two other things that are really great too. They make magic "color books" and all you need to do is get a paint brush wet, with plain water, which obviously you should do to start out with, and as the swish the brush around on the page, the color miraculously fills in on the picture. And all it takes is some water. They also have little packets you can purchase with invisible ink pens. They come with a special type of paper and once you write or draw on the paper, again, the color appears. Same concept. I thought they were wonderful because in both cases, you were dealing with either just plain water or a "pen" that couldn't mark on anything else even if they tried.
You also might be surprised to find that very early on, you can teach them about colors and learn which ones are their favorites. I used to draw when my kids drew and they loved me coloring in their coloring books with them as well. It's a fun way to have some one on one time.
My daughter is an amazing artist. She draws, she paints and her handwriting is beautiful.
It's never too early!
Have fun!

Hi MC

There is a dry erase paint made by Rustoleum (link below)that you can by for the kids room. They can then use dry erase markers on the walls of their room.

(http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=128)

If you're afraid they may color on other walls then I would suggest purchasing a chalkboard

Crayola washables are the way to go! I started with a small pack of the "regular" sized crayons before my oldest turned 1-year-old, and my youngest was eager to pick up the crayons early-on, too. Crayola's also come out with crayons for little hands--they're great, but only kept my youngest's interest for a few months. She was ready for the "real" ones! What's nice about the washable crayons, too, is that they wash off VERY easily from whatever surface your artist may decide to decorate--just a little water and a sponge and it's gone! ENJOY!

My son loves the magnetic erase type toys. He has played with them since he could crawl. They are great for learning and their imaginations.

There's a whole world of washable markers and paints out there. We have 2-year old twin grandchildren at home (boy/girl). We cover the table with butcher paper, taping it to the underside in several places, put them at the table with paper and let them go. These products wash out of clothing, chair cushions, carpet, etc. Boy twin STILL regularly tastes each color, so his face is covered by the time they're through. But we have a whole set of masterpieces in our collection already and they just have a ball!!

How about chalk and a small lap sized chalk board?

My son is 19 months and also loves to draw and color. We let him use regular crayons and paper when he's sitting at the table, but otherwise we got him an Aquadoodle. It's a large mat you can lie on the floor and the "pen" only contains water. It only works on the special mat. The drawings disappear as the water dries. Unfortunately the pen tends to get lost easily...maybe buy an extra pen. I also saw that they sell "stamps" that work with water on aquadoodle, too, that look like they'd be fun.
For car/plane rides and restaurants, we got a magnadoodle travel size. It's the perfect size to keep in your diaper bag when you're on the go.
Have fun with your little ones!

Hi. Congratulations on your success!! With my first child I was actually disapointed that I wasn't having twins..I thought I'd have a boy and a girl and be done!! How crazy was I!! So what I've learned about markers--- get the washable kind they come up easy, put the kids in a high chair or somewhere where they are somewhat isolated so they don't draw on the wall! Don't let them anywhere near wood floors even with washable markers, get magic erasers (at least a box) in case they do get the walls and give them the lighter colored markers because they will draw on themselves and it's kind of embarrasing when you take them in public with marker on their face!! Good luck, hope this helped!

A lot of good ideas are already given. I'd only add that at age 1 let them color and draw when you are right there with them... I know... we are all busy, but it's worth making the time, and a lot of it. As you know, everything goes in the mouth at this age, and even 'non-toxic' markers and crayons can give a tummy ache if they ingest too much... and could be a choking hazard as well. Definitely encourage their artistic desires. It's one of the best learning tools for a child at any age.

crayola makes special markers and paints that only show up on their special paper.

Washable!!

Crayola has these great washable crayons that come in chunky sizes - pick up two packs of 8 fat crayons and your twins wont fight over who gets to color with red right this moment! The crayons are just like any other crayon but when it comes to "oops" (and you know you're going to have those) it wipes right off the table or wherever.

1 yr old is a bit young, just watch to make sure they dont try to chew it. I'd prefer crayons over markers at this age - nothing scientific comes to mind, it just seems better to me??

Just read the other responses... no I wouldn't go with dry erase markers for toddlers!! They stain (I'm a teacher)and stink and certainly dont seem non-toxic.
We used Color Wonder magic markers for plane trips, sitting in church, etc but I like plain old (WASHABLE!) crayons. Just seems better to have less chemicals. True, the Color Wonder dont mark things other than the special paper, but what about the chemicals? SOMETHING is still being marked onto the wall/furniture even if it doesnt leave a visible color stain.

Newsprint, wrapping paper, etc is GREAT! I would lay it down like a table cloth or floor "rug" and then lay their papers to color on on top of that. That way they're learing to use paper for coloring, but you dont have to worry about any oops.

My daughter uses the Crayola Washable Markers - these are great and wash off any surface or clothing item so easily - even hours later. She wants to be grown up and use pens so these are a good alternative so dont have to watch kids every second. She's been drawing since 11mos...

Hi.
Crayola now makes washable markers ! They are worth every penny. My daughter colored the wall and elsewhere and they wipe right off. Congrats...on your accomplishment raising twins and surviving that big first year.
Best, S.

The aquadoodle has been great for my son. It is just water in a pen that writes on a special mat.

Crayola Wonder markers are the best! They only work on the special Wonder paper and coloring books. They even have fingerpaints that work the same. You can get them at Taret and Walmart. My boys are almost 6 & 8 and still like to use them. They are great for car trips too - don't have to worry about crayons melting or getting markers on the upholstery.

There are Color Wonder tablets and pens, also fingerpaints. They only color on the color wonder tablets and books, and will show nothing on other paper, walls, etc. I believe Crayola makes them, and you can find them at most stores (Target, WalMart, etc.)

Try Crayola Color Wonder products. They make "markers" and "crayons" that won't show up anywhere but on special paper. (Of course, you purchase the paper from Crayola - smart of them, huh?) They come in kits with the paper or you can just buy them separately. My child loves them and your walls will stay clean!

My best friend growing up had a large white board (Walmart has them for about $20) on her wall in her living room. It was great to be able to draw or write and have it be posted to share it. The wall behind the board was brown so we (and her younger sister) knew our bounderies. Just an idea for the future!

Doddle Pro... The best thing for a one year old. My 2 and 3 1/2 love them and they are good for on the go too. They also love Crayola Wonders but my 2 year old still occasionally will put them in his mouth and brake the tips off with his teeth. Be very cautious... They also have a Doodle Pro Glow. Check out this link: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3145487

Good Luck...

Crayola Color Wonder. Special markers only color on the ColorWonder paper, nothing else!!

I would buy the color wonder stuff from crayola. It only marks on the special paper.

An art easel would be great. They have some that are double sided, so each child can get busy on their own space. I have 3 year old twin girls and they have always loved coloring. If it is nice outside, they would have a blast with finger paints. You could also use sidewalk chalk outside, it just washes away after. I never did the special stuff that only works on certain paper. I wanted to teach them from very early on that you only color on paper and nothing else. In the beginging I would lay down butcher paper first, that way when they went off the paper it wasn't a big deal. As they got older it wasn't needed anymore. When they do have a little go off, I just take it off with some soap and water. Always get the markers, paints or crayons that are machine washable. It also helps when you take them to grandparents or familily members houses. Most people that don't have kids don't have all the special stuff. But my parents have always keep paper, coloring books and crayons on hand. Whatever you do , let them have fun with it.

Hi MC!

Crayola makes both crayons and paint brushes that only "work" on special paper. These have been a saving grace for me. My 2.5 year old can have fun on his own (while I entertain the newborn) and I don't need to worry.

Buy Crayola Color Wonder markers. Its a little more pricey because you have to buy the special paper that goes with it, but the markers will only color on the paper and not on the walls or the floor.

I am a big fan of the Color Wonder markers by Crayola. We still teach our son to color only on paper, but they are great for those little accidents where the marker gets left without a cap on the couch.

T.

Crayola has great art sets that have markers that only work on the special paper you get with the kit. They have stamps as well. That would be the best idea for your kids since they are still so young. With crayons, you really have to be careful because they like to eat them (or at least try) up until they are almost 3...

Try the crayola magic colours (I think). They will ONLY mark on the magic paper. It is an expensive alternative - but you can't be everywhere at once - esp not with twins. Good luck.

-T.

Try Crayola Color Wonder. It only marks on the special paper for the markers! Just make sure coloring time is supervised so the markers don't end up in the mouths of babes, lol. My daughter loved coloring very young, and was duplicating letters by 3.5 years old. Have fun!

T. Solar
Founder
www.theparentpack.org

Crayola has washable markers and crayons that work on walls and floors, but not so washable on upholstery so watch your couch

Color wonder by Crayola...it is invisable, non-toxic ink that only responds on the right paper. My daughter loves it and saved me a lot of messes and heart-ache.

Crayola has a great washable line. They have pens, crayons, and paints. They are all great and they truly are washable.
Happy coloring!

I bought my daughter the washable Crayola crayons in Jumbo or Big at this age. She has always loved to color. I also L. their colorwonder markers for when they get older. The washable crayons wash out of clothes easily and I have never had a problem washing them off other surfaces.
Sincerely,
L.
PS Finger paints are SO fun at this age. I would take her outside or put her in the highchair in just a diaper. I have pictures of her COVERED in paint with the biggest smile.

Crayola makes some GREAT marker & color book sets that only work on the special paper that they have. You can get blank sheets or color pages that have designs etc. You can find them just about anywhere, they are cheapest at WalMart, but Target has them, and I have even seen them at the grocery stores. I am sure that Longs, or Rite-Aid, Walgreens, and stores like that would have them too! Good Luck!