Author Topic: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???  (Read 6922 times)

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Offline dmills

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When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« on: February 09, 2006, 17:15:45 pm »
How old or what signs developmentally do you need to see in order to start introducing crayons, Play-dough, finger paints, etc...?  My ds is 16 months, but a late teether so he still has the oral fixation thing going on, therefore, not sure if he would be ready to try the above.  If so, do you stop if they try to put the above in their mouths?
dmills

Offline ella&jack'smum

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2006, 18:11:35 pm »
I would say you could definitely start to introduce them - maybe start with pencil crayons, so if they do get in the mouth they won't do too much damage! And I would always tell mine not to put them in - 3 strikes and away they go!
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Offline deenz

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2006, 19:45:59 pm »
My dd1 was also a late teether, and still insists on putting things in her mouth, but I warn her about it, then put it away if she keeps doing it.  I would say just try the things and see if he enjoys them.  Dd1 (24m) still prefers it if I'm doing these activities with her, but is getting more independent with them.

Offline Petunia

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2006, 20:01:33 pm »
My son didn't get his first tooth until around 15 months, but I had already introduced crayons and playdough by then.  I got big, fat, non-toxic crayons and expected that he would put them in his mouth.  I've always just told him no and taken them out of his mouth.  I usually will start coloring with the crayon in his hand to help distract him and give him the idea of doing something else with the crayon.  My son wasn't much interested in using the crayons until around the age he started teething, but even now any crayon time is short-lived and must be supervised.

It took him a while to enjoy playdough.  He didn't like touching it.  But now he pokes his fingers and other things into it with glee.  Again, he must be supervised because he's started to taste test it.

I have not tried fingerpaints for two reasons: the hands in the mouth thing and his aversion to touching slimy things.  He doesn't put his hands in his mouth so readily now, but I still think I would 'fingerpaint' with pudding rather than real paint.  I don't think he would understand that paint was a toy, but other things that feel like it are food.  He still doesn't care to touch slimy things.  We have painted though: with water (colored with a few drops of food coloring) and a small paintbrush.  He's been doing this for months.  I showed (and told) him to put it in the water first then onto his paper, over and over again.  As soon as he tries to paint the table or forgets to get water on his brush and is dry brushing I'm right there to redirect.  I've only had to take it away once for eating violations.

When I did childcare, many of the two year olds did not like fingerpainting, although they loved a brush to paint with.  By three years old they seemed to realize the fun in fingerpainting and almost universally enjoyed it.

Offline Adoptivemom

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2006, 18:45:51 pm »
 my two year old girl loves crayons (started her about 16 or 17 months) she didn't know what to do with them at first. It was a great chance for us to spend some fun time together - me showing her what to do. She was always putting things in her mouth and crayons were no exception. I would take them away - don't make a big deal about it though because kids will tend to do it all the more to get the reaction!! She is two now and doesn't put them in her mouth any more. I think she found out too many times that they don't taste very good!!

I didn't notice any development signs, just wanted to give her something different to do.

I haven't tried playdoh or finger paints yet.

Have fun!

Lindsay


Offline GraceKellysmom

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2006, 19:28:51 pm »
Max (18 months) can do crayons if he is supervised closely. His attention span is about 2 minutes with them.

Play-doh, that he will play with for 30 min with Grace while I make dinner in the same room. He tried to eat it but decided it is yucky.

Grace loved stickers at that age, but Max doesn't. He is more gross motor skills and she was fine motor skills.

At age 2 yrs old, they are more ready for crayons and stickers, play-doh and finger paints.
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Offline dmills

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2006, 19:16:05 pm »
Thank you all so much!  I guess it all comes down to trial and error.
dmills

Offline csisszi

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2006, 13:11:13 pm »
Hi!

I introduced play-dough just today (after reading this topic yesterday  :) ) and my 18 mo loved it. She tried to taste it just once, she realized almost immediately that it's a toy/game (sorry, I'm not English-speaking). Actually she cannot play with it properly (so far) but she puts in and takes out the pieces from those little buckets. :) This activity lasted for almost an hour, during this time I could cook the meal!  ;D

Thanx!
Suzy


Offline Mum of girl, boy, boy

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2006, 09:07:45 am »
Hi there, my DD is 21 months and loves to play with crayons and loves it if I draw around things like her bunny, her feet and hands etc. As for the play dough. I can't even go there. It always ends up with the biggest tantrum of all time and for me it is just not worth it right now. Little Miss Independent wants to play with it on her own but then she asks me for help. ("help, help help she calls") When I try to help she throws the biggest wobbly so I end up putting it away. I think we both end up frustrated. She is frustrated that she can't do it and I am frustrated she won't allow me to help or I can't do anything to calm her down so I end up putting it away and riding out the wobbler. I don't think we've had play dough for some weeks now. I know it's not just me as she did exactly the same when she spotted the play dough at her grandparents.

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2006, 14:49:38 pm »
hithere my little girl is 2years and 3 months and she loves the crayons since 15 months and started painting at 2 and she loves its best to use shaped sponges not brushes i havent tried with play dough but think i might introduce it soon
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Offline Mum of girl, boy, boy

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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2006, 15:08:35 pm »
Just an update.

We got through the tantrums of play dough. DD now gets be to do "roll roll" and then enjoys bringing us lovely cut outs of elephants, cars and her favourite moon. It's a great way to learn colours too but can get a bit confusing when the colours blend!!!
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Re: When to introduce Play-dough, crayons, fingerpaints???
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2006, 21:45:49 pm »
I love this thread!

DD did her very first crayon picture today!  What an event!  She only tried to eat a crayon twice and made her "yeuch" face so YAY! 
She spent about 10 minutes playing around with the crayons and making squiggles on the page before she got bored!
DP was the very proud recipient of DD's work of art.........I can't believe how proud I am of it.... LOL


Here it is  ;D

(I did the bolder pink squiggles to "show" dd what to do)