Train Your Little Picasso With Crayons

Seeing burst of colors that appears right under their hands is indeed an exciting sight. Colors make toddlers feel happy and they will surely feel a lot more joy if they are the ones creating colorful scribbles on paper. Letting a toddler use crayons is a good way to help them develop fine motor skills, fondness for art and creativity. So, why not buy a box of crayons for your little one?

But you cannot just pick any crayon. There are crayons designed for toddlers. These could either be jumbo crayons or those that are triangular in shape for easier grip. You also have to make sure that you get the ones that are non-toxic because a curious tot would sometimes put the crayons inside their mouths. What’s more yummy looking than a bunch of colors anyway? You can also teach your child to keep the crayons once they are done using it. If they won’t listen the first time, that’s okay. Just keep on repeating it and they’ll eventually get it. For the first early coloring sessions of your child, always be there to guide him.

I have mentioned that tots would tend to place crayons inside their mouths. If this happens, you can take away the crayons from them and explain to them that it is for art and coloring. Then show them how it is done. If they still place it in their mouths again, then you have to take the crayons out of sight. You can do coloring some other time or you can resort to other art materials like stickers.



I bought Bella crayons at an early age. I taught her how to grip on it using her right hand and to scribble it on paper. I have large sheets from blu prints of house plans that I designed. These were blu prints that had some mistakes on it. Instead of throwing them away, I let Bella use it for coloring. I would place the paper on the floor and she could sit on the paper while scribbling. But she would always ask me to draw something on the paper. I’ll hold her hand to form shapes and draw whatever she can think of.

“Mommy, draw cat. Mommy, draw circle. Mommy draw flower. Mommy, draw caterpillar.” The list is endless! lol But I still do it. Sometimes, the drawings look funny but as long she can identify it, that is fine. Seeing Bella occupied with her scribbling makes me happy but when she gets tired of drawing on paper. She’ll draw on something else and when I say something else, I mean wherever and on whatever she can think of!

She’ll draw on the wall, on chairs, tables, toys, even on my computer screen and her favorite Lalaloopsy Littles, Bundles. Our room looks like Elmo’s room. It has crayon writings everywhere!

This is normal for toddlers but it shouldn’t be tolerated. You have to explain to them that drawing has to be done on paper and not on the walls or on anything. They might not listen to you at once but you can tell that to them repeatedly. Show them that art and drawing is a positive thing. It’s drawing on anything that is negative. Teach that to your kids repeatedly. In time, they’ll be able to get what you mean. You can stop them from writing on walls by:

1. Show them how to draw on paper.
2. Repeatedly tell them drawing on walls is not good.
3. Show them that you are cleaning the walls so they will know that it isn’t really good. Or if your toddler is older, let them clean their own mess. This way, they won’t do it again to avoid the chore.
4. Create a gallery of their drawings. They’ll be encouraged to draw more on paper once they see their drawings framed or placed on the wall.
5. Purchase other art materials like easels and encourage your kid to draw.
6. Allocate a space in your home for their art activities.

When you do this, they will be able to practice and appreciate art even more. Start doing that while your kid is still a toddler. I want Bella to develop her love for art in an early age. That is why I got her crayons even when she was still a baby. Remember that drawing is not just about fun. It can also help your kid’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social development.

So, if you are hesitant to give them crayons at an early age, don’t be.

I actually want to treasure Bella’s scribbles because she won’t be coming back to to this stage anymore. When the time comes that she’ll be able to draw well, I’d show her the first drawings she did as a toddler. I took photos of some of her scribbles. They may appear senseless but the truth is, these scribbles mean a lot. It shows how she developed as a child, her love for colors and art, and this could pave way to a better school performance and career in the future.