What type of art supplies do you let your DC use w/o making a big mess?

[CBB]

Ped suggested introducing DD pen or crayon for drawing. DD is 15.5 mo old. She has tried paint and chalk when she's in playgroup only. Most of them ended up in her mouth, face, on her clothes, and on the floors. One time she grabbed one of our pens and left a long mark on my favorite duvet x(. I was wondering what kind of art supplies you use without making a big mess at home. Which ones are safe for her age?

[ellies mom]

I let DD use the washable crayons at the coffee table, and I let her use washable markers in her highchair and at the counter (really want that learning tower). I found when she was about your DD's age, she had a hard time pushing the crayons down hard enough to leave good marks, so the markers were good there. Now she is fine with the crayons. She has sidewalk chalk for outdoors. I made playdoh, but she isn't overly interested in it other than stabbing it with her markers. I'm planning on moving up to finger paint this week. That will obviously be a kitchen craft. When she was about your DD's age, I'd put food coloring in vanilla pudding and let her fingerpaint on her highchair tray.

I just kept telling her to keep it on the paper, and she is pretty good about it, although one day I did let her color on my knees with her crayons. Also, I buy the 12"x18" paper so it takes up more of the counter space. I want to believe it is helping her to succeed.

I have found that the washable crayons come off surfaces pretty easy. The markers also come out of clothes easily, so I wouldn't worry so much about bedding, I just don't want it on my rugs. HTH

ETA- I don't really worry about DD getting it on herself because I figure she is pretty washable. I do want to find a good smock though to help protect her clothes.

[brittone2]

Crayons on unprinted newsprint (left over moving supplies) attached to his easel, or used in his high chair. He has some interest but only for a minute or two then he's usuallly onto something else. He also uses big side walk chalk on his easel (blackboard side) and that isn't very messy, and it is easy to grip.

Another recent favorite was a sponge style paintbrush (3 inches or so wide) that I wet and added some dish soap to until it was foamy on the end. I let him paint our all glass front door while daddy was painting the walls of our new house. This occupied him very well and isn't very messy other than streaking up the door/windows.

DS is 16.5 months btw.

[squimp]

I confess, I have a mess phobia, but have found a few great things for art supplies.

Buy a big basket, and put the basket on a high shelf. Let her play only when supervised, and really messy stuff is restricted to the high chair, like Playdough.

Twistable crayons are the best! - they are difficult for little fingers to twist up, so they only work when mommy wants them to work :).

The MagnaDoodle thing is a godsend. No mess, and actually really easy for little ones to use for drawing - writes easier than crayons or markers.

The color wonder paper and markers are nice too, but are a little harder for her to use. She's just starting to be able to draw with them at 20 months.

Sophia is just starting to enjoy drawing herself, as opposed to having someone draw pictures for her.

[ellies mom]

The only problem with the color wonder markers and such is that they do leave a residue, and it might effect the finishes on your furniture. That is why I went with washable instead, I want to know where the marks are so that I know I have cleaned it up.

I'm not mess phobic (that would be DH) but I also keep everything up and control what she supplies shes uses where.

[murpheyblue]

We bought DD an art table and stocked it with washable crayons. She's only allowed to use the crayons at the table. She loves pens but they are a no no. She ends up with them all over her if she finds one.

[Twin Mom]

It's not an "art supply", but my kids love the aquadoodle. The pens use water to draw on the special mat. When the water dries, they can start over. DD especially loves it.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008X343/103-9435810-7392604

[jamsmu]

Doodle Pro (formerly Magnadoodle) is wonderful, too.

[bchafin]

I just wanted to second the aquadoodle. They make small mats (great for diaper bag) that DC can color on with water and the colors magically appear. I bought the Elmo set for my DS to try and so far he does pretty well. The water doesn't seem to make much mess, which is good since he still puts things in his mouth once in a while. I bought them at TRU.

Barb

[squimp]

I never let her use them unsupervised.......I just can't handle the thought of her drawing all over the furniture, washable or not :)

[HannaAddict]

Boy, I guess my little guy is 15.5 months old too! He loves to draw on our whiteboard with non-toxic white board crayons. He also loves to erase things from the white board and that process is less messy. Since he loved our white board so much, we got him the Step 2 easel with a white board on one side and chalkboard on the other, after reading about it on this board. He likes it okay, but really prefers to use ours! Contraband. He doesn't usually put the markers in his mouth, but can go off the board sometimes. He has the fancy wax crayons too (can't think of the brand) and they seem softer than the Crayolas he has. He will color with those in his high chair. I haven't tried the washable marker/crayons the other posters mentioned, I think I will have to after reading the replies.

Kimberly
DS 3/18/04

[SarahK]

My daughter is almost 19 months old and she enjoys coloring with washable crayons, Color Wonders markers, and the Magnadoodle. She also LOVES stickers--I just buy the cheapie round stickers in the office supplies section of Target and hand them to her one at a time...she loves sticking them on her shirt and on Elmo.

She also likes to paint with water on the sidewalk. I give her an old paintbrush and a little pail with a couple of inches of water and she happily paints the sidewalk...and then dumps the water and comes and asks for more.

[californiagirl]

Oriental Trading Company has great cheap stickers; http://www.orientaltrading.com/otcweb/application?namespace=browse&origin=searchMain.jsp&event=link.itemDetails&demandPrefix=12&sku=4/133&mode=Searching&searchDestinationJSP=/search/searchMain.jsp&erec=1&D=holiday%2Bstickers&mr=SearchMainMerch_DeepDiscounts&Dx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&Ntx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&Ntt=holiday%2Bstickers&N=375620&y=0&x=0&Ntk=all is 100 sheets for $5.95 (they're little strips with 12-20 stickers a piece.) Add http://www.orientaltrading.com/otcweb/application?namespace=browse&origin=searchMain.jsp&event=link.itemDetails&demandPrefix=12&sku=39/1635&mode=Searching&searchDestinationJSP=/search/searchMain.jsp&erec=3&D=mini%2Bnotepad&mr=SearchMainMerchEveryday&Dx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&Ntx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&Ntt=mini%2Bnotepad&N=342679&y=0&x=0&Ntk=all 4 dozen teeny-tiny spiral notebooks, and you have an almost infinite supply of amusement small enough to stick in your pocket or your wallet for desperate moments.

[amp]

We started with art supplies around 18 mths or so (I'm guessing here). Now DS is just over 2. He uses all art supplies in the kitchen, over the vinyl floor and is supervised the entire time, and is often in a diaper at the time.

At his easel he uses:
Crayons (washable and slick stix, which are not washable)
Marker (washable and whiteboard)
colored pencils
Paint
chalk
Play doh

Also, we use sidewalk (washable) paint and chalk outside on the driveway and patio.

He also likes "painting" with water on his chalkboard or outside.

[CBB]

Thanks everyone for your replies! I got DD one of the magnadoodles and wonder markers. Yes, I did notice that wonder markers still leave a clear stain on furnitures. I may end up getting the washable crayola also. DD can't seem to hold the pen right. She keeps wanting to write with the pen backwards. I guess we'll keep trying.

Thanks again!