To remove ALL the black crayons....

[Washersaurus]

from DS' crayon tin, as he is currently going through an artistic 'black' phase?

I too remove the black crayons , paints and felt tips etc. They are just so bloody hard to remove and paint over on cream walls (my 3 yr olds fave canvas at present).
I also have been known to remove chalk from their art kits because it goes through me .The feel of it, the sound of it arghhhhhhhhh.
Never heard of this 'black phase' though Goth Tots who'd have thought.

I have never heard that Montessori ban black crayons, did know about Steiner.

Our neighbours DS wanted his bedroom painted black when he was about 14. They compromised, one wall and he then painted a huge red wave border on it. Looked really good actually.

Oh thank heavens I am not alone in this Squatchette; some here have me down as totally bonkers

ive never heard of people not letting there dc have black crayons etc!

Its to do with children's individual schema, and should be allowed to develop. I know it is frustrating when they get a lovely picture and cover it in black, but what is more important, a pretty picture, or your child enjoying his/her natural creative processes? Let him have black crayons!

But Rach, he honestly doesn't do ANY lovely drawings if I let him have the black crayons, he just scribbles on EVERYTHING in black...hmmm, so surely I am actually broadening his creativity?

There seem to be 2 ishoos here

1. Black crayons, and the drawing of nice pictures.

2. Black crayons, and the drawing on furniture, walls etc.

I think that children do need to be free to express themselves creatively and that includes the use of black crayons.

However I can understand that you might not be so keen for him to express his creativity on your walls.

DS went through a stage of wall writing at this age, but used all colours and instrumentst. Eventually he was only allowed to draw when I was sitting with him. He has not done it for ages now (he is 3)

In another couple of weeks he will be drawing something different. My DD is going through a princess phase at present and I am sick to death of bloody princesses.

I honestly would just let him get on with it if he is happy, but not the drawing on the walls part of it. You could try talking about colour more, for examle, while on a walk admire the beautiful autumn leaves, chat about his nice red top, etc. It may encourage an interest in colours other than black.

Aw give him back his black crayons, have a heart!

My brother used to paint only in black, i always thought it was hilarious when i was little. He is now at art school and uses all the colours! I'm sure it only lasted about 6 months or so. It's quite enjoyable just to scribble in one colour, and dark ones have more of an impact, give it a try!

We have a black thing going on too. DD is 2 and loves to scribble in the bath. Every morning I stumble into the bathroom half asleep and think the bath is full of great big hairy spiders.

DD1 did this for a while. She even painted the other coloured paints in the box black.

What's the prob??? She now paints the sun yellow, spiders black and the sea blue.

This too shall pass

does that mean I need to remove the pink pens, pencils, paints and crayons from my DD art pack??... I am tired or pink horses, rhinos, elephants.. yada yada yada

Phase.. phase.. phase....

Well I'm not going to return the black crayons until his obsession with them has passed, whatever you may say

However, 'messy play' (as DS likes to call it) tomorrow is going to be painting toilet roll tubes black and making them into bats for halloween (I haven't banned black totally y'know)

Oh a balck crayon stage - your child may need therapy ! See what the underlying cause is - is he happy at home , does he bedwet, only joking .

Give him black paper to draw on , let him work that one out !

I haven't read the whole thread but this reminded me of a funny story about a young child who always drew black pictures at school. The teachers all talked about her, they talked to the parents, psychiatrists, education welfare. They all wondered about depression, abuse, issues. Then someone thought to ask the child why she always drew in black and she said that because she was sat at the back of the class, by the time the crayon box got to her all the other colours were gone!

Still too small for black to be 'For outlines' i suppose but perhaps that one could get pulled out later...?