First Drawings (or more indulgently, mark makings)

[Bensonbluebird]

I was wondering from what age you found your ds or dd starting to draw, paint or otherwise make marks? My wee one is 12mnths and I keep on wanting to give him pencils, crayons, brushes, big fat toxic marker pens, whatever. Partly cos I love children's drawings, although I also confess that this is a little bit connected to my work interests as well. So far he just trys to eat them, ooops with the big fat marker toxic pens.
One thing I have read about is how attempts to push around and make shapes in spilt liquids (or urp) or sand or dirt should be valued as the first mark makings.

DS was too young for first markings at 12 months. He's had a disinterested stab at drawing/painting since about 18 months, but has only in the last few months been interested in drawing etc.

ds is 11 months and draws! if you give him a pen and point to the paper he will scribble on it.

but he'll do it once and then want to eat the pen! attention span isn't very long at that age! lol

Impressed by early scribbling, is he interested in what he is doing while he is doing it? I suppose it fits in will that whole thing of learning that their actions impact on the world around them.

I think it depends on the child. Ds1 was never interested - and still is not much of a draw-er. Ds2 is 19 months and has been mark making for quite a few months. BUt he has an older brother to watch so does everyting earlier.

If you are worried about him eating the crayons or whatever, why not consider getting an AquaDraw?

DD was given mark making tools from being very little at nursery - only about 6 or 7 months. Obviously crayons at that age are a bit of a no no as they tend to eat them - but sand, soil, liquids, etc are all good to start with.

And above all - just have fun!

I gave my 16m old dd a marker pen for the 1st time last week and she managed to scribble long enough for me to take a picture to show dh and the grand-parents before shovelling it into her mouth! ah well at least she tried !

Haven't heard of AquaDraw, will look into it.

Was wondering for when ds is a bit older about putting over one wall in his bedroom that he is allowed to draw on. Or would that inevitably mean that he ended up drawing on all the other walls as well.

I bought my DS (26 months) Aquadraw for Xmas but all he does is suck the water out of the pens!! Now I am frightened in case he thinks he can suck any pen!! Funny little thing

there is an art class here called messy monsters which caters for children from 6 months upwards!

ds is interested in what he's doing... just not for very long! lol

Wonder what they get them to do at messy monsters at 6mnths. Might be a little like a book and music thing I went to at the library with all the mums (+ one dad) singing and acting away like crazy while babies looked on with passing disinterest.

well they say come dressed in clothes you don't mind getting paint etc on! lol

think they pretty much just let them loose with paitns and stuff

My DD1 has LOVED drawing / painting / colouring / sticking since she was about a year - It is the only thing that she has an outstanding attention span for - She can sit happily drawing for up to an hour - It is really lovely and I am so pleased thAt she enjoys it - I love toddler piccies too Bensonbluebird - They are sooooooo sweet - I send them to everyone, they probably think that I am crazy.

I am not sure if I am right, but from my experience, girls tend to have a longer attention apan than boys - Did painting with DD1 and her cousin Isaac in the summer and he painted for about 30 secs and then proceeded to eat all the paint, while DD1 sat quietly and painted lines for over an hour!!

Go for it - That's what I say - I buy the paints from ELC as they are non-toxic so it is ok if the painting turns into a feast!!

Try crayons too and buy a huge roll of paper and spread it right across the floor and place the child on it - lying down on their front has always been a good one!! Huge rolls of paper are available from Ikea!!

My DD did her first mark making from 11 months (and three days). All it was was banging a pencil on a bit of paper, but its a start!

At nursery, they used to do lots of tomato ketchup play at that age (TK on a paper plate, make a mess and marks etc) Can't keep it, but it allows them to get the concept of making pictures etc.

Also, you can get those paint pads designed to get ink on the hands. I think they're from two years up, but I did them with DD from a year, but by then she wasn't really putting that many things into her mouth.

Also, Aquadraw is fab!

DD is 20 months and has been drawing since before her first birthday. About 9/10 months I would say. I think this is largely because of being in nursery 3 days a week and because of wanting to join in when DS gets the crayons out.

DS was never as interested. He just stabbed the paper for ages whereas DD actually moves the crayon around and scribbles.

dd was painting at 12 months, but that's so early. More like 2.5yo 4 ds. They both draw nonstop now (age 4 &6 respectively).

DS (12 months) has been prepared to make marks on paper for a while but isn't really interested in it. He finds trying to eat the pen far more interesting and any mark-making is just a prelude to getting down to some serious chewing...

He produces drawings/paintings at nursery and I think is far more interested in the paint (finger painting, etc.) - although again I'm not sure he's interested in the marks he's making as in the squidginess of the sensations.

Well, although my ds is still seriously into putting everything in his mouth (including my mobile phone, which is currently sitting on the radiator in the hope that drying it out will get it working again) having read these posts I think I'll buy some edible paint tomorrow and give it a go this weekend.
Certainly think he'll be much more into hand-painting than using a crayon. He is that sort of boy.

Our home phone (cordless) did eventually dry out and start working again after DS had chewed / drooled into it - but it took about a week.