Crayons - is 17m too early?

[cornflakegirl]

My 17mo loves crayons - but is far more interested in eating them than drawing with them. Last time we let him use them, he chewed them so much that there were pretty patterns in his nappy the next day. Should I just give up for a few months?

Haven't read all the posts, but DS (14 months) loves to 'draw'. He does usually end up nibbling the crayons too at which point I tell him they're not for eating and if he continues to eat them, I put them away. This does, of course, sometimes end up with a bit of a tantrum but I think it's important to let him 'colour'. You can buy non-toxic crayons if you're worried about what he's ingesting!