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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

3.7yo drawing on walls/table/mattress/anything except blardy paper. Someone help please!!

23 replies

Kindersurprise · 30/03/2008 11:38

DS keeps drawing on walls and furniture. This morning it was the new mattress with a felttip pen.

We have tried lots of different methods. Time out, shouting, sending to room, making him clean the mess up...

I am really at my wits end with him. He KNOWS that it is unacceptable behaviour and is shamefaced afterwards but seems unable to stop himself.

Any ideas?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BINAH · 30/03/2008 11:50

Get him an easel?and let him only use chalk or crayon because it is easier to come out in case it stains....Ikea have one about 17.00 pounds.hope it helps...
same problem here.... :-(

fryalot · 30/03/2008 11:53

first of all, hide ALL the felt tips and ballpoint pens.

Then you can work on getting him to stop.

What we did, was give them some chalk and tell them that they could draw on one wall with the chalks.

It seemed to stop them drawing everywhere else.

The other thing that we did, was always have drawing pads lying around the house, so they don't have to look for them, they can just grab one.

Anna8888 · 30/03/2008 12:00

I only have washable pens, crayons and paints in the house to avert disaster.

Don't leave anything that he could draw with lying around.

Buy things he can paint and draw on that are more interesting than paper - my DD (3.5) has just spent the morning painting a great cardboard castle (a German make btw).

Original poster

Kindersurprise · 30/03/2008 12:34

Some good ideas. I do hide the pens but he seems to be very good at finding them.

Will get the easel, have been meaning to buy one for ages.

Anna
The castle sounds great, he is into knights and dragons at the moment. Did you order it online?

OP posts:

fryalot · 30/03/2008 12:36

how to make a cardboard castle

you can also buy kits

fryalot · 30/03/2008 12:40

here are some funky ones

Twiglett · 30/03/2008 12:42

so hide them somewhere high like on top of a wardrobe

oregonianabroad · 30/03/2008 12:44

Sqounk, great link!

worley · 30/03/2008 12:46

get an aqua draw? or failing that chuck the pens out

fryalot · 30/03/2008 12:48

aqua draws are great - absolutely no mess whatsoever, and the kids are happy and quiet for hours (but if you get the cinderella dancy one or the thomas the tank engine one, be prepared for mindless never ending tunes)

oregonianabroad · 30/03/2008 12:51

the mini aquadraws are much cheaper and keep them just as busy, with the added advantage of being protable.

you can get them on amazon.

Original poster

Kindersurprise · 30/03/2008 12:54

These are good ones. I quite like the idea of a big one that they can play in.

Will start him off with a homemade one.

So, any ideas what I should do when he does draw somewhere he should not?

Today, he got yelled at and put to his room for a few minutes. And no sweets today. But tbh, that does not seem to help any.

OP posts:

Original poster

Kindersurprise · 30/03/2008 12:59

Had another look at the Kid-Eco one. They are really great. But 19pounds to post to Germany.

Will look for similar here.

OP posts:

fryalot · 30/03/2008 12:59

short of taking the pen off him and telling him firmly "NO" and the things you are already doing... no.

Sorry.

Original poster

Kindersurprise · 30/03/2008 13:09

Ok, thanks. Thought there might be a super MN magic trick that would stop him.

I have googled here in Germany but haven't found one as fab as the one that you linked to.

OP posts:

Anna8888 · 30/03/2008 18:23

kindersurprise - no I bought it (actually, we have had 3 different models so far and I am going to buy the other 2 or 3 soon) in Le Bon Marché but have unfortunately already thrown the packaging away. Will give you a shout when I have bought the next one and will let you know the brand.

Original poster

Kindersurprise · 30/03/2008 20:12

Thanks Anna. Funnily enough I am drawing a blank (pun not intended) looking for castles here.

OP posts:

readytoswiggin · 30/03/2008 20:29

Don't buy one, scrounge a box from your local electrical store (fridge size)

Anna8888 · 31/03/2008 09:23

kindersurprise - I remember, from my childhood, absolutely fantastic craft shops in Germany - maybe in one of those?

But will let you know the brand ASAP - our cardboard castles are much smaller than the ones squonk linked to, table-top size and good for 2-3 painting sessions. We have a little multicoloured medieval village growing in our hall

Anna8888 · 31/03/2008 10:14

FOUND IT (as I was tidying up miscellaneous bits of paper after the weekend)

These are the models that we like

Original poster

Kindersurprise · 31/03/2008 21:57

Thanks Anna, will have a look in our local toy store. They look great. Might start with a small one and if the DCs like them will order a bigger one when we are in Scotland in the summer.

OP posts:

nannyL · 31/03/2008 22:14

remove all pens and writing impliments

enure they all remain in YOUR hand or on top of a high fridge freezer and nowhere else ever

legalalien · 09/04/2008 12:06

just to say, after reading this thread I went away and ordered one of the cardboard castles anna recommended (as well as a cardboard plane) - made the plane yesterday and DS (3.4) made me start work on the castle before I went to work this morning (great fun at 7.30 am). they're very sturdy, and a fantastic change from model planes (DS STILL obsessed with model planes). he spent ages scribbling on it this morning - and he's generally not at all interested in anything art or craft related without a lot of encouragement.

I think germany produces better children's toys generally.

website where you can order onlinehere

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