Need some ideas please

[yawningmonster]

Not sure quite where to put this but....DS is 4.4 and recently diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome. He has shown 2 interests lately which we thought we could use to help him with his sensory issues.
The first interest is potions...he loves little science experiments and mixing potions with various ingredients to see what happens. We decided to try it in the bath to see if it would help him to be more willing and tonight it worked great (I let him mix in bubble solution, liquid soap, food colouring, shampoo and a little oil) what else could he add?
The second interest is drawing...he has gone from complete resistence to holding a pencil to wanting to draw all the time. Have been hoping to encourage this to practice pencil control and expression of feelings etc. I am probably getting ahead of myself but thought I could try again with paint etc and try to extend his tolerance for sensory experiences through this. Any other ideas of extending the drawing other than just encouraging it?
thanks in advance

You can get some paints from ELC which are really like giant felt tip pens - I think they're called Easy Painters or something. Might be a first step to painting.

Perhaps differnent types of paper to draw on? Corrugated card, old birthday cards with glitter on?? Am I at all up the right tree here?

Yes on right track thanks, have all sorts of paper but he is so far resistent to a lot of it as he has to hold it while drawing and it has to feel nice. The paints sound great, I wonder if they are available here.

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one more try before I tuck up for the night. Please?

More random thoughts - at least it bumps for you.

What about chalk on a blackboard? And then you could try different cloths and wipers to clean the board, varying degrees of wetness of cloth???

You could also try (on paper) oil pastels, chalks.

Can you tape different papers down so he doesn't have to hold it while drawing, or is it his drawing style that he's all over touching the paper?

I think years ago you used to be able to get pencils that you drew with like pencils and then brushed them over with water to look like paint - might be worth asking in an art supplies shop about them? (Sorry to be vague)

What about "Magic Painting" books where you paint with water? They are actually a bit rubbish IMHO because they don't come up with very bright colours, but might suit your DS for that very reason - it's very nonthreatening colour/paint so long as you don't put too much water on.

thanks mrsgboring, some great ideas to explore there particularly the pencils.

any more please?

Would making his own playdough count as potion making? Then playing with it. Can add all sorts of colours, glitters, smells to it as gets more used to the idea? Might be a bit too sensory to start with but could work later.....

Does he have an aquadraw?

Toddler group I went to had paint pad type things (bit like ink pads for stampers but with poster paint). They used small toys, hands, feet as stampers - thinking of trying to find some myself actually, make painting a bit less messy.

Wax crayon drawing then painting over with watered down paint?

ooh, I've seen bath crayon/ paint things somewhere too. Think they work with the water but are quite easy to clean - but haven't tried them.

whiteboard with dry wipe markers?

Simple baking (thinking potions here!)

Will let you know if I think of more - good luck

oh thanks robino, particularly like the bath crayon idea he may actually sit down in the bath!! playdough to sensory at the moment though he will do it if he wears gloves.. Wax resist good idea esp if I did some white crayon on white paper secret pictures...can see him loving that and will encourage the use of dye to reveal secrets underneath. We do baking but can be a bit tedious as he now wants to add all sorts to see what happens which is fine at times but sometimes I want it to actually turn into something edible!! Whiteboard markers smell too much apparently. He doesn't have an aquadraw as I haven't seen them here but he does have a magnetic drawing board which he quite likes.

Ooh, I used to love making potions as a child. We used to spend hours in the garden making 'perfume' for my mum out of petals/wood bark/grass and water. Maybe encourage him outside to see what different colours and smells he can concoct. Maybe colour with berries. All free too!

thanks teebee..we sort of did that today as he decided to make concrete with gravel, sand, water and flour..was a little sloppy which he had some issues with but mostly really positive.

Found the paint pads! Baker ross sell them - hopefully this is a link to their arts and crafts painting page paintystuff

Wondered if the marbling inks and the easy painters might be of any use?

and bath crayon type-things bath crayons

Beware the reviews...

More bath crayons more bath crayons