How do you stop a child from coloring on the walls?
Help, my daughter now 3 continues to color on my walls, floors, couch, her clothing etc. We have lived in a couple of different places now and she has done this at each one. How do I encourage her to color on paper only and not furnishings? Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. Magic eraser doesn’t get the markings entirely.
March 13th, 2011 at 1:38 am
I would try a dry erase board or chalk board, or if you own the home you can use the chalk board paint and paint a section of wall that she can color on. I did that for my daughter and she loves it.
March 13th, 2011 at 2:14 am
This may not exactly teach her not to write on the walls but it might… I think it is called color wonder. There are markers, paint, and waterpaints that I know of, and they will only show up on the color wonder paper, so if she colors on the wall, it wont show up. Maybe it would even show her that colors don’t go onto the wall? More importantly, if you sit down and color with her and put the crayons up when you are done she won’t be able to color on the walls. Hope that helps some..
March 13th, 2011 at 2:47 am
Get her those makers that only mark on the special paper that goes with it- I think it’s by Crayola- I’m sure they cost a little more than the regular markers but it’s going to save your walls, floors, furniture and her clothes so I think it’s worth it… Or you could mark off a space on one wall where it’s okay for her to draw- show it to her, explain the rules and if she runs out of space just paint it over in white so she can start fresh… OR just take the markers/crayons etc away- she can’t handle them yet so substitute with something else- outdoor finger painting, shaving cream table, tempra paints (all while supervised of course)… Best of luck to you!
March 13th, 2011 at 3:08 am
Create a consequence, if she does it, she goes in time out, or just don’t let her color when you are unable to supervise her.
March 13th, 2011 at 3:43 am
I was at the store the other day and found this large paper that has makers it only works on that paper and all you do is add water so even if she goes off the side of the paper no colours to clean up! Great invention.Also you should sit and colour with her, and all that moving is probably causing this behaviour remind her that it is not ok, give her a time out so she will learn,btw the markers were 5 for a dollar and the big sheet was a dollar so it is cheap!
March 13th, 2011 at 3:45 am
PUT UP ALL HER COLORS AND YOUR PENS. WHEN ITS TIME TO COLOR SUPERVISE HER AND PUT THE COLORS UP WHEN SHE OS DONE. THAT’S THE ONLY WAY.
March 13th, 2011 at 4:39 am
I saw an ad for a crayola product called Color Wonder. Those markers show up only on the coloring book or the arts & crafts product but not on the walls or floors or anything else.
You can also get washable crayola markers, they come off more easily than other markers.
Links to the both products are under source section.
You can help protect your walls by using an oil-based paint – that type of paint resists stains better latex paint. Stains also wipe off easier from the oil-based paint. Put washable slipcovers on your couches – at least the stain won’t be on the couch itself. You can take off the slipcovers when you have company. You could also try painting one wall with a chalkboard paint. Designate that wall as the one wall your daughter can draw on. The chalk wipes off anytime and you can always paint over the chalkboard surface when you move. Link to one such paint under the source.
Good luck. (Edit: I see lots of other people got the answers up more quickly as I was typing. Some great advice here)
March 13th, 2011 at 5:09 am
dont give her crayons markers and other writing and coloring tools they make paint and markers that only show up on paper so if she does color somewhere it wont be seen and there will be no damage good luck
March 13th, 2011 at 5:19 am
Get that crayon that is washable on walls…
They make some you can find them at wal mart
or that dutchboy paint that resist that stuff
Let her artistic mind flow!!!!!!!
March 13th, 2011 at 5:33 am
lol same problem here… I just put all pens pencils crayons markers etc. way up high on a self. Only take them out when she wants to draw. Make sure you are there coloring or etc with her then put them away again simple as that worked for me