Think Outside the Box Thursday: Making Art Supplies Openly Accessible to Toddlers

If you walk into the very best early childhood classrooms out there, they almost always have an accessible-to-children shelf or area designated to art, drawing and writing materials. I've always had markers, crayons, colored pencils, writing pencils, and a variety of other art supplies at child-height in my classrooms as well as a variety of papers and materials to use them on and with. Why then, in my home, did I keep all of the art supplies I so frequently used with my toddler on a shelf only an adult could reach? That question actually never crossed my mind until I read a blog post (that now for the life of me I cannot find) from a fellow mother who, with 15-month-old twins, decided to keep the crayons where they could reach! It seemed crazy, novel, brilliant even. The author claimed that initially this required a good amount of support from her to remind her little artists where they could color and how to care for their art supplies, but that they learned to handle this special responsibility and now, at the age of 4, had a genuine and creative love of art.
At the time, I was working out of the house and putting the responsibility of helping foster this level of artistic independence in my toddler seemed perhaps like a lot to put on my wonderful babysitter. Nonetheless, I was ready to take the plunge. I took my toddler, who was a few months shy of two at the time, to a discount store and we picked out a plastic pencil case with a lid. We purchased a box of large crayons and a pack of short markers that would be just his. We came home and used some stickers to decorate his art box and I wrote his name on it with permanent marker. I explained to him that these were his special art supplies and he could use them when he wanted to. He needed to keep coloring things at the table and only color on paper. Last of all, I cleared off a shelf at his level and we put his art box along with an old notebook and some coloring books in their new special spot. This venture did indeed require my close proximity and frequent reminders at first. It was not without its snafus, but when they did occur, we reiterated the rules, got a couple of rags together and some homemade diluted castile soap spray cleaner, and wiped up the mistake before continuing to work (or taking a break from coloring if necessary). More and more, I was able to step back, to provide occasional support with a marker cap or a reminder to pick up a fallen crayon. My son gained confidence, self-sufficiency and the opportunities to color and create that nurture so many developmental areas in toddlerhood.

I may not be able to hear you call my name from across the room, but I know the sound of marker on the wall from all the way upstairs--which is exactly where I was when this happened, changing my clothes after work. That book he's holding? It's a decoy for the marker that he hid under his table--the place it was supposed to stay...

Yup, I heard it right. And check out that other marker on the stairs! I didn't see that one over there until just now, nearly 3 months later! I didn't yell or scream...all I had to do was walk down the stairs and he started crying (gotta love toddler guilt). So we walked to the kitchen, grabbed a couple of rags on the way and washed it off together.

And we got back on the proverbial horse. I even let him use my markers--on the paper and at the table. Incidentally, he tried this one again on my very last day of work this past year while the babysitter was with him. Same deal--he helped me wash it off when I got home, only that time, we did close off open access for a few days and offer supervised opportunities to practice using his markers and crayons in their proper space. Art is a work in progress; so is toddlerhood.

Here's a current peek at our art shelf:

 I still do not keep ALL of our arts and crafts materials out and accessible. I do keep a box of markers and crayons that are just his (yes, I admittedly have my own, too). I keep a can stocked with some colored pencils. We have both standard pencils and more toddler-friendly ones available (triangular shape and shorter stature for easier grip and function). When it comes to pre-writing and using writing utensils, there are two main schools of thought. One is that little hands do best with objects designed to be used successfully in them. Generally speaking, writing utensils are wider, sturdier, sometimes triangular in shape to assist with grip and shorter than a standard pen/pencil so that the distance between hand and writing surface is not so substantial. The second school of thought is that if a child is not yet ready to properly hold a standard pencil or marker and use it successfully that he/she is not yet ready to use such a material at all and will be more successful with materials like a crayon. I am an adult who does not properly hold my pencil and I refuse to write only in crayon until I learn. That said, I adhere to both schools of thought and provide opportunities for my son as well as my students to try a variety of coloring and writing instruments. The only time I would withhold one altogether is if it caused genuine frustration to a child or posed a significant safety hazard.
In addition to these common coloring materials, I also keep a set of Do-a-Dot markers accessible and a basket of these ALEX Metallic Creamy Crayons I found on discount at Five & Below (which, incidentally is a great location to find discounted art supplies). I keep a basket of scrap paper, coloring sheets, notebooks and coloring books my son can use as he wishes. Materials could be swapped out and replaced to maintain novelty or opportunity to try new things.

I do keep a large scarf tucked underneath my stash of mommy supplies up top that I can easily drape down to keep supplies out of sight when they are off limits (like over Shabbat or a Jewish holiday or if we are having a lot of company over).

Alternatively if you would like to try to allow for more open access without the potential for coloring on your furniture, walls, or other children, you can use an easel or designated wall space for a pad of paper and use string (not too long as to pose a choking hazard or be able to move far beyond the work space) and tie/duct tape on some markers or crayons to be used in that area.

Happy coloring, writing & creating!