It’s easy to buy small presents for my children. Just give them anything related to coloring or drawing. They like pens, pencils, crayons
markers, stickers
I used to be stingy with the supplies. ”Here’s your two pieces of paper and your 5 stickers. Be creative.” I was the marker cap police. Not anymore. ”Here’s two stacks of paper and 5 pages of stickers. Have at it.” I learned that there are always more stickers. Why not let them have the joy of creating?
My daughter naturally draws in a notebook in order, but my son just flips chunks at a time. Sometimes he even draws in it upside down! I’m the type of girl that carefully filled up each page of her notebook before turning to the next page. I never tore pages out of the notebooks, and I lined up my stickers with a ruler. I was often so afraid of messing up that I never even started.
I was so stingy with my stickers that my children used up stickers this year that I had gotten in elementary. [I know it wasn't that long ago, but still...] My 2 year old loves nothing more than sticking stickers all over her arms and legs. Is it a waste or a happy time?
To them it’s not the notebook or the stickers that are important. It’s the creation.
I used to tell my kids to save some stickers. They always got a funny look on their face that seemed to say “Save for what?” My “no” changed to “I guess” to “Sure, why not” to “try to use them nicely.” But I still refuse to let them mix the play-doh colors!
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My boys love crayons. And stickers. And markers too. I do have a hard time with the markers. My little guy likes to leave his mark on the floors and walls. It’s so fun to get new crayons, though. I don’t know why, but the look and smell of a new box of crayons makes me slightly giddy.
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My kids have a couple small white boards and the erasable markers for them. Not many other markers. Just wait until they want to use your spray paint! LOL
Good for you!! Life is meant to be lived to the fullest and that includes using stickers in excess
I was the same way with my stationary collection, I never wanted to use it but yet I wanted to write letters. I always wanted to save some of the pretty stuff (for what, who knows) and now I literally have storage boxes of it. Guess what? When I have my yard sale the first weekend in May it’s going. Maybe someone will actually use it!
I love pretty stationary! Can I come buy some? The other Terri that comments here had boxes that she sold at her last yard sale. It seems to sell well.
My kids are big artists too. I recently gave them each their own desk again, as much to store their markers and paper scraps in as to facilitate their drawing.
Now your next post should be how you manage to keep them from mixing Play-Doh colors. The only way I could ever manage it was to only give them one color and what fun us that? I finally let it go.
I just say that they have to put away one color before they get out another. Then I dump out lots of other cookie cutters/toys/dishes to play with and threaten them.
Wow our kids really are alike!! haha We have so many crayons here it is nuts! I think they got crayons and coloring books from everyone for Christmas…. Sunday school, aunts and uncles and Great grandmas!! We have a drawer full of boxes of crayons. Its a good thing cause my 2 year old loves to color but for some crazy reason he insists on breaking the crayon into 3 pieces before he starts! We love the color wonder markers. Without them my kids would not be allowed to use markers because more than one of them have used the markers on the wall.
Stickers are another favorite and I am working on just letting them have fun.. stop being such a stick in the mud… if they aren’t hurting anything let them be!!! Still working on that one!
Does he use the pieces AFTER he breaks them? We throw out all broken ones here. It keeps the crayon population down. We had a couple sticker incidents on doors, but nothing too bad.
My kids, too, will sit and create for hours with paper, crayons markers etc. and I, too, used to monitor usage of art supplies. Now I say, “Go for it. Use it. Create to your heart’s desire.” I still make sure markers are capped afterward but no longer have to have correct caps on them. If the kids want a blue cap on a red marker, well be it. Stickers are meant to be used as long as they don’t end up on my walls or furniture. But I, like you, am I Play-doh bigot. Color mixing is still a big no-no in our house!
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I know that we are not the only ones that keep Play-doh separate. Why do the packages always show the colors together to make something beautiful?! Then my kids want to make what the picture is.
You are welcome to whatever stationary you like – no money required. Seriously, if you would like some let me know (my email again is tsucec@aerotek.com). You are welcome to come to my yard sale but I could also meet you or mail some to you (unused of course
hee hee)
LOL – yes unused. I will email you later today. I love yard sales! Plus, I’d love to meet your daughter.
I try to make my son stay away from the markers. They are just way too messy as he will end up with ink all over his hands. I try to give him crayons instead. And stickers? I think all kids love them, including mine.
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My kids (oldest daughter especially) love to color and draw. I got tired of hearing them ask for crayons, markers, pencils, paper, etc. and I bought a plastic container with 5 drawers in it that hold all of the art supplies. It was nice at first but now the 18 month old can open the drawers by herself. She doesn’t do so well with markers or pens and she chooses to eat the crayons. The older two have fun with the stuff though.
I’m still stingy with my stickers though. I have stickers that I used with the stationary I had years ago. I should just give them to the kids because I’ll never use them for anything. lol They do have stickers of their own that they are free to waste…er…use whenever they want to.
If they’re special to you then save them. If not – let them stick them!
hahaha. That was a good thing for me to read. I find myself completely policing the art supplies! I even felt bad about caps off of markers I had gotten as freebies! I am so not a waster…. I’ll just have to try telling myself “it’s not waste, it’s creativity…. it’s not waste, it’s….”
You can do it! I will still “save” some things, but I try to just let the majority of supplies be available for them. It’s less stressful to just let them go.