Mark making ideas please

[Mouse]

At the moment the majority of my mark making resources are limited to when I get them out.

The children will then have access to paint, pens, crayons, pencils, chalk etc. I don't have anywhere to leave them out for free access, nor do I really want to as I know I will end up with marks everywhere.

Do you have any other suggestions for mark making that can be left out at all times without fear of ending up with scribbles on the walls?

I have got magnetic scribblers, but want more than that. I'm trying to think outside the box, but I'm not coming up with any clever ideas!

[amylouise867]

How about aqua magic mats?

I got some off amazon really cheap and Tomy make aswel just before christmas. They've gone down great!!

How about trays filled with rice or coloured sand where children can Mark make with their fingers? I always put wooden sticks with this as sometimes children are put off as they don't want to get their hands 'dirty'.

You can also get super scribblers where you draw and then pull the lever down to erase.

Other Mark making ideas (supervision needed really though) is shaving foam in a tray. You could also use squirty cream if they're likely to put it in their mouth? I brought a great tray from Home Bargains the weekend - was only £1.99 and will use this for shaving foam and shallow water too.

You can Mark make in play dough also. Have different rollers and cutters available.

xxx

[Mouse]

Thank you. I bought a couple of those trays as well. Fab, aren't they?

I like the idea of aqua mats and rice or sand.

We do shaving foam already, but obviously under supervision and I love it! I'm really looking for ideas that can be freely accessed at all times when we're indoors.

[hectors house]

I struggle with this too as all my mark making stuff - pens/crayons/pencils - white boards and markers and painting stuff is on the dining room table and they have to climb up onto booster chairs to use - I have just this week bought a magnetic drawing pad but it isn't really very good. With having a mix of ages from 1 - 4 year olds I can't have pens and paper freely available on the coffee tables as I don't want pen on the walls or cream lounge carpet.

Outside is easier as they can chalk on the patio, go in the summer house where I have crayons and paper readily available.

Have thought about clipboards for inside and tying a pencil to it so it is easy to write on the paper but not so easy to draw on the walls for little ones as they would have to drag the clip board with it! Maybe this idea would also work with pencils tied to an easel?

[Mouse]

I've got a couple of clip boards, so I might give that a go. They're A3 size, so not easy to move about and if I tied a pencil to it, I bet the children would be happy to sit wherever I put it.

[loocyloo]

I have the magnetic scribble board things (like Magna doodle) and a chalk board freely available.

Pens/crayons etc are also available but not to accessible to the little ones!

[Mcgons]

The aquadraw mats are great for free access and limited damage!

I also have the magnetic drawing boards but I find the little ones press down too hard and ruin the surface so there are permanent marks on them.

My mark making is out on the dining table so the older ones can access it freely but it's out of reach of little ones.

I have been meaning to have a go at making some sealed bags with paint inside for little ones to make marks with their fingers, has anyone done this successfully? Or do they split?

[Mouse]

I've made the squidgy bags and they are really successful.

Use a good quality bag & don't over fill it. I used zip top bags and had no problem at all with them. I started off with just paint in them, but it didn't really squidge as I'd hoped it would, so I did other bags with a mixture of hair gel and paint. That worked so much better

[amylouise867]

Just thought aswel you could bring in ICT

Drawing as Mark making on an iPad, laptop, computer if u have them but again would need supervision for a while as they need to be taught the basics.

You know as soon as ur backs turned all ur settings are changed and they've managed to put ur equipment into safe mode lol

I think everything's been mentioned for indoor Mark making. I think your only other option for unsupervised Mark making indoors is the magic mats.

Keep us posted if you think of anything or let us know what u decide an how it goes down with little ones x

[moggy]

Little A6 clipboards with pencil tied on string- clipboards very cheap, sold for cafe waiting staff, on eBay!
Blackboard on the wall and pot of chalk fixed to it (out of baby reach)