Wasting Paper

[Louise0208]

i love to the kids enjoying craft......but......

i have a mindee that wastes paper & it drives me potty

I was bought up not to waste paper as its a prevelidge to use it (eco warrior parents) i was told to use both sides then make a paper airplane with it after lol .....unfortunately its rubbed off on me!

this mindee is nearly 4 years old but doesnt know how to draw faces, lines, etc (the basic stuff that she could be doing by now), copy her name etc....(which the school has requested mum helps with...but doesnt, i do my best but only have LO an hour a day) she loves drawing so i encourage it as much as possible.

she will just scribble like my 26 month old, chuck the paper on the floor, move onto the next peice, do the same & refuses point blank to use both sides.....and if shes used up all the paper she will move onto the table, chairs, wall...so needs watching like a hawk

its not like shes drawing objects & it doesnt look like it, when i ask what shes drawing she says 'nothing, just scribbling'

apart from it costing me a fortune! Any ideas on how i can get her drawing objects insted pf the scrawl? as she just doesnt seem to be advancing at all since starting school in september.

[Helen79]

She might be better with a white board and marker, aquadraw or a magnadoodle then she can scribble and rub out and scribble some more without wasting paper.
If she's happy scribbling instead of drawing properly then I'd leave her to it . I'm rubbish at drawing and hate doing it, I have no concentration to sit and do it properly, I much prefer colouring in scribbling
Maybe try stencils to see if she'll get the hang of drawing a shape and then colouring it in.

[Playmate]

She might be better with a white board and marker, aquadraw or a magnadoodle then she can scribble and rub out and scribble some more without wasting paper.
If she's happy scribbling instead of drawing properly then I'd leave her to it . I'm rubbish at drawing and hate doing it, I have no concentration to sit and do it properly, I much prefer colouring in scribbling
Maybe try stencils to see if she'll get the hang of drawing a shape and then colouring it in.

I was going to suggest the same thing all of mine love the aqua draw, from 12mths - 12 yrs! black boards and chalk are another favourite or even outside when its dry, painting with water on the patio.

[LittleStar's]

I much prefer colouring in scribbling .

We used to scribble all over the paper and then colour that in all different colours, My daughetr loves doing this she is 5! I Never liked drawing though!

[The Juggler]

any type of mark making helps them develop writing skills and drawing/representation skills hon. as long as there is plenty of print and picture in the environment to inspire them.

However, I do encourage them to fill the paper gently and to use both sides (unless it's fab and I write a note on the other side). Other than that you can always recycle most of it and send/display/put significant ones in the LJ.

Other than that a range of white boards, chalk boards, aquadraw would be good but pen and othe rmedia on paper is an important part too.

[Louise0208]

i like the idea of whiteboards but mum has put a definate no-no on felts/paints due to LO designer clothes (i must admit though the washable WB markers we use at surestart dont wash out) although i provide protective tops LO wont wear them....and if she dont wear them she dont join in! (harsh but saves the arguements with mum)

no patio or walls in garden so the water thingumy is out we use chalks outside as i cant stand them (the noise, texture, eurggghhhh im gritting my teeth just typing about them )

we have a huge aqua draw that i have tried many a time but shes just not interested!

the scribbling is not an issue to be true, where she is not reaching her goals in certain areas shes well in advance for others its the school that was pushing me to 'help'

its the wasting of paper thats the issue....im just old fashioned i spose

[AnnieM]

I buy the reams of tesco value printer paper, about £2 for 500 sheets I think, I then fold it in half and put 2 sheets together and staple it to make a mini book, they then have 8 pages to draw on to their little hearts content.

[miss mopple]

I cut up empty cereal boxes and they use that for drawing, as well as paper bought from the pound shop or cheap printer paper. Or buy rolls of lining paper, loads on them and uber cheap

[AnnieM]

Oooh you just reminded me what I used to do in the good old days when I had little ones!! I used to get the cheap rolls of lining paper and wrap them round the table and tape the ends together so it was kind of like a conveyor belt, they could draw on that for days and still not fill it up.

[Louise0208]

wow......i like that idea

off to wilkos i go.......

[miffy]

Ask parents for scrap paper - some firms waste lots of paper - hubby brings me lots from work, I don't buy any for scribbling on.

Miffy xx

[PixiePetal]

Oooh you just reminded me what I used to do in the good old days when I had little ones!! I used to get the cheap rolls of lining paper and wrap them round the table and tape the ends together so it was kind of like a conveyor belt, they could draw on that for days and still not fill it up.

I do this too

[sarah707]

I buy the cheapest Tesco paper... and parents bring it from work... even my ex brings me paper from his office when it's in the recycling bin.

It's more important that she wants to make marks confidently and independently. She will write when she is ready