How to Teach Your Son It's Not Okay to Draw on the Walls

While you likely view the walls in your home as a place to hang pictures, your child may see them as a blank slate for his next creative masterpiece. Although you don̵7;t want to stifle his artistic tendencies, you do want to limit his drawings to more appropriate art surfaces -- and let him know it̵7;s not OK to draw on the walls.

Things You'll Need

  • Washable crayons and markers
  • Paper
  • Coloring books
  • Chalkboard
  • Bucket
  • Water
  • Dish soap
  • Microfiber cleaning eraser

Instructions

    • 1

      Establish some clearly defined house rules and go over them with your child. Let him know that drawing on the walls is unacceptable -- and define the consequence for this behavior, such as losing his crayons for the rest of the day or a timeout. Between the ages of 3 and 5, a child begins to understand the connection between actions and consequences, making it important to start communicating house rules to your little one, notes the KidsHealth website.

    • 2

      Show your child surfaces on which he can draw such as paper, coloring books and chalkboards. Have these materials available for him when the drawing mood strikes. If he still gravitates toward the wall, hang paper or chalkboards on the walls for drawing. Don't discourage drawing completely as drawing is a fun activity for children -- and can aid in physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development, according to Sandra Crosser, Ph.D. in an article for Earlychildhood NEWS.

    • 3

      Make your child help clean up the mess when he draws on the walls. Grab a bucket, warm soapy water and a washcloth for your child and a microfiber cleaning eraser for you. Show him how to squeeze out the wet washcloth and rub it on the crayon graffiti. Even though your child might not get the marks off himself, he's learning the cause and effect lesson of ̶0;You draw on the wall, you clean it up.̶1;

    • 4

      Offer praise often for artwork that your child creates on the correct materials. Say things like, ̶0;I love this drawing you did. I̵7;m going to hang it on the fridge for everyone to see̶1; or ̶0;I really like that you̵7;re using the coloring paper I gave you. You're such a good girl.̶1; This way, you̵7;re encouraging her artistic expression, as well as strengthening the idea of using the correct material.

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