Stamping is a brilliant idea!

Collages we have had mixed success with – he likes it when I cut out pics from a magazine and he sticks them. A nature collage was fun in the collecting stages but he didn't actually want to stick the pieces on the page – after the first one it seemed he'd got the idea and enough was enough, hehe.

Jen: I will bear in mind the texture aspect. He does get a bit finicky about paint on his hands (which puts an end to finger painting crafts pretty quickly .

Big Hugs!
Quad Mama

I wasn't big into art as a kid — I liked to see the various colors but I felt stuck as to what to do with them. I was a little older than 2, but my mom would draw for me/tell me to draw a "crazy design" — great looping scribbles all over the page, which I'd then color in, making each small section a different color.

I love the idea of rolling trucks through the paint, and was thinking about this as a larger-scale outdoor activity with tempura paints on the driveway — one could paint with footprints, bike tires ride-on toys, pull toys, push toys like a play lawnmower, etc. I bet my kids would get way into this, as they love making footprints when there is a puddle on the sidewalk.

Also, Karen (sorry to go on and on) — I had/have some texture issues. I hated the way crayons felt when used on a coloring book page, but enjoyed the way markers felt on smooth paper. I am picky about paint brushes, too, based on the way they feel when they go across the paper. If you think your son might be that way a little, maybe a selection of different types of brushes would help him get more into painting.

Jessica is right it may take time or it may not happen. One key is to find something he's really into , so my son loves garbage trucks so sometimes we simply use his garbage truck toys as a paint tool and roll them through and print it on the paper. The inclusion of his favorite thing is the boost he needs sometimes.

If he likes testing out colors , what if you get a giant stamp pad ( they have multi-colored ones) and a fun set of stamps, there will be variety and every time he uses a new one it will be different and may trigger that desire for discovery in him.Oh I just through of another idea, have you done any collages with him? You can do nature ones,cut paper, sequins… the sky is the limit. There are many kids who are not cool with paints and crayons but will glue things until they run out of glue.

My other suggestion is simply do a project every now and then by yourself where he can see you like it and you are modeling it for him, without any pressure this will sometimes make a 2 year old think joining in was their idea and be the trick to getting them involved.

It sounds like you are already avoiding pressure and bribery which is so important not to do. At 2 they are more stubborn and their memories are much deeper than we can imagine and a bad experience can really through them off. I am often asked if i do crafts daily and no we don't. At their age ( my son is 2 as well) we should be suggesting and supporting and it's hard to do when we think something will be so fun and they will like it but we just can't convince them! Hang in there try some of these suggestions over the next few weeks and please let me know how it goes.

Carla – thank you! I am so happy you found us!

Lynn- never seen that site! I have a feeling we are going to be spending some extra computer time on it today. Thanks!