Markers & Dry Erase Markers

[Christina72684]

I have preschoolers and after schoolers and I am constantly finding markers without lids or markers that are drying out because the lids aren't on tight enough. They're not cheap and I don't know what to do to prevent this from happening. I want to be able to leave them out at all times with the art supplies, but maybe I shouldn't. Anyone have any solutions?

[littlemissmuffet]

I don't give kids markers for this reason. They can have pencils, pencil crayons, crayons... and paint with supervision. No markers.

[williams2008]

I have preschoolers and after schoolers and I am constantly finding markers without lids or markers that are drying out because the lids aren't on tight enough. They're not cheap and I don't know what to do to prevent this from happening. I want to be able to leave them out at all times with the art supplies, but maybe I shouldn't. Anyone have any solutions?

I have my markers put up in a coffee can for this very reason. If they want to use them I pass them out and take them up when they are done. For the dryed out markers, I sit them in a small cup of water overnight and make water paint!

[SquirrellyMama]

I got rid of my dry erase markers and replaced them with these crayons.

I don't have much advice about regular markers. We use these markers but the kids still don't always twist them back down.

[snbauser]

I teach them to "make them click". They learn that the markers need to make a "click" in order for the lids to be on all the way.

[melilley]

I have preschoolers and after schoolers and I am constantly finding markers without lids or markers that are drying out because the lids aren't on tight enough. They're not cheap and I don't know what to do to prevent this from happening. I want to be able to leave them out at all times with the art supplies, but maybe I shouldn't. Anyone have any solutions?

I have dry erase crayons! I love them. They don't dry out...ever!

[melilley]

I have dry erase crayons! I love them. They don't dry out...ever!

The same one's that SquirrellyMama posted.

[JoseyJo]

We leave colored pencils, crayons, paper, and coloring pages within reach (we have 2 yo and up)- everything else we keep up high and pass out when asked for or during activities - markers, paint, glue, scissors, glitter, etc, etc

We use dry erase board/markers every morning to practice writing (dry erase markers are too expensive to scribble with so it is a "special" activity for writing and drawing pictures) - we have both dry erase markers and crayons but none of ours like the crayons at all! I bought them a year ago and other than trying them out one time no one ever uses them.

[LK5kids]

My kids are two and under. Right now I don't leave out drawing supplies, but soon will be. When I had older kids I just checked the markers each day and did train them to listen for the click.

Soon I will have markers, crayola oil pastels and markers out @ most times. Then the gate will go up to this area and the under two's will not have access to that area.

Right now the oil pastels, crayons and markers are in sight and they ask for them when they want them. Again, I am vigilant with my marker and playdoh lids. I just have to check when they are done that the lids are on tight.

[KnoxMom]

I use the Dry Erase Crayons as well due to the younger age group I work with. The only advice I would give has already been stated. Now as far as REVIVING the markers that already drying out you have a couple options:

1. Dip in rubbing alcohol (If the alcohol doesn't draw out the color, the marker is dead; if it does, see option 2.

2. Dip them in very hot water and leave the cap on with them hanging or stored upside down for a day before reusing

3. The old "snip the tip" method. Sometimes it will get you access to the ink stuck behind the dried out tip.

HTH!

[MsLaura529]

I teach my kids to listen for the "click" before they move onto the next color.

[Blackcat31]

I have used one of these in the past. It helps the kids "click" the caps on correctly every time.

[kendallina]

I teach them to put the caps on until they click everytime. It requires close supervision in the beginning, so you can follow through with them every time they try to put a marker away that isn't capped. Also, I plan activities everyday and some of those activities require markers, so I watch them like a hawk and help them get in the habit of always closing it tight. I'm really careful about it toward the beginning of the year (preschool) and by the end, we don't really have many problems.

When markers do 'dry out' though, as they inevitably do, I don't just throw them away and replace them. I have the children help me go through our marker containers and find the ones that are dried out together, so that they can see the consequence of not putting caps back on tightly. We go through our markers a couple times per year and save them to make watercolors. I usually wait a while until I put new markers in, so they have to suffer for a bit with few choices.

Alternatively, you can have each child have their own separate marker box and they're responsible to take care of their own things. But, you still have to spend time teaching them to do it every time.