Toddler activities with jumbo crayons
4 activities in the library use jumbo crayons, for toddlers aged 14 to 36 months: 1 starting 12–17 months and 3 starting from 24 months. Extra-thick crayons fit a toddler's fist grip, press hard without snapping and leave bold marks. They are the usual first drawing tool for scribbling, tracing and rubbings.
Updated
Jumbo crayons: 4 activities to try
Safety: Choose crayons labelled non-toxic and supervise so they are not chewed.
4 activities
- Taped-Down First Scribbles 14–24 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm A big sheet taped to the floor or table stays put while your child grips a jumbo crayon and makes first marks, building grasp and intentional movement.
- Copy My Crayon Line 24–34 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm You draw one simple stroke at a time, a line down, a line across or a circle, and your child copies it, moving from scribbles toward controlled marks.
- Crayon Leaf Rubbings 24–36 months · 5–12 min · Indoors · Calm Leaves from a walk go under a sheet of paper and your child rubs over them with the side of a jumbo crayon until the veins and edges appear.
- Trace Around the Lid 26–36 months · 5–12 min · Indoors · Calm Your child holds a crayon against the edge of a big lid and runs it around to make a circle, then tries a circle without the lid after watching you.
Nothing matches these filters. Try another age band or "Anywhere".
Jumbo Crayons at a glance
| Activities | 4 |
|---|---|
| Ages covered (corrected) | 14–36 months |
| Focus time | 5–12 minutes |
| Main domains | 3 fine motor and 1 creativity & pretend |
| Where they happen | 4 indoors |
| Quickest start | Copy My Crayon Line, 5–10 minutes |
Every activity with jumbo crayons
Sorted by the first month each one fits (corrected age for children born early).
| Activity | Ages | Minutes | Domain | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taped-Down First Scribbles | 14–24 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | 2 min |
| Copy My Crayon Line | 24–34 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | 2 min |
| Crayon Leaf Rubbings | 24–36 months | 5–12 | Creativity & pretend | 5 min |
| Trace Around the Lid | 26–36 months | 5–12 | Fine motor | 2 min |
How each activity uses jumbo crayons
- Taped-Down First Scribbles (scribbling and early drawing, 5–10 minutes): Offer one crayon and wait; any tap, drag or dot counts.
- Copy My Crayon Line (scribbling and early drawing, 5–10 minutes): Tape a large sheet to the table and sit side by side, each with a crayon.
- Crayon Leaf Rubbings (scribbling and early drawing, 5–12 minutes): Rub the side of a peeled crayon over the paper until the leaf shape shows: "Look, it's coming!"
- Trace Around the Lid (scribbling and early drawing, 5–12 minutes): Run your crayon slowly around the edge and lift the lid: "Look, a circle!"
By age
12–17 months: 1 activity, 5–10 minutes. From 24 months: 3 activities, 5–12 minutes.
Starting 12–17 months
Starting from 24 months
Words that come up
Across these activities you will model “line”, “dot”, “round and round”, “more”, “down”, “across”, “your turn”, “leaf”, “rub”, “big”, “it's here” and “round”. Say one at the moment it happens, then pause for your child's turn.
Safety with jumbo crayons
- Choose crayons labelled non-toxic and supervise so they are not chewed.
- Throw away small broken pieces, which are a choking hazard.
Prep tips
- Tape the paper to the table so it does not slide.
- Offer two or three colors at a time instead of the whole box.
- Peel one crayon for rubbings with its long side.
No jumbo crayons? Use instead
- Chunky sidewalk chalk.
- Washable markers with an adult close by.
- Finger paint on a tray.
Combine it with
Jumbo crayons are most often paired with large paper (4 activities), painter's tape (4 activities) and plastic food containers (1 activity). The skills practised most: scribbling and early drawing (4), imitating actions (3) and cause and effect (1).
Often combined with
Skills practised
Frequently asked questions
What can a toddler do with jumbo crayons?
4 activities here use them, for example Taped-Down First Scribbles (14–24 months), Copy My Crayon Line (24–34 months) and Crayon Leaf Rubbings (24–36 months).
Are jumbo crayons safe for toddlers?
Use them only with an adult close by. Choose crayons labelled non-toxic and supervise so they are not chewed. Throw away small broken pieces, which are a choking hazard.
What can I use instead of jumbo crayons?
Chunky sidewalk chalk, washable markers with an adult close by or finger paint on a tray can stand in for most of these activities.
What ages are activities with jumbo crayons for?
They cover 14–36 months of corrected age: 1 starting 12–17 months and 3 starting from 24 months.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.