Stop Thumb Sucking From Interfering With Arts and Crafts
Stop Thumb Sucking From Interfering With Arts and Crafts
Many parents wonder how to stop thumb sucking in their children, especially when it interferes with fun activities such as arts and crafts. Almost every preschooler loves to color, draw, and paint. That can be a serious problem if your child is constantly thumb sucking. It prevents them from fully participating and can turn a simple project into a huge mess.
Imagine you and your child are painting together. She dips her brush into the paint and gets involved in her project. Absentmindedly she brings her thumb to her mouth, not realizing the paintbrush is now spreading paint in her hair. A thumb guard could serve as a visual reminder even as she is drawn into the activity and keep her engaged in the project.
Some children may not know to keep their attention on the task at hand and need assistance to know how to stop sucking thumb. Children learning new skills such as cutting with scissors need their full attention on the activity. For example, your child should be holding onto the paper with one hand and scissors with the other. Wearing a thumb sucking guard could help him remember not to let go of the paper, and save him from an accident if the paper slipped while cutting with just one hand.
Many projects become difficult for a child to complete unless they stop thumb sucking. Stickers and tape can lose their adhesive if the child tries to stick them with a wet hand. Glue would not taste good to accidentally ingest. Paper rips easily once it become even slightly damp. Children in a group setting share things like markers, crayons, pencils and glue sticks. Not only would a child be spreading germs in such a situation, they would also be at a higher risk of becoming sick after handling a shared pen and then putting their hand in their mouth. A thumb sucking glove would be flexible enough that they would still be able to improve their fine motor skills while wearing it.
Children have many new activities to explore as they grow and develop. By helping them learn how to stop thumb sucking, parents can help them learn new skills and gain new experiences. Doing arts and crafts can be a much better experience if they are able to focus and use the supplies without sucking their thumb.