Toddler hates gettting dirty!?

My 2 year old son hates to get dirty and never wants to do any projects that involve some form of arts & crafts because if he gets marker, paint, glue or any other kind of substances on himself he freaks out. It sucks because I am a very creative person and I want to be able to do some fun activities with him. He won't even play in the dirt and he recently got a sand and water table for his birthday and he had no problem playing with the water but once I put the sand in it he refuses to play with it. He even freaks out when his hands are dirty from food, like cream cheese on a bagel, or frosting on a cupcake, etc. What can I do to get him to stop freaking out about a little mess?

my son will be 2 in July and is the same way. for fathers day I wanted our son to make a finger paint card for daddy and boy it was a pain trying to get him to even try putting his fingers in the paint much less putting it on a piece of paper thankfully we got thru it and daddy loved his card

My mom said I was like that as a baby/toddler... I wouldn't let people touch me, I wouldn't go outside if something got on me I would flip, if it was on my clothes I needed to change my whole outfit... I'm 27 and I'm still like that... I have ocd... my sons 6 and my daughters 2 and I see some of the same behaviours in them... I feel bad but its just how I am...

Thats how my son was. He still kind of is, like playdoh, finger painting, sticky toys or food, anything dirty would make him freak the hell out. He has sensory problems though. Hes gotten better, he wil be 4 tomorrow and hes learned to deal with it by seeing the other kids at daycare and pre k do it. He still freaks out sometimes like if yogurt gets on his hand or pb or sauce things like that. But he can play in the dirt as long as it doesnt stick.

DS was the same way when he was younger, last year he started being okay with getting dirty. This year he's playin in the mud and I cant keep him clean! Lol, he'll be 8 next month

Interesting. Maybe he does have OCD or something like that. I noticed he does like to line up his toys in a row and if you move one or mess up the order he gets upset. I just thought it was normal though.

Quoting MamaBear x2:" my son will be 2 in July and is the same way. for fathers day I wanted our son to make a finger paint ... [snip!] ... putting his fingers in the paint much less putting it on a piece of paper thankfully we got thru it and daddy loved his card"

I know what you mean. I wanted to make my mom (his grandma) a butterfly painting for her birthday using his feet for the wings and he freaked out so bad that he wouldn't finish the other wing so I had to fold the paper over to duplicate it.  

If you are crafty and want him to experience some of those projects, have you thought about putting gloves on him? You'd probably have to take the glove off after it got dirty to show him that HE'S not dirty, just the glove, but it's worth a try if you want to do projects!

<blockquote><b>Quoting Babycakez & Lil J:</b>" Interesting. Maybe he does have OCD or something like that. I noticed he does like to line up his toys ... [snip!] ... like to line up his toys in a row and if you move one or mess up the order he gets upset. I just thought it was normal though."</blockquote>



Jade does that...I don't remember doing it, my mom said I would purposly not play with stuff because it had to remain a certain way...
I have to shower at least 2 times a day, I used to have a bunch of "rituals" like tapping and counting, doing things an even amount of times... I had some threapy I'm not as bad I still count and tap things but its not as noticable...

My son (he'll be 3 in sept) is the same way. He will flip if he gets his clothes dirty or wet. He's ok with getting wet in his swimming trunks and in the tub though. I'm not sure if I caused him to be that way or if he's that way on his own. I also have OCD and I never let him feed himself if the food was messy, he never had a smash cake on his birthday, and I wipe EVERYTHING all the time. I'm thinking he also has OCD because of other behaviors that he exhibits. I'm not sure how to fix it but I've definitely started making him understand that having a little dirt or wet spot on his clothing or hands is ok. He will not under any circumstance touch sand though

<blockquote><b>Quoting Sarah & JT:</b>" My son (he'll be 3 in sept) is the same way. He will flip if he gets his clothes dirty or wet. He's ok ... [snip!] ... that having a little dirt or wet spot on his clothing or hands is ok. He will not under any circumstance touch sand though "</blockquote>



I never let The kids feed themselves either as babys lol,

Op the glove thing might work... that's the only way I can "touch" certain textures...

Quoting Babycakez & Lil J:" Interesting. Maybe he does have OCD or something like that. I noticed he does like to line up his toys ... [snip!] ... like to line up his toys in a row and if you move one or mess up the order he gets upset. I just thought it was normal though."

Those can both be signs of autism (not that I'm saying he has it!) but if you think the avoidance of the messes or the fits if you mess with his order are cause for concern, it's worth getting checked out.

For the record, my 4 yr old has autism and never did either of those things, his was more speech, but IF it is autism or sensory processing disorder, or anything like that, you aren't going to be able to make him "like" doing it or not freak out about it.

Google MCHAT - it's a screening tool for toddlers with autism, might help you narrow that out of the equation anyway   good luck!