Colouring Benefits

The inspiration and idea of Festive Fun Colouring Book developed when I discovered the developmental benefits of colouring: it can help a child to develop cognitively, psychologically and creatively. Despite this, there are some people who believe a child should be encouraged to use their own imagination and draw. However, from my experience with children (being a parent and having nephews and nieces) I found that having a blank page can sometimes be daunting, and instead of sparking the child’s imagination, it can discourage them.

Keeping the above in mind, I created Festive Fun. A colouring book with holidays and occasions from throughout the year from New Year, Easter, to Pancake Day, Halloween, Christmas and many more. The pages are neutral and have various levels of intricacy to cater for everyone. You can incorporate them into your festivities all year round. The children can colour the pages and use them as gifts at Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day etc. The pages are single sided giving children the option of starting from a blank canvas, colouring in the images, or both. There are even a couple of pages that give children the opportunity to personalise and complete. Festive Fun allows children to experiment as they work their way through; exciting and motivating the child which can take them anywhere as they grow and learn.

While colouring is now a favourite pastime for me and my boys, I wanted to share the benefits I found:

1. Motor Skills and hand-eye coordination

While most activities can help develop the muscles in the child’s hands, fingers and wrist, the motions of holding a pencil, felt tip, crayon, etc. provide a child an opportunity to practice holding the tool the correct way which will aid with writing skilfully as well as manipulating small objects. Choosing colours, holding the tool and colouring the image, all help with gaining greater control and developing strong hand-eye coordination.

2. Concentration and focus
Research suggests colouring has the power to focus the brain similarly to meditation. It allows an individual to mindfully focus on one thing while keeping the mind busy in a creative way. Colouring teaches a child to focus and concentrate on the task at hand which improves over time. My boys used to sit down for 5 minutes to scribble, and now, my 3-year-old will happily sit and colour for 30 minutes. His concentration and focus have increased which has also transferred into other activities.

3. Colour and shape recognition
Colouring encourages children to learn the name and difference between forms, shapes, and colours, while giving the opportunity to explore different combinations. A child will become aware of primary and common colours, as well as the less known ones. The child will also learn to colour within the lines and increase their vocabulary.

For a limited time only, I will be giving away a 12 pack of pencil crayons with every purchase of the Festive Fun Colouring Book.

4. Confidence
The ability to complete a colouring page (even if it is not all coloured in) gives a child a sense of accomplishment. The smiles on their little faces because they are proud of what they have achieved; they have completed a task without it feeling like a chore and been praised for it. To build on this, you can cut out the pages and hang them up as art in your room.

5. Creativity
Colouring and drawing sparks a child’s imagination and gives the child the perfect platform to express themselves. Children colour or draw in any way they choose, start to appreciate visual differences and brainstorm different ideas on their own. They will start using different mediums, create patterns and plan which colours to use and in which order to apply them. The child can go onto making their own colouring pages. The possibilities are endless.

With constant demands on our time, it is important to create moments where we can listen and be fully present with our children. Colouring and drawing give us the opportunity to relax, slow down and reflect on our day. We can connect with our children emotionally and socially while doing something that doesn’t require screen time. When I colour with my boys, we create memories and conversations that I did not plan and could not have planned better (and trust me when I say I like to plan). As the colour flows across the page, so do the thoughts, ideas, and concerns.

I am no psychologist, counsellor or health professional. I do what works for me and my family. Creativity is an integral part of my life, and I love being able to pass this artistic love on. Colouring and drawing are a hassle-free, yet fun activity that can be incorporated into our daily routine, taken everywhere, and we can start and stop whenever we want. It is something everyone can enjoy regardless of age.

Still not convinced? Why don’t you give it a try and buy your copy of Festive Fun today? Remember to tag us with #timelessroots