There is nothing like the joy of spending an afternoon coloring with the kids. You have books scattered all over the dining room table, crayons scattered and rolling off to the floor, and you asking them nicely not to peel off the paper. Coloring is such a fun family-building activity, and I bet you never realized how good it actually is for your children.
Children brains develop to 95% of their full capacity in the years from birth to age three, so early childhood development is crucial. One way to help with that development is by letting your children work with crayons and coloring books. Coloring has been a fun way to educate, entertain and engage your kids for the last 115 years. There must be something to it right?
Crayons and coloring books are fantastic tools. They encourage creativity, attention to detail, and help get your children ready for school. Kids have fun choosing just the right color for each part of their picture, and this experimenting helps them learn more about colors and how they mix. They will also have practice learning the colors by name.
Coloring also helps improve fine motor skills and hand dexterity. It can improve their hand strength, hand-to-eye coordination, and even go on to improve their handwriting. Coloring pictures and finishing them improves focus. While kids are coloring they are also learning and growing, but don't tell them "it's good for you." So, what coloring books are best for your children?
Coloring for Young Kids
There are differences between the best coloring books for your kids, depending on their age. Younger kids, from 18 months to 5 years old, will be interested in more simple images so they can enjoy learning with easy coloring. They like nice big spaces to color. Thick lines help them stay within the lines and build their confidence. Thick paper is good too, so they can press as hard as they want. Look for lots of variety in the picture choices to keep their interest. The coloring book can help them get ready for school by providing letters, numbers, and shapes to color. They can feel a little more grown up while coloring at the table while the older siblings are doing their homework.
Coloring for Older Kids
Once your children get a little older, they look for different options in coloring. They have better fine muscle control so the picture can have thinner lines and be more detailed. Older kids also enjoy coloring with colored pencils or markers, so the paper in the coloring book should be designed thick enough to withstand other mediums. These kids also enjoy coloring pictures with subjects of interest to them. Find images of space or animals, current movies, or popular characters. Coloring by number is fun for them, and activity books add a challenge for them as well.
Coloring is a great family bonding activity because kids of all ages, okay maybe parents too, love to color. Whether you are waiting out a winter storm or hiding in the air conditioning from a hot day, coloring that next masterpiece to hang on the refrigerator is a great way to spend some quality time together, entertain the kids while mom gets a break, and maybe just help them learn a little something.
AUTHOR’S BIO: DANIEL CHABERT
A sporty and an entrepreneur. Making at the sweet spot between beauty and elegance to craft delightful brand experiences. He also writes reviews and recommendations on Runnerclick, BornCute, ThatSweetGift and GearWeAre.
