8 Reasons to Encourage Your Kids to Color!

I don't know about you, but to this day, I still love to color. I might not spend as much time as I did as a kid, but there is something to be said about picking out your favorite colors and designing the most beautiful unicorn, all while trying to stay in the lines. For me, it is relaxing and a small feeling of accomplishment for just a moment. Now imagine that same feeling for your child!

​Picking out all of the best colors and being able to create their most beautiful design, just to show their parents their work of art. That feeling of pride and being able to get recognition from the people that matter most to them! And it all comes from a box of Crayola Crayons and a piece of paper! Amazing! 

There are so many benefits for children to color. Let’s review 8 reasons why it’s so important and impactful for them! ​

1. Improves Fine Motor Coordination.

As a baby develops month over month and learns to do activities at different stages, they are improving their fine motor coordination. For example, holding an object, eating a cheiro by themselves, or holding a spoon. According to Study.com, children achieve fine motor skills when they learn to use the smaller muscles in their hands, fingers, and wrists. Coloring is an amazing way to help them to continue to improve their fine motor coordination, as they practice grasping their crayon or staying in the lines. 

2. Offers Practice for Holding a Pencil.

When a child picks up a crayon for the first time, they are starting to experience how to hold a pencil. The muscles in their hands will have to squeeze the object tightly and then apply pressure to use the crayon. As they continue to practice this time and time again, they will learn how to grip more appropriately each time and gain additional control. 

3. Leads to Better Handwriting.

​Practicing coloring can help kids to improve their handwriting. They learn the right way to hold a crayon and then improve their focus and ability to stay within the lines. This is going to lead to improved handwriting.

4. Improves Color Awareness and Recognition Picking out different colors helps children to learn different color shades and color hues. Eventually they will understand the names of the more common colors and learn how to describe the other variations. Practicing will give them more exposure to this. 

5. Stimulates Creativity, Imagination & Encourages Self-Expression.

Children don't get much choice in their early years, but they usually do get a choice in what color they want to use in their picture. Having choice, allows for the child to develop their creativity and imagination. Today they might decide they want a blue kitty cat and tomorrow it might be pink. Allowing this creativity to blossom will expand their imagination in so many ways! Plus, no two cats have to be the same, allowing them to express themselves and feel good about their work!

6. Helps Develop Focus and Concentration Skills.

When a child sits down and takes the opportunity to carefully choose the colors and locations for those colors, they are practicing focus and concentration. The opportunity to color gives a child a set activity to complete. As they get older and older, their level of focus and concentration will improve and they will be able to engage in their activities for longer. Coloring is the perfect starter activity to help develop these skills.

7. Improved Confidence and Self Esteem.

When a child spends time coloring, they are making their own choices on what and how they are coloring. They usually present their artwork to their parents or teachers looking for validation and recognition for their hard work. This is the perfect opportunity to tell them how beautiful their artwork is and recognize how hard they worked on it. Doing this builds up their confidence and self-esteem, which will grow into other areas of their life! 

8. Therapeutic and Stress Relief.

Many different situations can cause stress for a child. It could be anything from not being allowed to play with their toys, difficulty with a sibling, or a parent telling them no. There may be even more severe stress that a child may be dealing with when they may have been involved in situations that have dealt with more difficult traumas in their lives. Coloring is a great way to help a child calm down and relieve stress. In more severe situations, parents should always connect with a doctor for advice. ​

Here are some of our favorite coloring books and supplies for kids to use.

1. My First Big Book of Coloring

A jumbo coloring book with almost 200 pages of wacky and engaging activities!
The appealing artwork--with its heavy, chunky black lines--are eye-catching and child-friendly. This book is sure to engage little ones for hours!

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2. Crayola Twistables Crayons Coloring Set, Kids Indoor Activities At Home

One Crayola Twistables Crayons Coloring Set with 50 compact twistable crayons in a reusable box. Non-toxic coloring supplies make a great gift set for ages 3 and up

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3. Toddler Coloring Book. Numbers Colors Shapes

A perfect learning activity workbook for toddlers, either boys or girls for their fun & exciting learning of basic shapes, numbers, and counting, all done while super fun coloring! Baby Activity Book for Kids Age 1-3, Boys or Girls, for Their Fun Early Learning of First Easy Words. 

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4. Alago Water Doodle Mat, Kids Toys Large Aqua Mat

ALAGO water coloring mat is a great gift for children to enhance imagination and creativity, inspire exploration and encourage natural curiosity. Freely painting on the incredible colors drawing mat can promote the ability of color perception, artistic accomplishments, exchange and cooperation, even exercise hand-eye coordination.

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5. I Am Confident, Brave & Beautiful: A Coloring Book for Girls

This groundbreaking coloring book is all about building a girl's confidence, imagination, and spirit! The 22+ coloring pages encourage girls to think beyond social conventions and inspire conversations with adults about what it really means to be confident, brave, and beautiful.

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6. Me and My Feelings: A Kids' Guide to Understanding and Expressing Themselves

This book shows you how to stay in control―by breathing deeply, saying positive things to yourself, talking about your feelings, and more. You’ll learn to deal with all kinds of feelings, including the hard ones like sadness, anxiety, or even fear.

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7. Coloring Books For Boys Cool Animals: For Boys Aged 6-12

This action-packed coloring book has taken the coolest animals in the world and turned them into fantastically-fun, creative coloring pages that have been specially designed to give kids an interesting, exciting and super-fun coloring experience that lasts a long time, providing hours of coloring fun.

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8. Crayola Inspiration Art Case Coloring Set, Gift for Kids Age 5+

Keep all your art supplies in one place with the Crayola Inspiration Art Case. This premier art set has 140 pieces--crayons, colored pencils, markers, and drawing paper--all organized into a durable storage case that you can bring with you.

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9. Notebook Doodles Go Girl!: Coloring & Activity Book (Design Originals) 30 Inspiring Designs

Notebook Doodles Go Girl!

isn't just another kid's coloring book! Its empowering art statements are designed specifically for the design-savvy TWEEN who thinks kids books are too juvenile and mom's adult coloring books are too well... adult! Inside this book, youthful readers will discover 30 interactive art activities that are just waiting to be filled with color.

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