Coloring books and coloring toys are a wonderful way for kids (and adults) to unplug from their devices and rekindle a sense of creativity. Coloring has been known to improve focus, encourage concentration, and improve fine motor skills. It’s also a wonderful family activity since parents can join in with their own coloring books and tools, too.
Find Your Style
There are so many different types of coloring books and mediums available. So, before you begin your journey into the world of coloring, decide what kind of coloring you prefer. Do you like fine details and realism, or do you prefer cartoons or cute drawings? Crayola has a variety of choices, including signature coloring songbooks, Color Escapes Kits, and Color Wonder Foldalopes sets. Color Wonder is great for early learners and little hands since they are virtually mess-free. Sets feature recognizable characters and fun themes, and most of them come in easy portable cases or spiral-bound books.
Pick Your Medium
Crayons are usually the medium of choice when it comes to coloring books. However, colored pencils, markers, and even gel pens are all fun ways to bring your paper to life. Consider adding some fun touches, such as blending colors with a cotton ball or Q-tip. Older children might enjoy experimenting with watercolors or pastels.
Think Outside the Crayon Box
If crayons aren’t your preferred coloring tool, there are plenty of other choices for creative expression. Paint By Sticker books is a fun way to create a mosaic masterpiece without using any tools, just stickers! For those who prefer coloring three-dimensionally, Crayola’s Scribble Scrubbies enable children to color fuzzy characters, rinse them in water, and color again for endless fun. Scentco’s Water Magic is another crayon-free way to color, bringing color to paper with a simple wet brush (and these creations are scented, too).
Color on the Go
Don’t forget that coloring is a portable activity. Grab a travel case like Fat Brain Toy’s TeeBee or the Crayola Color Wonder Stow and Go kit to bring your art outside. Coloring can be done on a porch or patio, during a picnic, even in a car or plane.
Add an Educational Twist
It’s easy to turn your coloring pages into learning activities, too. Create a simple key chart and use a permanent marker to add numbers to a coloring page. Children can use the key for their own ‘color by numbers.’ Make the key into a math problem that kids have to solve in order to figure out the color key as an added challenge.
Whatever method you choose, coloring really is a stress-relieving, fun activity. People all over the world have turned to coloring as a hobby and share their creations across social media channels and in online groups. Be sure to check out Marissa DiBartolo’s Coloring Outside the Age Lines or reminisce about the joy of new crayons in this post by Destiny Paquette.
