11 Health Benefits of Colouring for Kids and Adults explores the lesser-known advantages of a simple activity we all know and love – coloring! From boosting creativity and motor skills in kids to reducing stress and anxiety in adults, coloring offers unique benefits for all ages. Read on to discover the 11 ways coloring can enhance mental health and well-being for everyone.
If you think colouring is just for children, then you will be surprised to know that it’s one of the most popular stress-relieving activities among adults. The popularity of coloring books has grown in the last few years and many studies have proved their effectiveness. Before we discuss the benefits of colouring, have a look at Google Trends for the last 5 years.
The above chart clearly shows that colouring is popular in kids as well as adults. So why coloring is so popular irrespective of age and demographic discrimination?
One of the major reasons for its popularity is drawing and coloring is very natural to all of us. The history of drawing and coloring is 30,000 years old according to Wikipedia.
It is believed that drawing was used as a specialised form of communication before the invention of the written language, demonstrated by the production of cave and rock paintings around 30,000 years ago (Art of the Upper Paleolithic). These drawings, known as pictograms, depicted objects and abstract concepts.
Another major reason is many studies show that coloring is directly related to our brain and colouring helps relax and improve brain functions. You can read more about it if Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety? here. In a nutshell, this study suggests that ” structured coloring of a reasonably complex geometric pattern may induce a meditative state that benefits individuals suffering from anxiety.”
So it will be interesting to find out how colouring helps kids and adults simultaneously. First, let’s find out how Colouring can help in a kid’s development.
1. Improve Motor Skills
A simple activity like colouring can help improve motor skills in toddlers and kids. The actions, motions, and precise grip involved in coloring can aid in the development of the muscles of the fingers, hands, and wrist. Fine motor skill development can help children write more skillfully as well as manipulate small objects.
2. Foster Creativity & Improved Handwriting
Drawing and colouring help kids stay in line, thus need them to focus, and go wild with their imagination and brainstorm many ideas. These activities foster their creativity which in long run helps them in ways.
Colouring can help a child to improve handwriting as it needs focus and attention to detail. Dexterity and hand strength needs in Cursive and printed letters. With coloring, kids develop these skills naturally.
3. Improved Focus and Eye to Hand Coordination
While colouring child learns many skills like colour awareness, shapes, and learn about his surroundings. At the same time simple tasks like holding the crayons, choosing colors and applying them in a specific space develop focus attention and hand coordination in kids.
4. Improved Confidence and Self Esteem
Give your child simple and very basic drawings to colour and appreciate them once they complete their colouring activity. Completing a task successfully improves the confidence and self-esteem of a child. Coloring thus helps to build a strong foundation for young children.
5. Know Your Child Better
Each one of us expresses ourselves through different activities. The same goes with the kid, give them some crayons and coloring sheet, and see what emotions he or she is depicting. Coloring is a great way to process their feeling and emotions.
In some cases, children also show violent tendencies in drawings and painting and you can help them at a very early stage, thus avoiding any future damage.
Must Read: 5 Benefits of Printable Activity Books on Your Kids
Check out Our Preschool Coloring Book on Amazon
How Coloring Helps Adults?
As I mentioned above Coloring relaxes, improves brain functionality, and keeps the brain young and active.
According to Scott M. Bea, PsyD, “Adult coloring requires modest attention focused outside of self-awareness, Dr. Bea says. “It’s a simple activity that takes us outside ourselves in the same way, cutting the lawn, knitting, or taking a Sunday drive can all be relaxing.”
Hobbies help us unwind and relax, whether you are approaching colouring as a therapy or a way to assist in a therapeutical way, you will achieve some great results. I am discussing only a few of them.
6. Easily Achieve A Meditative State
Coloring can help you to achieve a meditative state, as adult coloring pages most of the time are intricate with detailed designs. You need to focus on the designs to colour them neatly and when you do that for a temporary period you shift your focus from problems, stress to a kind of meditative state. As a result, you feel calm and peaceful.
7. Activates Cerebral Hemisphere
One half of the cerebrum, the part of the brain that controls muscle functions and also controls speech, thought, emotions, reading, writing, and learning.
When you are colouring, not only you are learning a new skill, but focusing on a single task of coloring minimizes your thoughts, thus help you to relax.
Colouring can boost a child’s development process as the cerebral Hemisphere controls main functions that will greatly help in children’s growth like speech, thought process, and important aspects of learning.
8. Boosts Motor Skills
As an adult, today we spend most of our time just scrolling on our devices and less on activities that will help adults to stay mentally healthy and happy.
Brain activities like colouring, Sudoku, puzzles like crosswords, brainteasers will help with the problem of dementia.
Someone in the world develops dementia every 3 seconds. There are over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2020. This number will almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050.
Intricate designs and colouring pages help to better hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
9. Improves Focus
Coloring books, puzzles and activity books generally need your brain to be in organizing and problem-solving mode. This activates your frontal lobe and results in improved focus and concentration. Regular coloring sessions can be a great way to relax after a busy and hectic day.
10. Good Coping Mechanism
Time and again many studies have shown that including drawing, colouring, and other activities in your day-to-day life help calm you down, ease stress, and unleash your creativity.
Colouring, drawing, and art therapy can be really helpful in mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
Must Read: Coloring has especially become instrumental as I recover from PTSD.
11. Reduces Anxiety
Daily colouring practice of 20 or more minutes, can reduce the level of anxiety, according to studies published so far. Studies also mentioned that coloring intricate designs like Mandala are more helpful than coloring in blank plain paper.
Coloring is not going to cure your anxiety but it will lower the level of anxiety. By practicing colouring you are helping your mind and body.
When you regularly practice colouring you can see improvement in mood improvement, reduce stress, and enhance mindfulness.
Must Read: Exploring the Effectiveness of a Novel Method of Mindfulness
Coloring Book to Reduce Anxiety for Seniors: Check Out on Amazon
Checkout Most Popular Coloring Pages
- 65 Free Cute Kawai Food Coloring pages
- 70 Free Underwater Dolphin Coloring Pages
- 110 Free Ocean Animals Coloring Pages
- 111+ Cute Thanksgiving Coloring Pages
- 100 Halloween Cat Coloring Pages for Kids & Adults
- 99 Christmas Animals Coloring Pages for Kids
Conclusion
Hobbies are a great way to unwind but coloring is different in the sense that it’s natural to most of us, we are grown-up coloring. There is no reason to keep colouring only for children, it’s more for adults today.
Life has become so complex and we take it so seriously, we end up creating unnecessary tensions in our body and mind. Give some quality time to yourself, your mind, and body.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Now you know how colouring can help you and your kids, make sure whatever happens, Keep Calm & Colour On!
Health Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article, “11 Health Benefits of Colouring for Kids and Adults,” is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or a substitute for professional healthcare consultation. While coloring has been associated with various health benefits, individual experiences may vary. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any mental or physical health concerns.