One of the most well-liked pastimes for kids and even adults is coloring, with the popularity of adult coloring books increasing recently. If your kids aren’t coloring now, this article will explain why they should start since there are several advantages. Children will enjoy themselves while learning several important skills through coloring.
“Colour helps to express light, not the physical phenomenon, but the only light that really exists, that in the artist’s brain.” – Henri Matisse
Amazing Facts About Colours
- Colours can influence the taste of food. This is due to how our brain receives colour and flavour.
- You can tell which colours complement each other by looking at the opposite colours in the colour wheel.
- There are some colours which are too complex for the human brain to process. These are called impossible or forbidden colours.
- Blue is the most popular colour in the world, followed by purple.
- Some people have an irrational fear of colour – this is known as homophobia.
The History of Colouring
According to legend, the practice of coloring for enjoyment dates back to the 16th century, when volumes of a poem called Poly-Olbion were printed with etched maps. Art historians claim that the concept of coloring the maps itself captivated people.
The floral images in Robert Sayer’s The Florist from 1760 were created with coloring in mind. It included directions on how to make them, including which paints to mix and what colors to use. The Complete Drawing Book, which featured many engravings in color, was also written by the same author. At the time, adults who could afford to paint from lavishly designed books were the target audience for coloring pages. Coloring books grew increasingly popular among kids as a result of improvements made to children’s education in 1850, when kindergarten became the standard in the USA.
Since The Little Folks’ Painting Book was released in 1879, coloring books for youngsters have been around. From then on, businesses began using coloring to draw kids to their products, and comic book brands benefited from the activity’s popularity by producing copies of their strips that could be colored in. Wax crayons eventually replaced watercolors as the preferred medium in the 20th century. Coloring books quickly gained popularity among kids since they are much easier to use with crayons. It was even proposed that coloring books might be used to keep kids engaged while waiting for their lunch.
However, several creatives said that following rules restricted their inventiveness. By 1963, psychologists were using coloring to diagnose psychological problems. Coloring books have given way to activity sheets and apps in modern times.
You’re probably wondering why colouring in is such a great activity for kids. Here’s what you need to know:
Improves Motor Skill, Co-Ordination and Handwriting
Your child’s motor skills and hand-eye coordination will develop as they grab the crayon and move it over the paper. This is so that the muscles in the fingers, wrist, and hands can grow. Having good motor skills will benefit your child in the future with a variety of activities, including athletics and typing, as well as handwriting and handling small things.
Encourages Focus and Patience
Spending time coloring has been linked to increased focus and concentration. You might also consider how color affects how the brain works. A psychologist from the University of British Columbia claims that using red when performing a complex job (like coloring) can increase concentration and performance. Kids who color also develop patience as they come to appreciate the amount of time required to produce an artwork.
Self- Esteem and Confidence
Children’s self-esteem and confidence will increase as a result of coloring on a regular basis. A youngster will feel accomplished after finishing a coloring page, which will boost their confidence. Coloring pages is one of the simplest chores to do, which is vital for a child’s sense of accomplishment.
Prepares Them for School
Structure is everything in education. They have to attend classes, take tests, and do written assignments. Kids can get ready for school and the concept of finishing work on paper by coloring pages and coloring books. This is advantageous so that your youngster won’t be surprised by how rigorous school seems to be.
Increases Knowledge and Improves Colour Recognition
Children will learn to recognize colors, lines, perspective, forms, and patterns as they color. This will enable them to select the subsequent color on their own. They must learn the names of the many colors and their shades in order to finish their coloring page.
Young children are frequently exposed to the color wheel through crayons and coloring. Using all the different colors allows them to explore numerous color combinations and learn about colors outside of the main color wheel.
It is highly useful to color with your children from a young age since the sooner children learn about colors, the simpler they will find it to comprehend how to mix colors to make new ones—ssomething that is evaluated in schools.
Encourages Creativity and Self-Expression
The ideal technique to inspire your child to be more creative is through coloring. An image is initially created in your child’s mind before being transferred to paper. It prompts students to consider how they may utilize different color schemes to improve the visuals. Coloring pages allow kids to express their personalities, and teaching children to color may be enjoyable.
Quiet Activity
Coloring is a low-maintenance, relaxing pastime that can be done practically anywhere, including on trains and aircraft, at home, and in public spaces like restaurants. Due to its peace and quiet, the activity has gained popularity in restaurants. At Keeko Kids, we provide coloring pages and activity kits to a number of well-known restaurant companies, including McDonald’s, Marks & Spencer, and Asda.
You may choose eateries that are kid-friendly and ready to accommodate your little ones if they provide coloring pages as an activity. Your children may be coloring in veggies at a restaurant and then decide to order some off the menu since some eateries include coloring pages as an incentive to encourage healthy eating.
Reduces Stress
For kids to express their feelings, coloring is incredibly beneficial. Every youngster can benefit from using a straightforward coloring page to explore their sensations and emotions. Coloring is a popular form of treatment for both adults and kids since it is calming and gives them something to concentrate on during some quiet time.
According to a neurologist, picking out the colors, examining the form and size, and noting the edges can all help calm a racing mind. Due to the repetitive nature of coloring, which helps to quiet the mind, some therapists even describe it as a type of active meditation. We may appreciate letting our creativity flow by unplugging from technology.
The Best Colours to Use When Colouring in:
Colors may elicit a wide range of distinct emotions and sentiments. You undoubtedly want to know which color corresponds to this feeling, so here it is:
- Red and orange can provoke active emotions such as anger.
- Blue is usually associated with comfort, low anxiety and relaxation.
- Yellow is associated with happiness, thanks to the reminder of the sun.
- Bright colours such as green usually lead to more positive responses.
How to Encourage Children to Colour In?
If you’re unsure of how to encourage your kids to color, try turning it into a family activity. Your youngster will be drawn in by how much fun coloring is if you sit down and start doing it. If your child is too little to handle the coloring supplies themselves, simply make sure they are visible so that they are used to seeing them. You should make the coloring supplies accessible and available. Children should be taught that coloring is an enjoyable pastime and reward rather than a job like schoolwork.
Offer your child more engaging coloring materials, such as chalk, oil pastels, paint, or water pencils, if they aren’t enjoying using crayons. If kids don’t like coloring in a book, you could even let them use chalk to decorate your patio.
Instead of plain coloring pages, you may utilize games and riddles to get your kid to color. To accomplish this, several restaurants provide activity packets.
Children should never be coerced into coloring or have their enjoyment of it put in jeopardy. There are more techniques for improving hand-eye coordination and motor abilities. Other kinds of art may be enjoyed by many kids.
How to Teach Children to Colour
There’s no need to worry if kids don’t color “properly,” but you could want to educate them to color inside the lines and have fun with the exercise. When a toddler first learns to color, they should start with basic images and ones with wide borders. Once kids are acclimated to coloring, they will instinctively gravitate toward it as a pastime.
To improve their spirits and motivate them to work hard, you might give them brand-new coloring books as a reward. Offer them a variety of coloring supplies and let them choose their favorite; different sizes may be easier for them to grip, and they might color more well with a pen than a pencil.
