The act of coloring is quickly becoming a lost art. In the not too distant past, children would sit and color for hours on end and entertain themselves. Getting a book that held a child's favorite characters or images was viewed as a prized gift. Today, the range of tools available for coloring include a variety of crayons, pencils, markers and gel pens, to name a few. Coloring books were initially used to help children develop eye-hand coordination and the fine motor skills necessary to learn to manipulate a pencil and learn to write. To start, the child is given larger crayons that are easy to hold and offer bright colors. In the end, the child would produce a picture that he would share with a parent, teacher or another adult and express pride. Color allows for expression and the individual statement made by color choices, images and textures allows a child an outlet for expression. If you think coloring is only for children, think again. This relaxing activity may be very helpful with rehabilitation in which an individual needs to rebuild lost skills or needs a restful activity while convalescing. The value of coloring in a simple book should not be undervalued. Even in this high-tech environment in which electronic coloring books are readily available, the skills acquired from coloring in a manual coloring book are important (eye-hand coordination, dexterity, fine motor skills and visual spatial coordination). Some of these skills cross over, whether you are coloring manually or electronically.
What to Look for
When purchasing a coloring book, look for images that are interesting and appealing. You might want to look for a book that offers a higher quality of paper than newspaper print so that the participant can utilize a multi-media format (pencils, markers or gel pens). It can be more interesting if you find books that allow the individual to fill in the blanks and create their own images, faces or the like. There are some wonderful books available that offer complex designs, for example Celtic braids, Native American Images, costumes, etc; that when completed give the individual a sense of pride. Coloring often involved a social activity that allowed a group of children to get together and have quiet time or talk together while they colored. Finding a book that allows the child to share their interest with a friend can make a great gift. Books that tell a story or are historical can be educational and can make it easy for the child to learn visually. The multi-modality approach is intelligent, as during school a child can be inundated with information that is presented in auditory format. If the book is for a convalescing individual or a person who is rehabilitating the quality and interest area can be particularly important. Encourage creative expression and enjoy the process, and join in the fun yourself--coloring can be a great family activity.
Common Pitfalls
Buying a book that is too simple or uninteresting can be a major pitfall, because the child or individual will most likely quickly lose interest. Purchasing a book that is too complex can be just as problematic. Low quality paper and print can limit that ability to use multi-media format, so it ends up limiting the person's level of creative expression. Our children need encouragement to learn to entertain themselves, and enjoy quiet time or expression. Many children become easily bored and require a high level of stimulation; coloring can offer a healthy alternative. It is a low level stimulation activity and can allow small groups of people to communicate while engaging in a shared activity. Coloring can also be a great solo activity that encourages independent play. For the adult, coloring can offer the opportunity to relearn lost skills or redevelop visual-motor skills. We often expect children to color and stay within the lines. Although this can be great for fine motor development, it can be limiting in regard to creative expression. Allow your child to color outside the lines and not be limited to traditional color choices. You be less likely to find much negative in the activity of coloring.
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