7 Reasons Why Colouring In Can Benefit Children
Following all of the advancements in technology and so many products on the market now promoting this phenomenon, it can be difficult to pry children away from screens and engage them in classic activities such as colouring. The simple yet fun pastime can provide so many benefits, not only does it keep children entertained, but it can enhance their personal and educational development too. Let’s find out about the top benefits of colouring…
1) Stimulates and Enhances Creativity
A child’s creativity and imagination is an amazing wonder and should be encouraged to explore their creative thoughts. Colouring can offer the perfect solution for this to be expressed. Given no two children’s creations will be the same, it allows them to think about different colour combinations they can use to create their own unique picture. Whether they stay in the lines or not, colouring fosters a creative spirit and learn to think of their own ideas naturally.
2) Therapy and Helps Relieve Stress
It’s hard to imagine that children can get stressed, but it does happen, and similarly, as adults, colouring in can have a calming effect. Setting time aside for your child to colour can help children benefit from processing their feelings and emotions from any ups and downs throughout the day. Making this a regular activity can help children to maintain a more relaxed state, allowing for an open mind when reaching school, fresh and ready to learn.
3) Boosts Their Confidence and Self-esteem
A child’s self-esteem and confidence can be built by encouraging them to complete a task, whilst it might seem small to you, but when they complete their colouring-in creation they’re bound to feel confident in their ability. When they see that their picture has come to life it’s going to give them a sense of pride and achievement.
4) Improves Handwriting Skills
Children require both hand strength, dexterity, and attention to detail to manipulate a pencil on paper with the proper pencil grasp. Activities such as colouring will help teach them to grip the writing tool comfortably and confidently in the correct manner. Learning this new skill will inevitably become less intimidating and learning to write will be easier to embrace.
5) Assists with Language Development
By spending time with your child whilst they are colouring, we all notice how quickly they become chatterboxes – using descriptive words to talk about what they see and colour names as they take part in the activity. This ultimately helps to improve their vocabulary and their confidence in reproducing these words in different situations.
6) Develops Motor Skills
Holding the pencil and learning to grip correctly for control while colouring helps develop their little hand muscles and also aids with coordination in grip and muscle strength required for other activities such as typing as well as sports and other activities too.
7) Allows For Quality Time Together
Quality time is more than ever sought after with our ever-growing busy lifestyles. Colouring in can provide meaningful interactions with children during their playtime to chat, work together and colour their favourite animals, shapes, and objects!
