Growing up wa so much fun..especially when it was time to colour and paint, no rule no guidelines no restrictions..pure artistic expression without limits…that was fun. A blue here, a red there, how about orange?..why not…I miss those days. Let us bring back those simple days when colouring was colouring and art was artistic.Â
Jumping back into the present day, majority of us adults have lost the abiity to freely express ourselves through the awesome power of colours. Looking around us there are less colours than the 1980s. it is mostly black, white and grey to be honest. What happened to all the spectrum of colours? ..let us dicsuss
History of colouring
The abolute honest truth is that colouring has been around since the beginning of time (whenever that was). Some estimate 1.4 billlion years as the age of the universe. I will work with that.
In the beginning was the spectrum of colours created, formed by the mighty ones and formally laid down so that man and his offspring can utilise and emulate with grace, power and wisodm.
The history of colouring spans over 1.4 billion years, from way efoe the antidelluvian ages to the invention of synthetic colors in the 19th century. Coloring is and always will be a tool for storytelling, symbolism, and social status .
- Origin:Â The first coloring books, originally called “painting books” and often using watercolors, emerged in the 1850s and 1880s as tools for education, popularized by McLoughlin Brothers.
- Purpose:Â They were designed to foster creativity, motor skills, and cognitive development in children.
- Mass Production:Â By the early 20th century, companies like Crayola (founded in 1902) made crayons mainstream, transforming the “painting book” into the coloring book.
The 7 Key Benefits of Colouring Book Pages
Yes i see the history and the beginning through to mass production but whats that got to do with me? How in the world will colouring fix my relationship or help pay my bills?
Absolutely right. let me address the elephant in the room
7 Key Benefits of Colouring include:
- Stress and Anxiety Reduction:Â The focused, repetitive motion of coloring acts as a distraction from worries and “turns off” the brain’s stress center, the amygdala, helping to manage stress and ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Mindfulness and Meditation:Â Coloring encourages individuals to focus on the present moment, promoting a state of mindfulness. This can be an accessible alternative to traditional meditation for those who struggle with sitting still.
- Improved Sleep:Â As a calming, screen-free activity, incorporating coloring into a nighttime routine can help the brain wind down, leading to better sleep quality without exposure to the blue light from electronic devices that can interfere with melatonin production.
- Enhanced Focus and Concentration:Â The act of paying attention to the details, colors, and boundaries within an image helps to train the brain to focus and block out distractions, a skill that translates to other areas of life and learning.
- Motor Skill Development:Â For children, and for adults as a therapeutic intervention, holding crayons or pencils and coloring within lines helps develop and maintain fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity, which are essential for tasks like writing and general daily activities.
- Creativity and Self-Expression:Â Coloring stimulates creativity through color selection and experimentation. It also provides a safe, non-verbal outlet for expressing emotions and processing feelings, which can boost self-understanding and self-esteem.
- Cognitive Benefits:Â The activity is a workout for both hemispheres of the brain, engaging organizational and logical skills (staying within lines) and the creative side (choosing colors). This can enhance problem-solving abilities and lead to a “flow state” of deep absorption.
What are the 5 Importances of Colour?
Along with the aesthetic attractiveness of a location, colors may also have an effect on a person’s mood, mental health, productivity, instruction, and behavior. Color has an important role in many aspects of our lives, including interactions, psychology, marketing, and art. Read more
Key Benefits of Colouring include:
- Physical Development:Â Enhances dexterity, strengthens hand muscles, and improves pencil grip for better handwriting.
- Mental & Emotional Health:Â Acts as a therapeutic, meditative, and calming activity that reduces stress, anxiety, and boosts mood.
- Cognitive Skills:Â Promotes color recognition, awareness of boundaries, spatial awareness, and problem-solving abilities.
- Creativity & Expression:Â Allows for free artistic expression and encourages imagination.
- Confidence Building:Â Provides a sense of accomplishment, fostering self-esteem and resilience when finishing a project.
For children, it serves as a foundational skill for writing, while for adults, it acts as a “digital detox” and a relaxing, non-judgmental way to unwind.
What Does Colouring do to Brain Psychology?
Coloring can help you be more mindful. Mindfulness is the ability to focus and stay in the moment. While coloring, you use the parts of your brain that enhance focus and concentration. It gives you the opportunity to disconnect from stressful thoughts.
Relieving stress
Coloring is a healthy way to relieve stress. It calms the brain and helps your body relax. This can improve sleep and fatigue while decreasing body aches, heart rate, respiration, and feelings of depression and anxiety. Read More
Colouring is an activity that engages both hemispheres of the brain. It turns out that when colouring, the brain emits waves that are characteristic of relaxation. By using colouring pages we can reduce anxiety and manage stress. Colouring helps with what the contemporary adult really cannot. It helps us relax. (Vrtierone)
What do Kids Learn from Colouring?
Coloring helps kids develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness necessary for writing. It promotes cognitive growth through color recognition, pattern, and, in some cases, geometric understanding. Additionally, it builds patience, focus, confidence, and self-expression, allowing children to relax and process emotions.
- Fine Motor Skills & Physical Development: Holding crayons and markers strengthens muscles in the fingers, hands, and wrists. It improves hand-eye coordination and dexterity, which is crucial for handwriting.
- Cognitive Development:Â Children learn to distinguish colors, shades, and nuances. It enhances their ability to understand concepts like symmetry, proportion, and balance.
- Focus and Patience:Â Coloring encourages children to concentrate, pay attention to detail, and focus on a single task, building mental stamina.
- Creativity and Self-Expression:Â It acts as a nonverbal tool for emotional expression. It allows children to experiment with colors, patterns, and shapes to express their imagination.
- Confidence and Self-Esteem:Â Completing a coloring page gives children a sense of accomplishment, which builds confidence and self-esteem.
- Preparation for Academic Tasks:Â The control and precision required help with later academic tasks, such as writing and coloring within lines.
SUMMARY
In summary Colouring is a versatile, low-cost activity that offers a calming, screen-free break while supporting essential developmental milestones.
References
For further reading and references used in this article check out this resources and links
- Venktron DMCC https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-color-venktron-dmcc/
- Vrtierone https://vrtierone.com/colouring-as-a-therapeutic-activity/
- Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/coloring-is-good-for-your-health
- chapter1daycare https://chapter1daycare.com/benefits-of-colouring-for-kids
Bring Back Colouring
Let us revive and restore the ancient art of Colouring and artistic beauty. I challenge you my good friend to Checkout our fabulous range of colouring books, Grab one today and improve your focus, relaxtion and general well being.
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