Have you noticed the recent adult coloring book craze? I’ll be the first to admit, I am totally drawn to {no pun intended} the idea of coloring. There is something really comforting about clearing your mind and focusing on how you’ll be combining colors in a pre-designed sort of way. It wasn’t until I read on article on NPR recently, though, that I ever stopped to think about whether coloring has “educational value.”
The article argued that using pre-drawn coloring sheets in school actually limits kids’ creativity. It teaches them to frame their ideas in a very specific pattern, rather than explore their imagination–and as the author leads you to believe, coloring for anything other than recreation, really provides no educational benefit, other than perhaps developing fine motor skills.
While I totally agree that having kids draw their own picture is probably a better way for them to explore their imaginative side, discounting coloring entirely seems off somehow. The adult coloring book craze is catching on for a reason. There is a level of Zen in the methodical process–and let’s face it, we could all use a little more stress-reduction in our lives.
I remember coloring for hours as a kid too. I loved the way the crayons spread across the paper. I loved choosing my own colors–and making crazy-colored flowers and trees. I loved it when we got to color a holiday print-out in school too. I never thought of it as busy work, but as a treat, where I didn’t have to pound facts and figures.
I think that’s why the last line of the article bugged me, “Although no one will admit it, one of the main reasons for using these workbooks may well be that they give the classroom teacher a chance to have some rest.” I don’t think that at all, I think teachers are balancing PLAY with sometimes tedious work. They are allowing their students to decompress–just like adults so obviously want to do when they throw those adult patterns into their cart.
What do you think, is there value in having kids color in school? Or do you see it as the author did: busywork?
~Mavis
photo credit
nancy from mass says
I used to love to color as a kid and take whatever opportunity i can to color with my nieces/nephews. I think having kids draw their own images to color is a horrible idea! I am incredibly handy with a needle and thread but can barely draw a stick figure. Imagine having children draw their own things and getting stressed out about their ability? No thank you. I’ll take a coloring book from Dollar Tree any day over that much stress.
Also, i think kids need down time to just color. there’s enough pressure for them to succeed and it has to be good for their brain to take a rest from time to time.
Leslie says
I agree with you, Mavis! And coloring pre-printed pages are valuable for those of us who aren’t artistically oriented. We can still create beauty, simply by choosing colors and putting them in the spaces. I could color long before I could control a crayon to draw much of anything. Creatives will take whatever is in front of them and create!
Lisa M.T.B. says
I think it’s beneficial for kids and adults to have some sort of recreational activity that they can do that doesn’t require much intellectual effort and gives our brains “space” (or time, really) to process thoughts and emotions. It could be exercise (which obviously has other benefits) or crafting (I knit), or coloring, or something else. People stay so busy, it’s good to have some go-to activity that makes us “slow down” at times for the sake of sanity and happiness.
Mavis Butterfield says
I totally agree! I love my rug hooking.:)
Carol says
I normally agree with information from NPR, but this author is off base. Period. For all the reasons you mentioned, Mavis. Hopefully this person is not going into teaching or will learn a few things before they do.
Nancy says
I am the opposite of many people – especially on adult coloring. I was never very good at coloring – I still would feel the pressure to “stay between the lines.” I would not feel any relaxation if you put a coloring sheet in front of me – now or when a child. Now a blank piece of paper – and being told I can do what I want – whether it be draw, color or write a story – that is a different thing. I think both as a child and as an adult – being given the choice between coloring a printed picture, drawing your own, coloring as you want, or writing a story would be the better thing to do. That gives a creative outlet to many people, not just certain individuals.
Tammy says
Actually, one of the benefits for children coloring, is that it helps them with their handwriting (especially cursive). I suppose it would stifle creativity if a child NEVER had a blank piece of paper on which to create/draw, but I also see where even a page to color is guiding creativity.
Brianna says
Someone gave my daughter an adult coloring book for the birthday. Although she is only 5, I have been impressed watching her attention to detail improve, her focus, and her color selections she puts together. She has also learned to finish the picture she started. So, I believe there is some benefits to coloring. Plus, I have found myself coloring with her at times, so I guess there is bonding in the activity also. It is a great quiet time activity and I love watching the emotions change across her face as she colors and the way she is so proud when she completes the page and shows me and asks to hang it up. I like watching her have a sense of accomplishment and success.
Susan from Dallas says
I used to LOVE to color as a kid. I liked the blank pages for free form artistic expression as well as the “workbook” pages. The Teacher always put what she considered the BEST pinned to the bulletin board and I would always strive to accomplish this goal. Mine would often hit the mark and make me so proud. I’m guessing the teacher was trying to help the more artistic kids a chance to shine when math or science might not be “our thing”. Later, as a Decorator I saw the benefit to letting children put their own spin on color and creativity. One of my daughter’s started out as a Middle School Art Teacher but is now also a Decorator. None of us were surprised.
Kelly Utkin says
I agree Mavis! I don’t appreciate that last line of the NPR article either! I am an early childhood educator and even though I am against the use of worksheets for the most part I do agree that giving the children the opportunity to just relax and color is very relaxing for young children. I enjoyed coloring very much as a child and still really enjoy it today as an adult. I find it very calming in this chaotic world of ours!
Ranee says
A friend gave me an adult coloring book for my birthday last year. I was looking forward to trying it over the winter. What happened instead was a winter of purging, packing, moving, etc to our new location and then coordinating the painting, flooring and selling of our townhouse. Now that we;re moved, (early March) and unpacked (mostly), we are spending our time trying to get the jungle (that is our yard) under control. So, I am looking forward to a much more peaceful winter and I hope, some coloring. The friend that gave it to me colors every morning before work. She says it calms her and helps prepare for the crazy day she usually has ahead of her. Safer than drugs or alcohol. Heh.
Pam says
Love to color! I’m an artist and I love it-always have. It has never stifled my creativity and sometimes it was a study of line, color, detail that actually helped me.
Marcia says
I think I was ahead of my time. When my 10 year old was around 3 or 4, he was coloring in preschool. His teachers noted how good he was at it – very focused. And he would color for however long, and then they would move on. He was *very* interested in going BACK to the picture and finish it before moving on to the next. So, I wanted to color with him, and I found these color by number books about 6 years ago, that I felt worked best for us to do together.
And here we are six years later I have a number of adult coloring books, and another almost 4 year old. Again, I love coloring with him! But he also likes drawing his own pictures too. I think they develop different skills. Both my kids like to draw on their own. The almost 4 year old is starting to color in the lines and is really getting good at concentrating.
Jen Y says
I will freely admit that as a teacher I’ve used coloring as a form of busy work but at the same time I used it to enforce something we were already learning.
I’ve also noticed that when children have their hands occupied with a somewhat mindless task such as coloring, driving a little car or play dough…they can often listen better. I always let my kids do busy work like this when I read aloud. Then hours later I’d see them play acting things from the what we’d read earlier & adding their own creativity to the stories/facts.
I love having some form of busy work in my hands as well when I’m listening or watching tv.
I also disagree with what they say about using preprinted pictures. I do think there needs to be free form drawing but I also have seen the benefits of actually tracing or coying some else’s work, whether it’s pictures they trace, words they copy or even script for handwriting. I still as an adult browse ideas online when I want to draw then use it as a guide to draw my picture..like an artist looking at the real thing to paint. This kind of practice has always made me MORE confident, not less because I’m happier with the results.
MEM says
Coincidentally, I purchased my first adult coloring books on a recent trip to Seattle from Boston.
I bought my first at the Chihuly garden and glass and the second at the Seattle aquarium. Ten minutes of coloring and staying inside the lines of the very detailed drawings helps me focus just on that and tune out the rest of the world. I have two nice sets of colored pencils already but am still looking for that perfect set.
Vy says
Yes to coloring! There is a time and place for everything, and I’ve always thought coloring books allow one to dive into the colors themselves. How they play in a pattern, the moods they evoke.
Amy says
I have an adult colouring book and my 5 yo son loves to colour in it with me. It encourages him to focus and concentrate for long periods of time (45+ min.). We are able to visit, relax, and talk with each other as we colour and he loves the patterns and designs he is able to make in the repetative shapes. For a little boy who doesn’t stop running and jumping the whole day through, the detailed colouring book really helps him out!! We keep it as a treat though so he doesn’t get bored with it. He would not be so awesome with colouring in the lines and making patterns if his kindergarten teacher did not give him colouring pages to work on and gain new skills 😉 And the author of the article is not entirely correct in the use of colouring sheets to “waste time” or “babysit students”, it’s now the personal iPad and movies on the smart board, just like some parents do. My son’s teacher has actually had children who touched the crayon then touched the paper, expecting the colour to be transferred like on an iPad app, not having coloured on actual paper before. Would the author think a math exercise sheet handed out instead of asking children to make up their own math problems is a babysitting tool as well? LOL. Sorry for the super wordy comment, colouring in any method rocks and books let a non-artist like me be one 🙂