Reasons to Make Colouring Books Your Favourite Pastime
Older generations remember – there was no childhood without colouring books. It was either “don’t go over the lines”, and sometimes just let your imagination lead and create a new, colourful world.
Although most people might not know this, the first colouring books appeared in the 19th century, almost a quarter of the century before colouring pencils. Today, it is considered that the author of the first colouring book was Kate Greenaway who published her “Little Folks Painting Book” in 1879. In the first year of publishing, many educators saw the importance of colouring books and started using them in the process of education. And really – in the first years, the colouring books were made for colouring using watercolours, until 1903, when the first box of colouring pencils was sold.
Just like back then, the importance of colouring books hasn’t changed or decreased. On contrary. Modern life, new technologies, led screens, mobile phones, and video games additionally emphasize the importance of colouring books in the educational process. It was scientifically proven that colouring books develop children’s creativity, enhance concentration and attention, support the learning process and logical connecting through visualization of terminology, strengthening memory and they are also crucial for the development of non-verbal communication and fine motor skills.
Today, colouring books are a lot more, and that is something everyone agrees on – from scientists of Johns Hopkins University to the editor of the most influential yoga magazine, pointing out that colouring books exceed colouring itself, so much that they are considered a valid alternative to meditation.
Why is it so? According to the American Art Therapy Association, art or art therapy represent a separate branch of health care in charge of mental health in which the process of creative creation and the creation of an art piece is used for “exploring feelings, reconciliation of emotional conflicts, nurturing self-awareness, managing behaviours, and addictions, developing social skills, improving the sense of reality and social orientation, reducing anxiety, and increasing self-respect.” Basically, it is an area relatively similar to the old occupational therapy, with the difference that art therapy isn’t just learning or just therapy, or just self-improvement – it is an agent of personal expression. Although there is no real art therapy in our country, especially without an experienced and licenced therapist, in the conditions enforced by the COVID-19 pandemics, when mental health was in quite a danger, and most therapists directed to caring for acute and crisis situations, all experts agree that colouring is the first true step for mental health.
Marygrace Berberian, a licensed Art Therapist, clinical assistant, and coordinator of the program for art therapy at the University in New York, referencing to result of the multiple studies clearly shows that colouring definitely has therapeutic potential in reducing anxiety, creating focus, or improving attention”. Just like meditation, colouring allows us to “turn off” our brains from other thoughts and at least for a moment focus on carelessness brought by colouring, helping us to alleviate the anxiety we are surrounded with. “These processes can be especially efficient and important for people who don’t feel creative and had difficulties in expressive forms of art during previous schooling,” said Berberian. “My experience is that those patients who are more anxious find a lot of peace in colouring. They feel safer and create the surroundings they feel comfortable in, and brings them well-being,” she added.
Therefore, whether you’re a child or an adult, as we like to start our colouring books, take out your pencils. The more colourful – the better.
