Have you ever wondered about the nexus of coloring activity and Kids’ mental health? Have you thought about the influence of coloring pages on kids?
Kids are often faced with different issues such as coping with stress, managing their emotions/feelings and behaviors as well as adapting to their ever-changing environment/world. This makes it hard for kids to be content with who they are and what they’re dealing with at a certain point in time. It becomes worse when they do not have productive ways to reduce anxiety or relieve stress. This is why many psychologists recommend coloring activity as an effective tool to deal with kids’ mental health.
What is Coloring Activity?
Coloring activity can be defined as the act of applying colors or refers to something that produces color or the effect produced by applying or combining colors on an image/picture.
Also, It can also be seen as the change the color of (something) by painting, dyeing, or shading etc.
What is Kids Mental Health?
According to britannica.com, “child mental health, the complete well-being and optimal development of a child in the emotional, behavioral, social, and cognitive domains. Children’s mental health is often defined as different from adult mental health and more multifaceted because of the unique developmental milestones that children experience. Characteristics of the child (e.g., gender, genetics) are important determinants of that child’s well-being. However, child mental health also includes those conditions that directly affect or modify mental health, including aspects of a child’s family, community, and broader society”.
What is the Relationship between Coloring Activity and Kids Mental Health?
What used to be known as a simple, learning games, fun activity for kids is now a tool for practicing good mental health. Although, there have been numerous arguments that suggest that coloring pages have many advantages and vice versa. There is no doubt that there are myriad opinions about the effects of kids engaging in coloring activity or using coloring pages.
However, researchers have pointed out some great benefits kids can experience when using coloring pages and the positive effects they can have on their mental state. After reading through some of the most relevant and insightful studies, I could derive some obvious conclusions.
It won’t be an exaggeration to state that coloring activity has always been very popular with kids of all ages. Many studies carried out show that a simple activity like coloring can have many positive lifelong influences on kids. Coloring activity can be seen as a low-stress, meditative activity that enables kids to be focused, calm as well as express their creativity. It can be termed as a non-competitive social activity among kids.
Psychologists suggest that coloring inside coloring pages can have many mental health benefits such as improving motor and cognitive abilities. Carl Gustav Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, prescribed coloring activity to his patients to calm and center their minds.
It is a known fact that coloring activity is a structured activity that activates various parts of the brain. It can generate a creative mindset and mindfulness in kids. It improves kids’ coping strategies when used frequently. Kids can express themselves for what is hard to put in words. As they engage in this coloring activity, the amygdala (the part of the brain responsible for the regulation of emotions and stress response), feel stress-free and relaxed.
When kids are involved in coloring activity, especially on a daily basis, they can have a positive lifelong on their mental health as well as regulate their emotions. The brain is switched off from wandering thoughts to focus on the activity. Also, coloring activities can enable kids to reconnect from their detached emotions in order to stay in contact with them.
In order for kids to have a healthy brain, coloring activity is a chance to equip them with the ability to recognize and communicate their feelings without speech.The coloring pages used in the activity images of pictures that inspire kids to talk about feelings (both happy and sad), their mood or emotions. It helps them to channel the inner artist, relaxes the brain, as well as delivers a sense of peace. When kids sit down with some colored pencils and paper, their mental state is positively impacted.
Coloring activity, according to some psychologists, is a simple activity that helps kids to develop cognitively, psychologically and creatively. When they enjoy doing it, it could lead to a healthier, happier life. It aids mindfulness, that is, the ability to focus at the moment to select the best color choice, staying inside the lines and creating beautiful artwork.
Coloring activity is a proponent for mindfulness and stress relief. It may not be the ultimate cure for all anxiety and stress, there is no doubt that there is great value for kids while sitting for a long session of coloring-in. Coloring can help kids to enter into a meditative state, relieve all kinds of stress, and learn to focus.
Coloring activities engaged in repeatedly can help kids to focus on pleasant patterns in order to replace negative thoughts with positivity. Infact, there are positive characters, animals or fun shapes in coloring pages that makes the coloring activity very attractive and entertaining. It brings the ability to concentrate while having fun with coloring pages as they look at shapes and sizes, the edges and think about which colors would create a masterpiece. This aspect is occupied in the parts of the brain that stop anxiety-related mental images in kids.
Also, when kids are able to associate coloring activity or using coloring pages with relaxation, joy and fun, it helps them to control attention and direct it from negative emotions to positive thoughts during the session of coloring.
Final Words
Coloring activity relates to kids’ mental health. A good thing about kids engaging in coloring to aid their mental health is that they can purposefully learn the skill of patience while having fun. The ability to create a masterpiece gives kids a sense of achievement.
Coloring activity should be used by kids frequently as a pastime or learning tool as it has proven more beneficial to kids mental health. Coloring pages used during the activity have a positive influence on their mental development as well as their mental wellbeing.
Therefore, I will recommend to parents and teachers to give kids a box of pencils, crayons and coloring pages to engage in coloring activity. More than ever before, coloring pages can be easily accessed, either printable or downloadable ones.