Ah, colouring. This fun and simple activity has so many benefits for kids. Colouring can help little ones develop motor skills, encourage concentration, and foster creative expression. For older kids, coloring offers a moment of meditation, a chance to slow down and relax without the use of screens.

If you’re hoping to encourage your kids to put down the tablet in favour of crayons and coloured pencils, try having a family colouring session or reading aloud while they scribble away.

Colouring books can be good for kids, as they can help with a variety of developmental skills:

• Fine motor skills: Colouring helps improve hand coordination and fine motor skills, which are important for school.
• Colour recognition: Colouring helps children learn colours by connecting colour words with hues and objects.
• Creativity: Colouring stimulates creative thinking and allows children to experiment with different colour combinations.
• Stress relief: Colouring can be a calming activity that helps kids relax and de-stress.
• Patience and perseverance: Colouring can encourage patience and perseverance.
• Cognitive development: Colouring can help children develop cognitively.

However, some say that colouring books can limit creativity and that too much emphasis on staying in the lines can be detrimental. Others say that children can benefit from colouring books in combination with open-ended creative activities.