My niece was stressed, so I handed her a page with intricate patterns. An hour later, she smiled and said, “I feel like I’m somewhere peaceful!” That’s when I realized the importance of coloring as a mindfulness activity.
Maybe we don’t compel our kids to color mandala art sheets or create drawings enough. However, many research reports have pointed out that coloring increases children’s creativity and understanding of art.
Mindfulness coloring pages are not only therapeutic for kids but also bring out their inner artists. Now that I’ve experienced it with several kiddos in my family, I’ve created some unique ways to make this mindfulness activity more fun.
Let’s get into it!
How Mindfulness Coloring Sheets Encourage Creativity in Kids?
These are the mindfulness coloring sheets that encourage children to engage in a creative activity. Commonly, they have empty outlines of mandalas, nature scenes, or themed illustrations for kids to color them.
How to use them? It’s easy. Following are some practical tips:
- Collect the Materials: Coloring book, markers, colored pencils, erasers, sharpeners, etc. Pick a comfortable, flat surface to put the pages on.
- Set Intentions: Encourage the child to think about what they want to feel during the activity—calmness, happiness, or focus.
- Start Coloring: Ensure that you are not stressing them out. Even if their coloring is a bit messy, let them enjoy it. The purpose is to feel happy rather than become Picasso overnight.
- Breathe and Focus: If you find them thinking about other things, remind them to breathe slowly and bring their attention back to the calming coloring pages.
Benefits of Coloring Mindfully for Kids
I love to co-relate this activity as a mental equivalent of a snack break for kids. But instead of munching, they’re filling in cool designs with colors to reduce their stress.
A simple, positive mindfulness coloring practice can benefit their ability to focus and strengthen creative muscles. It also prevents them from wasting time on the internet mindlessly.
1. Emotional Well-Being
Kids are naturally passionate about their art. As they choose colors and fill in designs, they project their emotions onto the page.
Choosing different colors for different objects also promotes their understanding of the color shades. For example, they grasp that blue, green, and white are the colors of calmness while red, orange, and yellow have an energetic vibe.
2. Calmness and Relaxation
Kids generally aren’t very fond of yoga. So, instead of sitting idle and doing nothing physically, they can try meditation coloring. It will bring the same level of contentment and relief as yoga.
Solo parents love to gamify coloring time. It keeps kids calm and happily busy for hours instead of bouncing off the walls.
3. Communication Skills
Kids often put their inner thoughts into their art pieces, just like adults. You can guess what life means to them based on their art, colors, patterns, and design selection.
When you let them draw and color freely, their creativity is enhanced. For example, they might color a circle green to represent a tennis ball or turn it into an apple by coloring it red with a leaf on top. It can also help them in visual storytelling.
10 Ideas For Mindfulness Coloring Pages Printables
Mindfulness coloring pages can be as creative and unique as you want. I suggest you explore different ideas and come up with your own.
Following are some of my favorite printables that I use for my kids.
- Science Themes: Scientific concepts like the solar system, the water cycle, or plant growth.
- Fantasy Theme: Draw fairy-tale objects like dragons, princesses, castles, and kings.
- Underwater World: Illustrate an underwater scene filled with fish, coral reefs, and mermaids
- Gratitude Pages: Help kids draw things for which they are thankful. Decorate them with short positive affirmations to make them more meaningful.
- Mandala Designs: Provide simple mandalas that can be colored in various ways. It promotes mindfulness through repetitive patterns.
- Cartoons and Anime: Draw the famous Bugs Bunny, Thomas and Friends, Tom and Jerry, and many others. Kids would love to color their favorite cartoon characters.
- Food Art: Fun foods like fruits or cupcakes that help kids focus on details and colors.
- Cozy Home Scenes: A warm house setting with family activities, like reading together or baking. Also, write family affirmations to express love. It is the most rewarding gratitude activity for kids.
- World Landmarks: Feature iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, or the pyramids of Egypt.
- Transportation: Draw cars, planes, and trains. Make cute faces on them to make it interactive.
Conclusion
Coloring pages for kids might be a minute leisure activity for some adults. But for kids, it’s the best way for them to make sense of the world. They express their feelings and become emotionally intelligent while coloring different objects and patterns.
About the Author: Jessica Erik
