When I was a young mom in the 90s, there was a cultural discussion around the topic of coloring “in the lines.” People were arguing whether children should be taught to color inside the lines of a picture in a coloring book or whether the child should be encouraged to simply “freestyle” to their heart’s content.
These conversations could get heated. I couldn’t really see the harm either way. As a matter of fact, watching my own children experiment with their motor skills and then showing them how to control paint and pencils helped me to see that children absolutely benefit from both practices. Literally and metaphorically, learning to stay inside the lines helped them to more creatively go outside the lines.
The truth is, children need to move in order to develop motor skills. They need big movements like running, jumping, rolling, climbing; and they need small movements like pinching, cutting, squeezing, drawing. The majority of their day should be spent moving. And, with guidance, that movement can be channeled into skill-building.
Coloring is a skill-building activity that can be used to teach several skills related to handwriting. Using crayons, colored pencils, chalk, etc. on blank paper gives a child opportunity to explore cause and effect. What happens when I use this color, or this pencil? What happens if I move like this or like this? What if I use two different colors? What happens if I go fast? What happens if I go small? And it builds the many muscles needed for pencil control. This type of exploration is fun and necessary for children.
However, this scribble style of learning does not continue to be fun for a growing child if he or she is not given new challenges or objectives to coloring. Introducing images or “lines” for them to color helps develop new skills around fine motor control. Images presented to very young children—say ages 3 to 5 years—should be basic with few details so they understand the goal of staying within the boundaries presented.
Coloring activities can help young students learn to write even before they know their letters. Proper letter formation will come easier to them, if they have the hand strength, dexterity, and coordination needed to write. Used strategically and consistently, coloring activities build handwriting skills.
Of course, coloring activities should not be limited to very young children. Older children especially those who struggle with fine motor skills can benefit from coloring activities especially when guided by a knowledgeable teacher who can help them improve. Doing activities for older children and adults do more than build motor skills, they can also help with focus, attention to detail, and have even been shown to reduce anxiety.
No matter the age of the learner, pairing a coloring activity with lesson-learning objectives has been shown to improve understanding and retention. For young children coloring can build motor skills while also learning things like letters names, numbers, shapes, animals, seasons, weather, etc. Older children and adults (while also improving handwriting skills) can use coloring to understand science concepts, remember information, and express their own creativity.
Whether you are a teacher or parent trying to help children learn to write well, or yourself trying to improve pencil control, coloring sheets can be an entertaining, effective way to do so.
EXAMPLE COLORING LESSON FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Very young children can learn to color in bubble letters, for example. Give the student a capital or lowercase letter bubble letter. Have the student choose a color and say the letter name as they color the letter. They can even make up a little letter name song to sing while they color. Gently remind them to do their best to stay inside the lines.
Master Teacher Hint: Repeat this activity daily until they are comfortable staying inside the bubble letter. IF they are frustrated or unable, change the size of the letter or back off the activity until they are developmentally or emotionally ready.
EXAMPLE COLORING ACTIVITY FOR OLDER CHILDREN
When I taught in upper elementary, I would blow up a picture of a mosaic coloring scene and tape it to the back wall low to the ground. When students finished an assignment or came to a break in the day, they could go sit and color using the colored pencils stored next to the poster. Students used it as a brain break activity, and a couple came to need it as a way of “escaping” or taking a break from the noise and stimulus of the day.
Master Teacher Hint: Introduce this activity as a privilege or reward and remind them it is a team project. If anyone flagrantly abuses the privilege, privately dismiss them from participating in that moment. My personal approach to reentry was that they come talk to me when they were ready to try again, and they would be allowed back the next day. Three strikes you’re out for an extended time period like a month or until after holiday break, for example. I only once had this happen in a combo 4th-5th class.
