Have you noticed the recent adult coloring book craze? I’ll be the first to admit, I am totally drawn to {no pun intended} the idea of coloring. There is something really comforting about clearing your mind and focusing on how you’ll be combining colors in a pre-designed sort of way. It wasn’t until I read on article on NPR recently, though, that I ever stopped to think about whether coloring has “educational value.”
The article argued that using pre-drawn coloring sheets in school actually limits kids’ creativity. It teaches them to frame their ideas in a very specific pattern, rather than explore their imagination–and as the author leads you to believe, coloring for anything other than recreation, really provides no educational benefit, other than perhaps developing fine motor skills.
While I totally agree that having kids draw their own picture is probably a better way for them to explore their imaginative side, discounting coloring entirely seems off somehow. The adult coloring book craze is catching on for a reason. There is a level of Zen in the methodical process–and let’s face it, we could all use a little more stress-reduction in our lives.
I remember coloring for hours as a kid too. I loved the way the crayons spread across the paper. I loved choosing my own colors–and making crazy-colored flowers and trees. I loved it when we got to color a holiday print-out in school too. I never thought of it as busy work, but as a treat, where I didn’t have to pound facts and figures.
I think that’s why the last line of the article bugged me, “Although no one will admit it, one of the main reasons for using these workbooks may well be that they give the classroom teacher a chance to have some rest.” I don’t think that at all, I think teachers are balancing PLAY with sometimes tedious work. They are allowing their students to decompress–just like adults so obviously want to do when they throw those adult patterns into their cart.
What do you think, is there value in having kids color in school? Or do you see it as the author did: busywork?
~Mavis
This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.