Coloring: A Simple Way to Reduce Childhood Stress
Chances are you've seen the adult coloring books and the claims that it's a therapeutic way to decrease stress in your life. While it's true, the claim that coloring reduces stress also is true for children. Kids can use coloring as a stress reliever.
Kids experience stress as well. Just because they don't have jobs to handle, doesn't mean that they don't have some form of stress. The cause of the stress is different, but it's still present. Coloring offers an outlet for stress.
How Coloring Reduces Childhood Stress
Don't believe me? Let's take a look at how coloring reduces childhood stress and why all families need plenty of coloring materials in their home.
1. Kids Have to Focus
Kids need to focus to color a picture, especially little kids. If they want to complete their drawing to the best of their ability, kids need to zone out and just color. Plus, it takes the development of their fine motor skills.
It's not the same pressure as schoolwork or trying to complete a chore. They're doing something they enjoy. When your child colors on his coloring mat after breakfast or in a coloring book after lunch, he's relaxed and focusing on a task that he encourages.
2. It's Soothing
Coloring can reduce anxiety because the back and forth motion of your child's hand is soothing. It helps your child focus and become more mindful about his actions. That leads to a soothing, anxiety-reducing effect.
3. Coloring Offers a Safe Form of Expression
Kids are known to have tantrums, outbursts or meltdowns. Coloring is a safe form of expression that doesn't require any tears!
Your child can express his feelings through his picture. When he's angry, he might color quickly and in bright colors. That makes him feel better, releasing those feelings. When he's sad, he might color a picture of a stick figure crying.
Kids can use their creativity to express what they're feeling on the inside without exploding or using dangerous forms of expression.
4. Kids Use Their Hand-Eye Coordination
Holding a crayon properly and coloring in the lines requires hand-eye coordination. It takes a lot of concentration to stay within the lines of the picture, and doing so strengthens their fine motor skills.
At the same time, stress to your child that coloring outside of the lines is fine too! You don't want the stress-reducing effects of coloring to be negated by the stress of staying in the lines.
5. Coloring Increases Joy
We know that coloring reduces anger because it encourages your child to express themselves in a safe way. At the same time, coloring replaces negative feelings with positive ones.
Coloring doesn't leave room for negativity or fear. It helps your children feel free with his thoughts, and he will finish with a sense of accomplishment. That's a self-esteem boost, and everyone needs that throughout the day.
6. It Mimics Meditation
Did you know that the focus required for children to color can mimic meditation? Adults find it hard to shut off the daily brain chatter, thinking about bills, work, stressors, and more.
Children have similar problems, but coloring sends them into a relaxing mindset. It's a similar feeling that you might achieve through meditation. Instead of teaching your child meditation, help them spend time each day coloring.
