Colouring is one of those age-old activities that will never go out of style. Even for adults, this activity has become a staple of both learning and relaxation, and thanks to its budget-friendly appeal, there are endless benefits that come with it. But for children, there’s even more to love about it, setting them up for their ever-important journey throughout school and equipping them with life skills along the way.

So, here are a few ways encouraging your kids to colour can play a big role in their development and learning.

Improves language skills

There’s no surprise that numerous studies have shown that colouring can help improve language skills, especially when it comes to learning various names and adjectives of the objects they’re scribbling on. As kids colour, they’re forced to learn what various shapes are called and how colours vary from one another in name, purpose and relation to each other.

All of this then forms better language skills, specifically because children are required to focus on the specific letter, shape or word they are working on, which helps them to pay closer attention to detail.

Another study found that children who coloured often had better reading comprehension skills than those who did not. This is likely because the activity encourages children to slow down and focus on the task at hand, allowing them to better process and understand the information they are taking in.

Refines motor skills

In terms of the more physical side of things, colouring requires the use of fine motor skills, actively engaging the small muscles in our hands and fingers that allow us to perform tasks like writing and using tools. For kids, this is no different, and it’s actually a crucial part of the development towards schooling, where they’ll need to learn to write and use objects like scissors.

Beyond this, colouring improves hand-eye coordination, giving kids the skills they need to manoeuvre and manipulate the shapes they’re colouring in (or just to stay in the lines a little better).

Decreases stress

Even for adults, the good news about colouring is that it’s also known to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety. It can also be a great way to unwind after a long day or introduce calm in the classroom. When there’s so much going on in the world around them, sometimes a simple activity like this can do kids a world of good.

Recognition of colours and shapes

Colouring can also help children to recognise the colours and shapes they’re working with. This is because they need to choose the correct shades and palettes for each object, and they also need to stay within the lines physically. Combined, this activity actively engages their mind and stimulates recognition of how certain shapes and colours relate to one another.

And if you need one final benefit, remember that a world without colour is a dull one, so introducing this simple activity into your child’s day presents zero downfalls and plenty of upsides. Browse Toybox Tales to see our range of colouring sets and kits to start your little one’s collection.