Grab Your Crayolas – It’s National Coloring Book Day!

Think coloring is just for kids? Not any more. According to last Sunday’s Parade magazine, coloring is this summer’s “hottest stress buster”.

Psychologist Alice Domar, Ph. D. explains in the article that coloring engages both sides of the brain, being creative and tactical. She goes on to explain, “Coloring requires you to be in the moment—that makes it meditative. Your mind is completely engaged.”

I have enjoyed coloring since I was a little girl. When no one could come out and play, I retrieved a coloring book from the closet and with my Crayola crayons, would sit and color. Sometimes my mom would sit and color with me. We remained coloring buds for years, even as she lived in that scary world of dementia and began coloring outside the lines.

After reading the Parade article, I decided to check out available coloring book titles online and found that Barnes and Noble offers 8,836 titles. Wow! No matter your interest, a coloring book exists that can take your mind off your troubles. Animal lovers can immerse themselves in Freshwater Ponds, Awesome Animals, or Owls. For those who wish to see the world without leaving the kitchen table, visit Amazing Cities or Places. To relax after work, one can decompress with Spiritual Garden or Inspirations – Designed to Feed Your Spirit.

Do you want to really engage your brain and learn while you color? There’s a book for that. Choose from The Microbiology Coloring Book, The Human Anatomy Coloring Book, or The Geography Coloring Book, to name just a few. My personal favorite of the educational choices? The Botany Coloring Book. Where was this book when I was taking Plant Physiology in college and doing those incredibly detailed drawings of leaf anatomy?

Once you have chosen your coloring book, you’ll need to decide between crayons, colored pencils, or markers. Prismacolor colored pencils are great for coloring books. For purists, a box of Crayola crayons evokes wonderful childhood memories. One of my favorite things is opening a brand new box (Especially the 96 count box!) and seeing the rainbow perfection of perfect points, waiting to be chosen to color a flower or an alligator. Seize the power of the crayon! There are no rules. It is a chance to challenge authority and make an elephant blue or a tree pink. Change the weather from gray sky to blue. And why just make the grass green, when you can make it look like it just rained with “Sheen Green”?

Completed coloring book pages have moved beyond the refrigerator door. Coloring enthusiasts have now taken their hobby to social media, sharing on Facebook and Pinterest. Low tech meets high tech. Gotta love that. So next time you need a break from whatever screen you are looking at, grab your crayons or pencils and a coloring book. You’ll feel better in no time.