The Benefits of Coloring and Free Downloads from Allyn Howard!

by Jennifer Hutzel June 04, 2020

Another one of our favorite illustrators, Allyn Howard, is generously offering her illustrated coloring pages to download for free! Whether for your child or yourself, coloring is a great activity if you have some free time while at home.

Here are some other ways that coloring is good for you:

Stress Relief

Coloring has been shown to have stress-reducing benefits. The reason? Coloring is said to calm the amygdala, the part of the brain related to the fear/stress response while stimulating the parts of the brain responsible for creativity and logic.

Focus and Creativity

There’s a reason that adult coloring books are becoming a favorite among high-profile business professionals in high-stress industries and creative professionals. There is evidence that even a short coloring session can help improve focus and spur creativity.

While coloring does take focus and promotes relaxation, it isn’t such a difficult activity that it can’t be done while talking or spending time with others, making it an increasingly popular group/family activity. If you have kids, this is a fun activity that you can do with them!

Alternative to Meditation

The psychological benefits of prayer and meditation have been well studied, but many people find it difficult to “turn-off” and calm the mind. Coloring and other hands-on activities offer an alternative because they allow you to “do” something without the need for active concentration. In studies, activities like coloring are able to produce a similar effect to meditation in the brain.