Adult Colouring In … why it’s a “Thing” and how you can benefit! Plus 2 Free Printables!

Adult Colouring In … why it's a Thing and how you can benefit! 001

 

I’ve always known colouring in was therapeutic … after all, I am the Mum of three beautiful girls and an aunt to over 30 nieces and nephews and I’ve done more than my fair share of it over the years.

 

When my girls were little, we’d sit down frequently to colour and draw and it would make me laugh when I realised I was still sitting colouring, lost in my own little world, long after they’d snuck away to entertain themselves with something else.  I used to find it very relaxing because, for those brief minutes, the act of colouring allowed me to switch off the swirling whirlpool that constantly goes on in my mind.  It allowed me to focus and concentrate on a single task and get lost in the gentle rhythm and motion as the pencils moved back and forward on the page while I worked determinedly to stay inside the lines.  It also allowed me to be creative and make my own wild choices about colour where elephants could be pink and the sky wasn’t always blue!  I can’t explain it but I also think that colouring transported me back, ever so briefly, to my childhood where things were simple, completely devoid of anxiety and stress … no bills or serious issues to worry about because that was the domain of adults.

 

Adult Colouring In … why it's a Thing and how you can benefit! Plus 5 Free Printables 002

 

So it’s really no surprise to me that adult colouring books are now a “thing”, although I am surprised by just how big this new phenomenon has become. I was in Sydney last weekend and thought I’d grab a couple of colouring books and reacquaint myself with my creativity.  I wandered into a bookshop in Crows Nest, thinking I’d find maybe one or two books and, to my surprise, there was a huge display with over 20 different colouring books to choose from.

 

It seems that people of all ages are flocking to colouring as an alternative to meditation and as a tool to promote relaxation.  Psychologically, it allows the amygdala … the “fear” centre of the brain … the time it needs to rest, making colouring good for us.  It’s a simple, fun activity that anyone can do to de-stress.  The other great benefit is that it allows us to disconnect from technology for a short while … and that definitely can’t be a bad thing.

 

So, if you’re feeling the pressure, desperate for some “me” time and need something to help you relax, give it a go.  Below I’ve shared some free colouring pages for you to download.  There are loads more on the internet so just search “free adult colouring in pages”. Share your thoughts but, if I don’t respond to your comments quickly, I’ll be in the corner colouring in!

 

Free-Printable-Simba-Coloring-Pages

 

Click on image to download …

 

skulls

 

Click on image to download …

 

 

 

 

Comments

  1. I’ve heard about the colouring in craze. I have friends who own a stationery business and they sell adult colouring-in books. They can’t keep up with the demand! Who would have thought! xx

    • Trends or fads do seem to come and go, Charlie, but this is one that has some fantastic benefits … who would have thought, indeed! x

  2. I just picked up some coloring books a few weeks ago. 🙂 I love it! It does make me feel like a kid again. And it makes me feel creative.

  3. Isn’t that bookshop in Crows Nest so lovely? Adult colouring is totally a “thing” and such a calming and relaxing thing. I’ve got quite a selection of colouring books now, but thanks for the downloads, there’s no such thing as too many things to colour! I’m going to be giving away some colouring books (and pencils) on the blog in the next week or two, so stay tuned! Thanks for linking up to The Ultimate Rabbit Hole.

    • Hi Sammie and thanks for visiting … colouring is such a huge “thing” now and such a relaxing way to switch off an reduce those stress levels … kind of takes me back to when the kids were little!