When is a crayon more than a crayon? 

Sometimes a crayon is a tool that helps children build the fine motor skills necessary for writing. Sometimes it’s the tool that helps your child understand their own agency for the first time. Sometimes it’s the key to learning to self-soothe after an emotional day. 

The benefits of coloring are numerous, and at Grow With Us Learning Academy, a crayon is always more than a crayon. Our qualified teachers and caregivers have extensive backgrounds in early childhood care and development. When they put a crayon into your child’s hand, it means something magical is about to happen!

Are you curious about the reasons why coloring is beneficial for the development of children? Keep reading to learn how crayons can help kids build lifelong skills.

Coloring Helps with Finger Fitness

One of the most important areas of child development is the development of fine motor skills. Children use the small muscles in their hands for many tasks, including writing and feeding themselves. Children with strong fine motor skills are more independent than their peers. 

One of the biggest preschool milestones is the day that your child learns to write his or her name. That can’t happen without the muscle control necessary to control a crayon or pencil. Coloring for children actively strengthens the fine motor muscles necessary to make that milestone possible! 

Another reason why kids should color is that it’s key to hand-eye coordination. For young children, coloring is a low-stakes artistic endeavor. There is no pressure to reproduce the image in their mind.

As a result, they can focus on manipulating the materials, staying in the lines, and making active choices. 

Coloring Is Key to Emotional Regulation

Have you ever reached for an “adult coloring book” for stress relief? Coloring for kids can have the same effect! It’s a quiet, focused activity that leads to a successful experience, no matter your age. 

Coloring is one tool that teachers use to help redirect children when they are experiencing big feelings. It’s a way to encourage emotional regulation. As they grow, children learn which activities calm them and can make those choices themselves. 

Coloring Is Where Creativity Begins

As children develop fine motor skills, their brains may outpace their fingers. Often, children will come up with brilliant ideas for images and designs that they physically cannot create yet. Coloring is an intermediate step that bolsters creative kids as they work to bridge the gap. 

Coloring is rarely discouraging. It always yields a satisfying, recognizable result. When coloring, every child is an artist – and it helps ensure that they continue to create, wherever they are in their development.

Experience the Benefits of Coloring at Grow With Us

The developmentally appropriate curriculum at Grow With Us Learning Academy includes plenty of coloring – but it’s about so much more than that. Our teachers use two different curricular programs to reach the children wherever they are. Creativity is part of the daily routine, and we can’t wait to draw, build, and create with your child! 

Are you ready to take a tour and see the benefits of coloring in person? Contact us today to see our artists in action. We can’t wait to welcome you to the Grow With us family!