In the age of digital technology, do children still need pencils, brushes and paper? The answer is undeniably yes. Neuroscientists, educationalists and psychologists are categorical on the subject. Coloring plays a key role in children’s development. Indeed, when a child draws or colors, he or she creates much more than a simple scribble. Cognitive skills, fine motor skills, creativity, autonomy and self-confidence are all enhanced. Learning and coloring are intimately linked. Discover the benefits of coloring in a child’s life.
Coloring to boost children’s self-confidence and development
Coloring is an integral part of a child’s development. From an early age, infants already begin to smear on the floor. According to the experts, spreading food or sand to the four winds is the beginning of doodling.
In this way, babies become aware that by making various movements, they can leave traces. This experience brings out the child’s enthusiasm. Parents, however, tend to be more reserved. This is especially true when the food is spread all over the place. So it’s even better thatpaint, crayons and paper take the place of baby food.
It was during these various stages that the desire to draw gradually developed. They are common to almost all children. Paper allows children to leave a tangible, lasting trace. The child is both author and designer.
By coloring, children give concrete form to what they themselves have decided to give shape to. It follows a creative process adapted to it. His work shows what he can do. Children are often proud to show their drawings to their parents, comment on them or give them as gifts. This is no coincidence. What’s more, giving the gift of a work of art you’ve created yourself boosts your self-esteem.
Coloring and drawing develop children’s fine motor skills
Children’s interest in coloring usually develops on its own. It’s usually the same as grasping an object, mumbling or crawling. The need for movement is the prelude to drawing in children. At first, he grips the pencil in his fist and makes movements using his whole upper body. These gestures gradually develop fine motor skills. The more the hands are trained, the more skillful they become. When results are achieved, the child is excited and perseveres.
These movements also improve hand-eye coordination. The doodling stage gives rise to a profusion of images. Their artistic significance may seem insignificant, but this activity is in itself very important. Doodling, doodling, drawing or coloring is as important for fine motor skills as crawling is for gross motor skills.
Coloring develops children’s rational, analytical thinking skills
Fine motor skills, which are very practical. However, coloring also influences the brain through the hand. Humans perceive the environment around them through tactile perception. So movement is intimately linked to thought. Some studies show that a kindergarten child with good fine motor skills also scores well on intelligence and math tests.
What’s more, before drawing or coloring, children need to think first. He chooses the main features of the object, then finds his own shapes to illustrate it. The ” tadpole men ” that toddlers draw show that they recognize the importance of the head and limbs. They also use doodles to represent an action performed by someone else. The young child is thus able to illustrate a man running or a woman turning. The children represent what they know, what they have just learned or discovered during the drawing. It’s the expression of rational, analytical thinking.
Coloring plays a key role in our perception and description of the world. So it stands to reason that advanced skills in this area have a direct impact on language learning. Children face their environment through coloring. He creates symbols to represent living beings and objects. All these aspects of drawing help children to understand language as a form of communication.
Illustrations can also help where words are lacking. Drawing gives children the opportunity to express whatever moves or concerns them. This is done despite language deficiencies or the fact that he simply lacks the vocabulary. They can better express their feelings, experiences and comments. Drawing can therefore be a useful tool for integrating children from immigrant backgrounds. It can also be used totreat certain types of trauma.
From scribbling to writing: coloring to master the art of writing
Coloring allows children to illustrate a motif by creating equivalent symbols. In this way, it enables him to make linguistic descriptions and establish important connections. Certain parts of the brain are also activated.
Handwriting has the same origin, so it’s likely that a child who draws a lot will be much more at ease with writing. In their drawings, most children imitate the adults they see writing. These scribbles often have nothing to do with characters. However, they awaken children’s interest in free writing and train their fine motor skills.
Coloring also harmonizes brush handling. This encourages a more judicious hold at three points (thumb, index finger, middle finger). This creates perfect learning conditions for writing. In fact, it’s been proven that regular drawing helps you write well. This is an important point. Indeed, even in this digital age, writing is still learned by hand. Likewise, the manual signature is equally important. It is proof of individuality and an identifying feature.
Coloring to enhance children’s creativity and independence
Coloring and drawing were ideal for developing the creative spirit. Paint and crayons help toddlers express their individual creativity. They nurture their ability to conceive something new.
Unhindered by intermediaries, the child’s imagination knows no limits on paper. That’s why children’s drawings have so many ornaments and fanciful figures. With paper and crayons, they create beings and objects with unsuspected powers. Better still, they dictate the rules. The unlimited possibilities open to children stimulate their imagination. They allow him to explore the limits of imagination and reality.
Even if a young child’s figurative skills are still very limited, this in no way limits his or her creative spirit. Instead, the children link a story to each of their drawings, awakening them to life through words. Sometimes they even describe their drawing while coloring and reacting to the opinions of others.
The images are there for all to see, and several children can participate at the same time. This often leads to collective projects. These interactions enhance children’s social skills and team spirit.
Coloring and drawing develop children’s intelligence
Coloring and drawing involve visual, motor and semantic input. They activate different areas of the brain. This happens in both the left and right hemispheres. The left side of the brain is associated with logical, analytical thinking. The right-hand side is dedicated to movement, association and creativity. When a child engages in an artistic activity, he or she draws on skills from different areas of the brain. This allows him to exercise his cognitive skills. The latter are considered essential to the development of intelligence.
Researchers at the University of Erlangen have conducted a study on this subject. She proves that, thanks to magnetic resonance, coloring does indeed modify brain function. What’s more, other studies have also shown that there is a significant relationship between a child’s intelligence and his or her drawing skills. The relationship is obvious. The more detailed the drawings, the higher the IQ at age 14. So, according to scientists, the complexity of a child’s drawings goes hand in hand with his or her cognitive abilities.
Moreover, drawing doesn’t just show a child’s level of cognitive development. This exercise also develops the brain. Repeating the movement sequences automates the child’s movements. He can then build up a repertoire from which to draw.
Even in the digital age, brushes and pencils still have a long way to go. Coloring and drawing tools are vital and beneficial to a child’s growth . They’re a great way to stimulate creative thinking and motor skills. This exercise enabled them to gain valuable experience, which is still very useful today. What comes to life on paper has real positive consequences for the child’s life. What’s more, admiring a painting or drawing is always a pleasure.
