Coloring with children

I can't draw worth a thing, not even my stick people look good! But, I do try to encourage my son to draw, but I am afraid he has the same drawing fate as me. We still color quite a bit in coloring books, and those felt pictures that you color in. My husband has been working with our son, drawing cars and four wheelers. He is much better at drawing than I am, and they have made some neat creations. As far as coloring books inhibiting a childs creativity, I guess I can see where that might be true, but I don't know anything for a fact on that.

He's only had one coloring sheet that someone gave me, he got frustrated (he's almost 2) because he wanted to draw within the lines and he couldn't. Other than that, he has different colors of paper. I set him up on the table with the paper and crayons and he does what he wants. Sometimes he colors on two pieces of paper at once ;) We made cards for mothers day for his grandma's too, that was a fun project.

I see nothing wrong with both! :) My children have many coloring books. And trust me, they express themselves creatively with coloring books also. But coloring books also help them to know what things look like when they want to draw something. Many of times they have traced something onto a blank piece of paper and I tell them that is okay because it does help them to learn to draw. And they do some amazing work freehand now also! One of my children teachers, in each grade she has been in, has expressed that she has an amazing eye for art. Much better that she has seen in many of their students. And I will admit, she does have a wonderful eye for being able to know what she wants and executes it beautifully. But she still likes coloring books from time to time also. :) So I say, let kids be kids. If they want blank paper. Great! But if they want coloring books, let them have that too.

I use both. My son loves to color in and prefers to color in coloring books as opposed to drawing pictures and then coloring them in. I don't see anything wrong with either way :)

My child have and use both. There are good points in allowing a child to color on both. With the coloring books, yes there are lines and the picture is already there, but the color combos and why the chose the colors they do are sometimes amazing.

That is crazy I love coloring books. When my daughter is old enough she will have coloring books and construction paper. I think that coloring books are good when they want to color their favorite cartoon character and drawing themselves is when they want to make pretty pictures. I think both help your child learn.

I sit down with my daughters a lot and we color..sometimes out of a coloring book..sometimes..we just grab a piece of paper and some crayons or coloring pencils..and start letting our imagination go wild....it is a lot of fun and a great family activity.

I have both cloring books and plain paper.But most of the time the kids like to draw there own pictures. And they are really good at it.

Having both available is a good idea. SOmetimes children feel creative and will prefer to do their own thing. Sometimes they like the pictures in books and prefer to use them. It's fine too. WHile doing their own thing helps their creativity, coloring books help them to have control over what they are doing. Fine motor control comes at different stages and needs practice. Coloring inside the lines - or at least trying - is a very good practice. So is letting them cut paper - under your supervision - try different kinds os markers, crayons, pencils. Using glue - again under your supervision - lacing pieces o paper or cardboard with yearn or pieces of frabric. Everything has its place and the more variety children experience before going to school the more it helps them. Try having crayons of different thickness - those normal ones, the big fat ones. Same with markers. Have blank pieces of paper for them to create and coloring books for when they just want to color. Give them puzzle pieces even if they still can't do it. Lego pieces, blocks . Let them play with sand , with water, make bubbles... it's time to experiment and to create:)

I don't mind if my kids draw in coloring books or blank pieces of paper. Tonight my 6 year is coloring in a coloring book. He usually draws on blank pieces of paper. Drawing on paper does seem to bring out his creative side more, but drawing in the coloring book is also teaching him things, like how to stay in the lines.

My guys have always used both. I think there is plenty of room for creativity even with pre-drawn images. We read stories & make up stories- no one would suggest that reading stories written by someone else discourages making up your own.

I don't usually color with my kids at all but they do have coloring books and draw for me all the time. I homeschool my daugter right now and so we do lots of activities that enhance her creativity.

I think it is fine. I have both colouring book and drawing paper for them. Sometimes they prefer to color on the coloring spiderman book. They prefer to draw on the blank paper and color. I leave it to them as long as they enjoy it.

My kids love coloring books. . .and I love to sit down with them a color a picture or two. Most of the time, my daughter just ends up watching me color. But it is time we spend together. My son, who is almost 7, is starting to like to draw his own pictures. He still likes coloring books too. My daughter is always so happy when she finishes a picture and always asks me "Mommy, isn't beautiful!?!?!" Of course, I always say yes!

My daughter is 6 and she LOVES to color. She has both, coloring books and plain paper. She likes to draw her own pictures. She likes to use crayons and markers. She loves to write too.

I do both for my kids. I have coloring books and I also have blank paper so they can also do their own thing. I like when they make their own picture, it's pretty cute and interesting at the same time. Kids have BIG imaginations and their pictures are always fun to look at. Plus, I also think it does open some creativity when they free hand draw.

I normally let my boys draw their own pictures. But it seems that i m the minority. It's been coloring for most of the people i meet. But i am proud to say that i have my childrens' masterpieces since he started to draw and paint at age 3. He is now 5 years old. Coloring to me definitely has its own plus points. Be mindful of the lines, colour within the lines, color the appropriate colors, etc.. Which i personally thinks restricts my childrens' creativity. - Lyn

What ever, my children specially my 9yr. old girl she loves to color coloring books but she loves to draw also and sometimes she combine she draw first then she colored it, anything she wants just to make her happy as soon as her kills improve it dosn't matter.