[Kincaid]

Looking back at my own childhood, I am thinking about choices my parents made. They were pretty crunchy compared to my classmates (I was born in 1972). One of our house "rules" was no coloring books.

We had tons of art supplies, clay, paints, etc. My dad always was drawing and drafting at the kitchen table (he worked from our house as an architect). But he would not let us have coloring books, not even from someone as a gift. He said he did not want us coloring within lines, he wanted to encourage our natural creativity. That time spent on coloring books would be better spent with real art supplies.

Anyone else ever heard of this? What do you think? I wonder if he learned that in art classes, or if it was just something flakey that only my family did

 

[HollyBearsMom]

I guess it depends on the age of the child and the use of coloring books. My son is not quite 4 and he LOVES coloring books. He loves them because he can't draw the things he wants to color yet. He likes filling in spaces and making up stories to go with the pictures. He uses them mostly as an "alone" activity like when I am making dinner or when in the car. I have not seen any evidence that is has stifled hiss creativity when it comes to art. He still loves to finger paint, use clay and other art supplies. When we color together we never use coloring books. He will ask me to draw something (dogs, flowers, the beach etc) and then colors in what I do but more often than not he try to draws what I did so I feel he is still "learning" to draw.

However my nieces also loved coloring books right up to maybe 8-9 years old. As they got older they loved the very intricate ones and would painstakingly color it in detail. They were just as proud of a picture done in one of their "fairies" coloring books as they were of any paintings done in art class. The creativity was the same, KWIM? The approach was just different.

I think if a childs ONLY access to art was coloring books then maybe it would be detrimental but as long as they are given many different tools (clay, paints, markers, crayons, construction paper, puzzles, etc) then coloring books can be a part of a creative life.

 

[maya44]

Coloring books will clearly ruin your child and will ensure that any artistic spirit will be crushed!

:LOL

I have heard about this no coloring book philosophy and it sure sounds good:"I dont' want my child to spend life coloring within the lines!"

But let's face it. Like the PP said, unless a child has no ability to use other art materials a coloring book is not going to effect them much.

 

[dharmamama]

Coloring books stifle creativity and any parent who gives their child a coloring book has nothing but my pity for their obvious detachment from their child's creative process.

If a parent tried to give their child a coloring book at my house, I would get right in their face and say in a firm but friendly voice, "NO COLORING BOOKS! THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO HERE! USE YOUR ART SUPPLIES!"

 

[nicole lisa]

DS has a few, but he doesn't really like them. He just scribbles over the whole page - he hasn't the patience for colouring in the lines right now. He's starting to try to draw more and once he's headed that's going well I'm going to pass him this colouring book:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/item.a...n=books&zxac=1

It's by Taro Gomi (Everyone Poops) and is sort of an uncolouring book. There will be a tree and then print asking you to draw something or someone running into the tree, or just a blank page asking you to draw a dream or something silly or a lion with no face and print telling you the lion is frustrated because of whatever and can you draw his face in. Stuff like that. I think my son would have some fun with it.

Right now he's content to be King of the Salad Spinner Art. And that's cool.

I find colouring really relaxing and love those colouring books of mandalas. I could colour for hours (and have) when I have one of those in the house.

 

[Marsupialmom]

There are many lessons that can be taught and learned in a coloring book., shading, out lining, fine motor skill control.

Sometimes learning to copy someone widens a person's horizons because you learn a new skill that you can apply else were.

 

[rockinmama]

My dd just got one of those "majic" coloring books with markers from her great grandmother where the pens work with the special paper......

The markers will ONLY show up IN THE LINES!!!

Now if thats not a recipe for turning my dramatic little gemini into a tax officer i don't know what is!!

 

[Kincaid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dharmamama Coloring books stifle creativity and any parent who gives their child a coloring book has nothing but my pity for their obvious detachment from their child's creative process. If a parent tried to give their child a coloring book at my house, I would get right in their face and say in a firm but friendly voice, "NO COLORING BOOKS! THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO HERE! USE YOUR ART SUPPLIES!"

Oh my god, I just spit herbal tea on my monitor!
But I can make out a butterfly pattern in the droplets.

The funny thing is, despite the enriching art enviornment we were raised in not one of the three of us siblings can even draw a stick person. We don't even doodle when talking on the phone. That is part of my curiousity on the no-coloring book thing.... it did not foster drawing skills in us at all. That is why I am so curious about the theory of it :LOL

 

[JordysMom]

I've also heard this, but it doesn't hold any weight with me. My 2.5 year old has coloring books, but he also likes to draw on plain paper, and he can actually draw smiley faces and crude looking people.

 

[LeftField]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dharmamama Coloring books stifle creativity and any parent who gives their child a coloring book has nothing but my pity for their obvious detachment from their child's creative process. If a parent tried to give their child a coloring book at my house, I would get right in their face and say in a firm but friendly voice, "NO COLORING BOOKS! THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO HERE! USE YOUR ART SUPPLIES!"

:

 

[AmyAngel]

dharmamama, :LOL :LOL :LOL

I personally (still) enjoy coloring books and find them relaxing, and they don't seem to have stifled my creativity any. Didn't students of the master painters of the renaissance sometimes learn by copying thier work and painting over their sketches? It seems that trying to "stay in the lines" might help develop fine motor skills, but that's just my guess. As long as that's not the ONLY art kids get to do I bet they'll be fine.

 

[dharmamama]

Kincaid, my serious answer is that I don't think there's anything wrong with coloring books if you treat them like any other art supply: let your kids do what they want with them. Don't insist that they color nicely or use conventional colors or stay in the lines (like my friend does with her 5-year-old ... she actually tells her daughter, "I paid money for that coloring book, now you use it the right way!" And I say nothing to her about this ...). My kids use coloring books sometimes and don't use them sometimes.

It's all good!

Namaste!

ETA: My dh is a fine art major. When I brought up the coloring book thing when my dd was a baby, he thought it was silly. He loved coloring books as a kid, and it certainly didn't stifle his creativity. He makes a living making art.

 

[Pam_and_Abigail]

Hey! I've not been allowing dd more than 3 feet near a colouring book, but I've been wondering lately if I shouldn't loosen up.
I think you guys are right - they are ok as long as they have access to other tools as well. Besides, I think whether or not a kid turns out to be a master artist probably has more to do with their own talent than what their exposure was when they were growing up...

 

[jenaniah]

Haley and Max have some coloring books that they scribbloe over but they usually choose plain construction paper

If they use a coloring book no one ever tells them "Use this color" or "stay in the lines" or anything like that. The only thing I don't like (but I don't say anything) is when Max takes a black marker or crayon and colors very heavily over the entire picture so you can't tell what it was, but it's his book and his picture.

 

[onlyzombiecat]

I have a BA in art so I guess I come from the same perspective as the OP's dad. I don't ban coloring books in our house but I do feel that in terms of creative artistic expression they are limiting so I don't encourage them either.
I feel it is better for a child to draw their own lines and then color within those lines.

I think it isn't coloring in the lines so much as the stereotyping images. Coloring books teach a child "this is the right way a tree is drawn" "this is how you draw a house" "this is a bird" and it is hard to get away from those subtle lessons even when they draw on blank paper after that. Chidren are taught to imitate those adult drawn images istead of letting their creativity naturally develop. I think that limits the creativity of many children.

http://www.goshen.edu/~marvinpb/11-1...ereotypes.html

I feel it also creates a pressure for drawings or paintings to look like something. I think that causes children to give up when their efforts don't look like the coloring book. I've encountered so many adults who say they can't draw or paint because their work doesn't match "the right way"... so they don't try anymore.
Maybe it isn't all coloring books to blame... maybe it is an attitude that goes along with handing a child a coloring book. I don't think they help much to develop creativity or any other skills though.

I'm surprised people are laughing and dismissing this so much where there are often discussions on the merits of being TV free or unschooling.

 

[matts_mamamama]

If it's between not coloring and using a coloring book, I will always say use the coloring book!

As long as the kids aren't being pushed to stay within the lines, I don't see any harm in using coloring books; in fact, I would venture a guess to say that coloring books may even encourage creativity by bringing out some ideas and imagination that a child may not have thought of previously. We only have blank paper in the house right now, but my son is only 21 months old. I fully intend on coloring books (and he has used them at other places).

BTW, dharmamama - you are absolutely hilarious and a reason for me to stick around as well!!!

 

[the_lissa]

We won't buy colouring books.

 

[cmb123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dharmamama If a parent tried to give their child a coloring book at my house, I would get right in their face and say in a firm but friendly voice, "NO COLORING BOOKS! THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO HERE! USE YOUR ART SUPPLIES!"

:

 

[Emzachsmama]

I think coloring books are ok. The child still has the option of being very creative with a coloring book as long as we as the parent give them that oportunity. You know....not making them stay in the lines, not telling them that they can't color the snowman green....

I think as long as coloring books aren't the only thing used it is just fine.

 

[AdoptChina]

my kids use coloring books, draw, paint, use clay, etc. The coloring books work well for visits to the Dr etc (they focus better on those at that time than they do just drawing a picture for some reason)

I also dont make them use the coloring books in any specific way...they are free to use whatever colors they want, add things etc. My eldest had coloring books and now loves to draw cartoons...didnt stifle his artistic ability at all