I am not a big lover of colouring in sheets or templates. I know some children love colouring in, and there are now lots of new cool ones out there. Here are some reasons why I’m not a fan.
1.Colouring in doesn’t involve much creativity. Children rarely display creative behaviours, such as problem solving, critical thinking, destructing, trying out ideas and exploring resources, when they colour in.
2. Colouring in sheets can make children feel frustrated as they can’t colour in as neatly as they would like to. There are loads more activities that support children’s hand-eye coordination better.
3. It gives children the perception that we value the digital image of the colouring in sheet, more than our children’s art. Why are they being asked to colour someone else’s drawing? It doesn’t give children the message that we value their drawing and open-ended play.
4. By providing children with a template to cut or colour, we are missing out on the opportunity to see their creations, and limiting their art to our adult ideas and designs.
Do you like colouring in sheets? I would love to hear your views.