Colouring Books are Back – Fun Family Activity

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I recently read an article in the Washington Post that did not generate global consternation and thought provoking political theory or agenda – rather, it put a quirky smile on my face that I just can’t seem to wipe away – nor do I want to.  Colouring books are back!   

The # 1 and # 2 best selling books on Amazon.com are “Secret Garden” and “Enchanted Forest” and in fact, five of the top 10-bestselling titles in the UK are adult colouring books.  But wait…there’s more.  Colouring books are making the bestseller list around the world and older adults as compared to younger adults are the major purchasers.  

These adult colouring books are all about being carefree and whimsical with no ulterior motive other than to allow ourselves the freedom of expression, creativity and joy.  This could be the beginning of something extraordinarily different and inviting – another family

activity!  Children derive pleasure when colouring and now parents can join in on the fun too! 

I confess that I love the smell of a newly opened box of crayons.  This magical emanation conjures wonderful childhood memories of my sister and I colouring on the living room floor while the sun poured through the oriel window beaming its halcyon light across our jubilant faces.  

“Tumble down the rabbit hole and find yourself in an inky black-and-white wonderland.  This interactive activity book takes you on a ramble through a secret garden created in beautifully detailed pen-and-ink illustrations all waiting to be brought to life through coloring, but each also sheltering all kinds of tiny creatures just waiting to be

found.  And there are also bits of the garden that still need to be completed by you.  Appealing to all ages, the intricately-realized world of the Secret Garden is both beautiful and inspirational.”  ~, excerpt from Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book, as cited on Amazon.com

“I think it is really relaxing, to do something analogue, to unplug…Colouring books are also an easy way to flex our creative muscles in a way we likely haven’t since our good old paste-eating elementary school days,” says Johanna Basford, illustrator and author

of Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest, as reported by the Washington Post.

Every hand drawn design that Johanna Basford creates is charming and delightful, inviting you to peer closer and discover the hidden intricacies.

Whether we lack a creative outlet in our dedicated, digital lives or multi-tasked ourselves into a conventional, blasé corner, these colouring books are sure to please and ease our daily stresses away.  I believe that no matter how old we are there will always be a child in all of us and perhaps we secretly miss what we always enjoyed – colouring. 

The next time you’re in search of that perfect gift for a special someone, consider purchasing a highly detailed, adult colouring book together with a PrismaColor Scholar pencil set (box of 60) - the prime choice according to Amazon’s comment section.  Ooh la la!  An absolutely fabulous and totally unexpected gift!  …and don’t forget the PrismaColor pencil sharpener!

If You’re Colour Blind…

For the 350 million people around the world that are affected by colour blindness, you probably never considered colouring as a creative activity or hobby, but I’d like to turn that negative into a positive.

Viarco has adopted the ColorADD coding

system to their coloured pencil sets.  Regardless of the type of colour blindness you have, your colour selections would be based on identification, knowledge, self-reliance - and freedom of choice.

“There are two aspects to ColorADD: teaching children the color code system and integrating a system that teaches the “color additive theory” – how colors combine to form secondary and tertiary colors.  It’s the basic understanding of the world of color, which is a very creative process,” says Kenneth Caplan,  exclusive Canadian representative of ColorADD, responsible for introducing and licensing ColorADD to businesses, government, educators and not-for-profit

organizations - and for establishing ColorADD as a Canadian standard.

“Children who comprehend this concept at an early age are going to add wealth to their knowledge, and ultimately, it will affect how they perceive the world around them.” 

Secret Garden has sold over 1.5 million copies since it was published in March 2013 and it is presently out of stock.  To ensure you get a colouring book in the next shipment, Amazon and some other online stores will allow you to pre-order and reserve your colouring book.

Johanna Basford, an illustrator and “ink evangelist” creates intricate, hand drawn illustrations predominately, although not exclusively, in black and white with roots in flora and fauna.  She graduated in 2005 from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, Scotland with a degree in Printed Textiles and has a portfolio of monochrome silkscreen prints and drawings. 

Written by Veronika Bradley, Editor for Children’s Health and Safety Association – May 22, 2015 and Republished by Diligencia Investigative Reporting – April 2019

Additional Resources

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25 COMMENTS

  1. Hi my friend! I want to say that this article is amazing! It is well written and includes great information. I would like to read more posts like this.

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