So you’ve been thinking about taking up adult coloring, after hearing so much about it. After all, the tremendous number of adult coloring books on bestseller lists can’t be wrong; there must be something to it. But it can feel strange to pick up something you left behind in childhood, so you may wonder if you’re too old to start.
You can start adult coloring at virtually any age, starting with simpler coloring pages as you learn and progressing to more complex designs as your skills develop. Coloring pages can be basic or intricate, making them perfect for colorists of all ages and skill levels.
Although the term “adult coloring” itself implies that you have to be an adult to enjoy adult coloring books, that’s simply not true – it depends on the person and the book. Below, we’ll take you through choosing the best book for each age group and how to get started with adult coloring.
What Age to Start Adult Coloring
When it comes to coloring, choosing the right book or coloring pages is less about age and more about preference and skill level. Let’s take a look at how coloring pages and books are generally broken down by age group, and the specific benefits for each group.
Preschool-Aged Children
Many people use coloring as a way of monitoring a child’s cognitive and fine motor skill development, which will show in three basic stages:
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- Scribbling randomly on the page
- Scribbling mostly on the pictures on a page with some obvious intention of coloring specific shapes
- Coloring mostly or entirely in the lines
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The second stage, where the child recognizes the shape as an object and attempts to color it in, is thought of as a major milestone by some experts and usually happens between the ages of three and five. Because kids are still learning what coloring’s all about at this age, let alone how to do it, coloring books for this age group tend to feature large, simple shapes with thick lines to make it easier to color inside them.
My First Big Book of Coloring is a good example of a typical coloring book aimed at preschool-aged kids.
Elementary School-Aged Children
Most children can color within the lines once they enter elementary school, so the illustrations in their coloring books tend to feature illustrations with thinner lines and subject matter aimed at education or entertainment.
For example, coloring books from this age group might be themed around:
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- Learning letters and numbers, or even the human body
- Harry Potter or other popular kids’ shows and movies
- Mythical creatures like unicorns
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As you can see from the three examples above, the style can range from very simple, as in the unicorn book, to fairly detailed, as in the Harry Potter one. This means that coloring books aimed at this age group can easily be used by teens and adults as well. Coloring books are great for kids of this age, as they can encourage them to be creative and experiment with different coloring techniques and mediums. As most parents will agree, it’s also just nice to find something for the kids to do other than bury their faces in a screen all day, too.
Teenagers
There often comes a time in a kid’s life when the activities that they enjoy doing as a young child become “uncool,” no matter how enjoyable. This was once the case for coloring, although much less so now that adult coloring books make it acceptable for people of all ages.
Teens can use both adult and kid’s coloring books with no problem, although they might enjoy books directed at their age group, like:
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- Coloring Book for Teens: Get Creative, Be Inspired, Have Fun, and Chill Out
- Zombie Coloring Book
Just like children’s books, coloring books designed for teens are often themed. But coloring pages for teens tend to focus more on:
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- Entertainment
- Inspiration and confidence
- Society, fads, and fashion
Teenagers, like children, benefit from quiet creative time that doesn’t involve a television, computer, or smartphone. And as we all remember all too well, being a teenager is stressful. All the more reason for teens to take up an activity proven to reduce stress and anxiety.
Adults
And now, we officially come to the “adult coloring” section. But what you’re probably starting to realize by now is that there’s little to no difference between “adult” coloring and “regular” coloring.
The main differences between coloring books for various age groups are:
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- Simplicity or intricacy
- Subject matter or theme
And there’s plenty of crossover – just think of the Harry Potter book targeted at school-aged children. Who doesn’t have an adult Harry Potter fan or two in their life who would love that coloring book? Perhaps one of the most obvious differences in adult coloring books is their emphasis on mindfulness and relaxation, often using soothing, repetitive patterns like mandalas to facilitate calmer states of being. That being said, coloring any pictures or designs that you find soothing will have a similar effect, so don’t feel limited to choosing from coloring books labeled “adult coloring books.”
Check out the benefits of adult coloring HERE!
Seniors
Coloring is a perfect activity for seniors, too, due to the activity’s many health and wellness benefits. It’s especially helpful for seniors with limited mobility, who may not be able to get out to socialize as much as they’d like. Regular coloring practice can help stave off boredom and depression.
There are plenty of coloring books for seniors, which use large, simple shapes that are easy to color and depict:
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- Simple mandalas
- Nature scenes
- Animals
- Flowers
- Houses
As you can see, anyone can pick up coloring and benefit from it, no matter what their age is.
How to Start Adult Coloring
Hopefully, by now, you’re convinced to give coloring a try, whether you’re 16 or 60. Age is just a number, and it’s never too late to pick up a new hobby. Below, we’ll walk you through how to get started with coloring, no matter your age.
Choose a Coloring Book or Coloring Pages
First, you’ll want to decide what you want to color, of course. There are two main ways of coloring (other than drawing the pictures yourself):
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- Coloring books
- Printable coloring pages found online
When deciding on a coloring book or pages, you’ll want to consider:
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- How easy or difficult it is based on your skill level
- The quality/thickness of the pages and whether it will work with your medium of choice
It’s hard to find a store that isn’t selling coloring books these days, but you’ll find especially good selections at:
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- Amazon
- Bookstores
- Art supply stores
- Big box stores
Coloring books can cost a dollar or two up to $20, so you might want to factor the price in as well.
Choose Your Coloring Medium
If you haven’t colored since childhood, chances are good that you associate coloring with crayons. And many adult colorists still prefer crayons to this day!
But there are other mediums to consider as well, including:
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- Watercolor
- Oil paints
- Colored pencils
- Markers
- Gel pens
Once you get the hang of coloring, you might want to consider mixing mediums for added interest. After all, half the fun of coloring is being creative and experimenting!
Set Up a Coloring Routine
If you’ve heard of something called mindful coloring, you might be wondering where it fits into the adult coloring world. Mindful coloring is using coloring as a mindfulness meditation, which is shown to have amazing benefits if done regularly.
“Regularly” is the keyword in that last sentence, so if you’re interested in setting up a mindful coloring practice, we highly recommend creating a schedule to help you instill a routine around it, at least a few times a week.
Enjoy the Benefits
Now that you’ve got the tools you need for coloring and a routine well underway, you can sit back and start enjoying all of the many proven benefits of regular coloring practice. Although each age group will experience different primary benefits, coloring has been proven to help people of all ages relax and have fun. If you can add health and wellness benefits on top of that, it’s a win all around.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, you’re never too old (or too young) to start adult coloring. It can be a fun and beneficial activity for people of all ages and is a perfect bonding activity for the whole family on rainy afternoons. Coloring can be as simple or as complex as you choose, no matter how old you are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can children color in adult coloring books?
Adult coloring books tend to contain more intricate pictures and designs than coloring books intended for children, so adult coloring books are appropriate for children whose skill exceeds that required for children’s coloring books.
Can adults color in children’s coloring books?
Adults with vision or fine motor skill issues or who simply prefer coloring more basic patterns will benefit just as much from children’s coloring books as from adult ones.
Maximize the benefits of coloring with my free adult coloring eBook and by signing up for my email newsletter HERE!
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