Grandparents Day is coming up and it's time to start thinking about fun activities to do with the grandkids. You know what they say - the family that plays together, stays together. And what better way to play than by breaking out some crayons and coloring pages for Grandparents Day?
Coloring is one of those simple pleasures that people of all ages can enjoy. For kids, it encourages creativity, color recognition, and hand-eye coordination. But did you know it can also provide some great brain health benefits for grandparents too? Coloring combines creativity, motor skills, and visual processing which gives your noggin a nice little workout. It's an easy way to relax while flexing those mental muscles.
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Coloring isn't just child's play. For you, Grandma and Grandpa, it’s a fantastic way to relax and engage your mind. Here’s how it benefits you:
Whether you're a seasoned colorist or just starting out, these tips will help you maximize your enjoyment and get the most out of every page.
Bonus Game
Our Flower Memory Game doubles as a coloring book and game, where you identify and name each flower. For a brain-boosting challenge, use your non-dominant hand to color and write your guesses. It's all about creating new neural pathways at Granny Maze!
Click this link for more detailed instructions, but these will get you started...
By following these steps, you can transform your coloring activities into a meditative and artistic escape, perfect for enhancing both mood and creativity.
1. Select the Ideal Supplies
Invest in our premium coloring books and choose from a variety of coloring tools. Whether it’s colored pencils for precision, markers for boldness, or crayons for a classic touch, each type offers unique benefits and textures.
2. Create Your Perfect Coloring Nook
Set up a cozy spot with good lighting and a comfortable chair. Make sure your space is free from distractions, to help maintain your focus and enjoyment.
3. Set the Mood
Play some calming music or nature sounds to create a relaxing atmosphere. This background audio can help you relax and stimulate your creativity, making your coloring time even more enjoyable.
4. Take Your Time
Don’t rush. Enjoy the process of creating. Take breaks to rest your eyes and stretch. Coloring for long periods can give you a serious hand and arm workout! And this is all about relaxation and creativity.
5. Celebrate and Share Your Creativity
Once you’ve finished creating, share your artwork with family and friends. You can even frame your favorite pieces and display them around your home.
Here are 12 ingenious ways to repurpose your finished coloring pages:
1. Color and Share Memories
Pick a coloring page that reminds you of a cherished memory, like a favorite flower, a scenic place, or a fun activity. As you color, share the story behind it with your grandkids or friends. Some tips: choose bright, cheerful colors to match the happy memories. Encourage your grandkids to color their own pages and share their stories too.
2. Collaborative Mural
Assemble multiple pages and make them into a large coloring page or mural. Each person colors a section, and when you’re done, you’ll have a beautiful piece of collaborative art to display.
3. Themed Coloring Party
Host a coloring party with a specific theme, such as Sunflowers, Roses or Butterflies. Provide coloring pages, snacks, and some good music. Spend the time coloring, chatting, and enjoying each other’s company. Tips: decorate the space to match the theme for a more immersive experience. And have a mini art gallery at the end to display everyone’s work.
4. Personalized Greeting Cards
Who doesn't love getting a handmade card? Choose your desired page and once it's all colored, fold it in half and you can write a special message inside. You can also get a white piece of paper, cut it down, write a message on it and glue it to your finished colored page. Or hang it up somewhere at home to remind you of the great day you had together.
5. Play the Flower Memory Game
Add a twist to traditional memory games by coloring and using our flower templates. Here's another way to play - print out two copies of say 5 or 10 flower outlines from the game. Color in the petals of each flower template using different colors and patterns. Don't name them. Once they're all colored, put them in a pile, mix them up and flip them over. Play a classic memory game where you try to find matches. But here's the brain boosting twist - use your non-dominant hand to color and flip the cards over! Using your non-dominant hand creates new neural pathways and helps improve memory.
6. Window Art Surprise
Grab some transparent sheets, a few coloring pages for Grandparents Day and some washable markers. Place a transparent sheet over a coloring page and trace the design onto the transparency. Color on the transparent sheet. When finished, stick it to a window or glass door using removable adhesive putty. The sunlight will make the colors pop! It's an easy way to make some quick, removable window art. Each time you look outside, you'll be reminded of having fun with the grandkids.
7. Artistic Framing
Showcase your favorite pieces as decorative accents in your home by framing them elegantly. Or paint an old frame to make it new again.
8. Gifts from the Heart
Spread joy by gifting your colored pages as thoughtful tokens of affection to friends and family.
9. Craft Projects
Use your pages for scrapbooking or as decorative elements in various craft projects.
10. Coloring Placemats
Laminate a finished colored page that you fall in love with, or that the kids colored in last time they were there and use it as a placemat on the kitchen table. Surprise them.
11. DIY Bookmarks
Cut and laminate sections to make unique bookmarks.
12. Poetic Illustrations
For this one, you'll need to print out copies of a few children's poems or short stories. Read them together first, then let the grandkids pick the words to write on a white piece of paper. Fold in the paper into quarter size. Cut the smaller square to glue to the middle of a finished page from our coloring book. Or they can illustrate the poems by coloring scenes from the story. Keep it to about a quarter of a page in size so you can glue to the middle and still see the colors all around it. It's a fun way to build comprehension skills and bring the words to life with their imaginations.
Planning ahead ensures you get the most out of your coloring session. Gather your supplies, choose your favorite coloring pages, and decide on any additional games or challenges you want to include. Making it easy to play means you will do it more often. More relaxation and fun are GOOD!
So, grab your coloring tools, find a lovely page to start with, and let your creativity flow. Coloring Pages for Grandparents Day are a wonderful way to celebrate, relax, and enjoy quality time with your loved ones. Have fun, and happy coloring!