Colouring in pictures with your little one is a great way to take time out from the hustle and bustle of the activity of the Christmas season. Colouring in Christmas pictures can also help you explain to them some of the traditions and meanings behind Christmas, as well as working on their fine motor skills.
Whether you colour in a picture of the Nativity scene, or a Christmas tree, the colouring in time means you can enjoy some special time together.
The colouring pages can also be laminated and used as gifts to close family and friends. They make lovely mementos of their first artwork and it’s always good to store a copy in their scrapbook for them to look back on when they are older.
It’s a good idea to print several different Christmas colouring pages well before doing any colouring in with your little one. Sometimes your little one will have a preference for one particular picture so you may often find yourself printing multiple copies. Make sure you have a jar of crayons, colour pencils or washable pens in stock.
Set aside some time for you and your little one when you know they are well-rested, and work on colouring the pictures in together. They will follow your lead, so model for them how to colour within the lines. Don’t worry if they make a huge mess, it’s about them experimenting and enjoying some special time with you rather than producing the next Mona Lisa!
Christmas colouring in tips
1-2 year olds
Make sure to use very simple Christmas colouring in pages. Outlines of stars or Christmas trees are ideal.
Don’t worry about them being neat and tidy. This is a great time for them to simply enjoy using new implements and spending time with you.
Stick to using crayons or washable pens. It’s easier for them to handle and far less mess than paints create for you to clean up afterwards!
Make sure you give them lots of praise and encouragement. If they seem disinterested don’t worry too much. You can always try colouring in together at another time.
2-3 year olds
You can use more complicated colouring in pages and gently teach them about colouring within the lines if you wish.
You can introduce extra decorations on the colouring in pages such as glitter or felt pieces. It’s good for your little one to experiment with different textures and fabrics.
This is a good time to talk about using different colours and how they work well together. For instance, the red and the green work well as contrast colours, or blue and silver.
