6 Free Options for Adult Coloring Pages | Easy and Difficult

Adult Coloring Book Pages

I just love this new trend! It’s what moms have known for generations, coloring is fun! But it made international news when some adult coloring books made the Amazon top seller list. Kids love coloring and it’s easy to see why. It’s calming and peaceful. And now researchers are finding some therapeutic benefits as well.

Somehow “coloring inside the lines” gets a bad rap. Like if you color inside the lines or give a child a book to do just that, you are stifling creativity or not being creative. While there is some truth to that, the value and benefits from coloring inside the lines should not be dismissed.

I have several coloring books, sets of crayons, colored pencils and markers. I often have both boys sit down and we do it together. Both kids enjoy it despite having very different skill levels.

I love the new trend of more mature or adult-themed books and printables. This way, tweens and teens (and even older) can work on fine motor and other skills, without having to use a babyish or preschool level coloring book.

Therapeutic Benefits of Coloring

• task completion
• fine motor
• storytelling (why did you color it that way?)
• language development
• peaceful, calming
• can be done independently or in a group
• hand-eye coordination
• helps to unlock creativity
• attention to detail

Now, I’m sure that the media and marketers will ruin this and overdo it, but you don’t have to overthink it. If you have kids, you likely already have crayons, markers, and pastels in your home. You don’t need new stuff, though you may wish to find pictures that are more appealing to you than the Curious George coloring book that I see laying on my kids’ floor. No disrespect to George of course, we love him! But it’s ok if you want to color some more intricate or advanced pages, I hesitate to use the word “adult coloring pages” because who knows what type of internet searches that will bring me.

I have a post about age-appropriate activities. Younger kids “color” and older kids “do art.” But whatever you call it, coloring is great and can be used with any age group.

Just like with coloring pages and coloring books for kids, the assortment for adults is varied. And just like with the kids, some coloring books and pages are free and some cost money. Here are some options for both. If you want to color something other than mandalas, you may have to search around a bit. What is it with all the mandalas? Just because coloring is a Zen activity doesn’t mean that all we want to color is Buddhist stuff!

Where to Buy Adult Coloring Books

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Dover Publications
• Joann
• Ollie’s Bargain Outlet
• Just about anywhere now (this is an older post, several years ago, they were harder to find)

Free Coloring Pages for Adults and Teens

Here are some options for free coloring pages. I found that the Crayola website has some very simple options that are still educational. For example, they have a world flags section, and some of the flags are simple designs. That way, if you are working with disabled teens and adults, it’s not babyish if that’s a concern for you.

• Color Pages for Moms
• Crayola
• Coloring Pages for Adults/Just Color
• Zen and anti-stress coloring pages
• Mandalas
• Super Coloring

Mandala Coloring Pages

It seems whenever you look for coloring pages or see an assortment of coloring books for sale, you see mandalas.

Mandala is a complex, symmetrical or asymmetrical ornament that represents a microcosm of the entire universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a circle in which are depicted symbolic gates of the cosmos.

Mandalas are commonly used as an aid to meditation and as an advanced anti-stress therapy. Each mandala is different and unique. It can be represented in the form of a Tibetan, oriental pattern for beginners or a complicated, intricate image for experts. Work hard while coloring mandala, open your heart and fall into the depth of your own soul!

I love all the new options. So much fun. They make a perfect gift, and with winter coming, a real boredom beater!

More Coloring for Adults and Teens

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