by Sharon Brook

Created on: March 20, 2009

Did you know that coloring could be a vehicle for the development of motor skills? Your child is going to need these to master activities such as writing, and to perform seemingly mundane tasks such as doing up buttons, dressing and eating independently etc. Simple as these activities may appear, they require a high degree of coordination.

In fact, research findings have revealed that the simple act of coloring can provide children with outlets for deep seated turmoil that may result when they have lost someone close to them - perhaps a relative or maybe even a pet.

Contrary to the popular perception that children have no recollection of loved ones passing away, studies have suggested that this is in fact not true. Children are deeply affected by such events, and need to resolve their pent up feelings, failing which their problems will be compounded as time goes by.

So by providing your child with paper and colors, you are really giving him a chance to give expression to feelings that he is perhaps unable or unwilling to put into words. Well, on the face of it, you're on the right track - except that you need to be involved yourself, as the child indulges his love of coloring.

So lay on colors of different kinds, and try to infuse color into his various activities. For instance, you could allow him to unleash his creativity on your sidewalk or liven up bath times by providing him with crayon soap - and that's just the beginning. There are several other coloring activities your child could have fun with while he is in the bath.

The development of motor coordination in young children will also impact hand eye coordination, and coloring is one of many activities that can help to fine tune these skills. Motor development in children can also be given a boost by providing them with puzzles - you can start small and graduate to puzzles of increasing complexity. Perhaps you could get the child to make up a puzzle for himself.

You can do this by using assorted pieces of construction paper, stuck together and cut into various shapes - your child will now be ready to create his own puzzle, and in the process, he will learn a great deal about recognizing colors as well.

Peg games will also be useful in developing the child's ability to distinguish colors, along with his hand eye coordination. So also will any pastime that involves building or construction of any kind work wonders to hone his motor development. You'll find building blocks such as K NEX invaluable at this stage.

It would be a good idea to involve your child in some activity concerned with coloring for about half an hour a day. This will help him to recognize shapes and colors, apart from developing cognitive abilities. Never use force on a child - you may simply turn him off altogether.

So while you may have to provide some support in the beginning, once the child is involved, he will be ready to go ahead on his own. As he gets older, you'll be able to see his motor skills take shape - even so, a little practice every day won't hurt and will, in fact, go a long way to perfecting the skills he is working to develop.

Do remember to stand by in case he needs help - but tread carefully, or you will upset the apple cart. You will achieve better results if you allow the child to seek your help on his own. Never forget that this is a delicate situation and the way it turns out is largely up to you. Good luck!

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