If you’ve walked past a book shop lately you’ll notice that the front stand is filled with colouring in books. Although these ones, aren’t for the kids. Adults, it’s time to dust off the old school pencil case (if your kids haven’t raided it yet!). You know, the one that only makes an appearance in the annual cupboard clean out, causing school memories to come flooding back? Then, like you’re in year 6 again, you pick out the top 5 colours? Well, you now have a use for these beauties again!
Why are adults colouring in?
Colouring in for adults’ relaxation is the new self-care craze. It gives you a way to settle you brain from the buzzing with life’s problems and helps you to work through your feelings by expressing them in colours. You can colour to reflect your current state of mind, or even the one you aspire to. This is a form of art therapy. Common in art therapy are Mandellas (flower shaped drawings) or Zentangles, where you create images from repetitive patterns inside a scribble. I find Zentangles drive me up the wall because I struggle to get the patterns the same size. However, I love colouring in of Zentangle like drawings!
Free colouring in pages for adults
I’ve compiled some of my favourite free colouring in pages so you can see if it’s relaxing for you too. Where Full PDFS are available it is noted below the picture, otherwise just click the picture you want and print it or right click download to save and then print.
Full pdf and image via 
Image via 
Image via 
Image and full pdf printable via here
Image and full pdf printable via
Image and full pdf printable via here
Tips
Put some relaxing music and scented candles on to make it extra relaxing! Try not to watch TV while you do it, so your brain really slows down. It’s a great relaxation technique that can be done with kids too – set them up with their colouring in books.
Want more?
For HEAPS more designs, check out my Pinterest page ‘Adult colouring in‘ and hit follow on my page!
So tell me,
Have you tried colouring in for relaxation? Did you enjoy it?
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Amy Darcy
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I loved this post, Amy. I was just talking about colouring in with a client yesterday! Colouring in, painting or drawing is something I encourage my clients to do when they’re feeling overwhelmed. It moves your mind (and your mood) into a different space – a break from yourself and the noise in your head. And colouring in isn’t as confronting for people who feel like they can’t draw (ie. me).
Hey Kate,
Thanks for taking the time to comment – I really appreciate it 🙂 Nice to hear a psychologist encouraging clients to do it too! I’ve found that a bubble bath with candles around is another great break when feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes I’ll even paint my nails or read a book in there!
Now you’re really talking my language – there’s very few things I love more than a bath, candles, and a book!
By the way Kate, I would love it if you could pass on the link to my site so that your clients interested in colouring can easily find some freebies collated and ready to print 🙂
Consider it done!
You’re a gem! Thanks love, that’s a big help!
Hey Amy! (I’m Bec, I used to work with Des at SUNSW)
Hooray for colouring in! It’s just the best.
Have you come across the Christian colouring in group on Facebook? There’s some wonderful stuff in there, and the very talented Lorien who started the group is publishing a book of her designs soon. Oh…I just went and looked and you’re in the group 🙂
I’ve also just successfully crowdfunded a 2016 gratitude diary that has little illustrations in it to colour in to promote mental wellbeing…and just cos they’re cute. I can’t wait for it to be printed so I can show it off. (shameless self promotion, here it is: http://pozi.be/everydaygratitude )
Some of the ones you’ve posted here are gorgeous. I’ll have to print some out and do some colour therapy!
Hey Bec!
Des speaks very fondly of you. Another friend told me about that group after I did this post! How amazing. Can’t wait for her book.
Love your diary idea! How amazing is it that you crowd funded your diary idea!?!?! Well done. was that via randoms or friends? Will you only be offering one style of diary? I’m an hour by hour kinda girl for my diary 😀 If you have that option, I’ll definitely be getting one for next year! xx
Everyone has different diary needs! This one is week to an opening, so pretty broad (but I understand the appeal of the hour-to-hour kind). Hopefully I’ll be doing some different kinds in the future – I’m so chuffed that people are responding well to this idea!
Isn’t colouring-in the best thing ever?! I’m a big fan of mandala meditation, in fact I got my own book last week and wrote a post about it today. I stumbled upon your blog earlier & linked this post for further reading! http://amiehamling.com/2015/08/in-between-the-lines-mandala-meditation/
Hey Amie! It sure is! Thanks so much for linking to my post, I will share it on my FB page for you xx
Hi Amy,
I found your blog and wanted to add to add another downloadable colouring book. Only this is a contemplative colouring book. These are doodles that have been birthed from mediatation on topics on biblical passages. Through this colouring book I also hope to encourage others to doodle in as they read the scripture passages. It (colouring and doodling) is a way of lingering in the text.
Check out
https://artresponse.wordpress.com/selah-suggestions/selah-a-contemplative-coloring-book/
🙂
Sujatha