I love a good coloring book, folks. I loved to color when I was a little girl, and I still love to color now. There’s something incredibly relaxing about coloring. Coloring books never fail to calm my kids down. They are a great quiet time activity, a wonderful way to encourage creativity and self-expression, and they also help develop those fine motor skills. Today I am going to share our family’s favorite coloring books.
***
Did you guys know that there are ERIC CARLE coloring books!? We discovered these gems a few years ago. What is great about these coloring books is that they include the entire text and illustrations of Carle’s classic books. These coloring books turn into keepsakes that your family will love for years to come. We have the following Eric Carle coloring books: My Very Own Very Busy Spider Coloring Book, 
My Very Own Very Hungry Caterpillar Coloring Book, My Very Own Very Lonely Firefly Coloring Book, 
My Very Own Very Quiet Cricket Coloring Book.
***
The Johanna Basford coloring books are amazing for both children and adults. These whimsical books include gorgeous pen and ink illustrations that you can’t help but get lost in. Plus, there are hidden pictures throughout. The 
Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest and Coloring Book actually contains a pull-out poster including a puzzle at the very end of the book. They combine coloring, imagination, and hidden pictures! These coloring books will fascinate children and adults alike, and provide hours of entertainment. We have both the Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book and The Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest and Coloring Book and we are crossing all of our digits that Basford comes out with a third book soon.
***
We discovered the Dover Nature Coloring Book series one day, quite by accident, while at the craft store. There are so many coloring books in this series, folks! The Dover Nature books are fantastic because you can’t help but learn interesting facts while you color away. We have and highly recommend the following: A Walk in the Woods Coloring Book, Backyard Nature Coloring Book, The Birdwatcher’s Coloring Book, Butterflies Coloring Book, Coral Reef Coloring Book, and State Birds and Flowers Coloring Book.
***
The Mystical Mandala Coloring Book has become an important part of Leo’s Worry Basket. Mandalas and Zentangles are extremely calming and engaging for children and adults. You cannot help but become mesmerized and relaxed as you work to fill in these intricate images. There is another coloring book in this series, Paisley Designs Coloring Book, that I have my eye on and hope to purchase soon.
Tell, me folks… are you a coloring book family? Are you a grown-up who still enjoys coloring? Would you add any coloring books to this list? Share here!
***
Artists are just adults who refuse to put down their crayons.
~ Al Hirschfeld
***
Are you looking to take your family’s read alouds to the next level? Join the {virtual} Family Book Club at My Little Poppies:
All of the books (and more!) from the {virtual} Family Book Club at My Little Poppies can be found here:
Thanks for these ideas. We need higher quality activities that improve fine motor skills. In fact, we recently discovered extreme dot to dots with stickers. Coloring and dot to dots work great as a fidget if needed when we read longer chapter books.
Oh we LOVE those dot-to-dots! They are so addictive, too!! 🙂
Have you seen Herve Tullet’s coloring books?
No but you know I’m going to head over to Amazon and check ’em out 🙂 Thank you!