NPR

Coloring Books And Worksheets: What's The Value Of 'Staying In The Lines'?

Get ready for those coloring worksheets coming home in your child's backpack. Many kids (and grown-ups) love coloring books. But what's the educational value of staying in the lines?
Source: LA Johnson

Crayons, of course. Scented markers. Colored pencils, presharpened. And coloring books by the jillions.

Why do people like coloring so much? For grown-ups, I can totally get the nostalgia — and the simple pleasure of creating something.

But here at NPR Ed, we're all about kids and learning. And so, as parents head to the store this summer with their back-to-school lists, we thought this question was worth a serious look:

Do coloring books have any educational value? Do they squash creativity like a bug , as suggest, promote the development of fine motor

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