What to expect from this article?
We’ve been researching the different types of the best adult coloring books available and are honored to share this with you today.
This article isn’t just going to be a ‘Top X’ list of books! What you’ll find is information about each type of coloring book and some recommendations so you can check it out for yourself.
We’ll talk about the ‘easier’ type of coloring books first and then move onto the more challenging, complex type of books further down the article. Whatever you’re looking for, we’ll aim to cover it on this page.
Disclaimer: Our recommendations do include affliate links which earn Busy Bat a small commission. This is gratefully received and does help to keep this site going.
This has NO effect on what you pay for your new coloring book.
Adult Coloring Books are More that just a Trend!
Once seen as a bit of quirky pastime, adult coloring books have proven to be far more that just a passing trend. They have firmly established themselves as a beloved activity for individuals seeking a creative outlet and that all-important mental decompression.
They offer an accessible form of art therapy, providing users with a structured yet creative way to manage stress, enhance mindfulness, and express themselves artistically without the intimidation of starting from a blank canvas.
The sustained popularity of coloring books is also reflected in their evolving designs and themes, which cater to an wide audience with diverse interests, ensuring their continued relevance in the landscape of adult hobbies and mental health practices.
Colouring Benefits
Coloring has significant psychological and creative benefits that make it great for adults seeking relaxation and a creative outlet.
Psychologically, engaging in coloring can act as a stress reliever by focusing the mind and reducing intrusive thoughts, similar to the effects of meditation.
This activity stimulates the brain areas related to motor skills and creativity, while also lowering the activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress.
Creatively, coloring offers a form of expression without the pressure of creating something from scratch. It allows individuals to experiment with colors and textures, facilitating a deep exploration of personal aesthetic preferences and artistic styles. This not only enhances personal creativity but also contributes to better problem-solving and organizational skills as one decides how to blend colors and design elements effectively.
Adult coloring books serve as both a therapeutic and creative tool, enriching the mental and emotional well-being of those who engage with them.
Bold and Easy Coloring Books
Bold and Easy coloring books offer specific benefits that make them particularly appealing to a wide range of users, including beginners and those with vision or motor skills challenges.
Bold and Easy - Specific Benefits!
Clarity and Simplicity:
The bold outlines and simpler designs of these coloring books reduce visual clutter, making it easier for individuals to distinguish between different areas. This clarity is especially beneficial for those with visual impairments or for older adults who might find intricate patterns overwhelming or difficult to see.
Ease of Use:
The larger, clear spaces provided by bold and easy designs allow for easier coloring, which is ideal for those with limited fine motor skills, such as individuals recovering from strokes or those with conditions like arthritis. It makes the coloring experience less frustrating and more enjoyable.
Quick Results:
With simpler and larger areas to color, users can complete pages more quickly, providing a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. This can be very motivating, especially for beginners who are just developing their skills and confidence in coloring.
Stress Reduction:
Like all art therapy activities, coloring has a calming effect, but the straightforward nature of bold and easy books makes the process less intimidating, encouraging relaxation and mindfulness without the pressure of dealing with complex designs.
Educational Use:
For beginners, these books can serve as educational tools, helping them to learn about colors, boundaries, and the physical act of coloring within lines, developing both cognitive and motor skills in a fun and engaging way.
Therapeutic Benefits:
For those dealing with emotional and psychological issues, the act of completing a simpler design can help in managing conditions like anxiety and depression, providing a quick and accessible way to divert their mind from distressing thoughts.
Easy Mandalas and Patterns
Easy Mandalas and Patterns coloring books offer a variety of benefits that make them particularly appealing for those new to coloring, as well as individuals seeking a relaxing and meditative coloring experience.
Our ‘Easy Mandalas and Patterns’ Coloring Book Recommendation
Easy Mandalas and Patterns - Specific Benefits
Meditative Qualities:
Coloring mandalas and simple patterns can be exceptionally meditative and relaxing. The repetitive nature of the patterns allows individuals to focus on the moment, reducing stress and promoting a state of mindfulness. This can be particularly beneficial for those looking to alleviate anxiety and find a peaceful mental state.
Enhanced Focus and Concentration:
The structure of mandalas and patterns requires attention to detail, which can help improve focus and concentration. This can be especially helpful for individuals who struggle with attention disorders or who need a break from the digital distractions of everyday life.
Creative Expression Without Overwhelm:
For those intimidated by highly intricate designs, easy mandalas provide a way to explore creative expression without feeling overwhelmed. This makes them an excellent choice for beginners or for those who prefer a more relaxed approach to their creativity.
Motor Skills Development:
Coloring within the defined lines of a mandala or pattern can help improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This is beneficial not only for children developing these skills but also for adults maintaining them, particularly the elderly or those recovering from neurological injuries.
User Friendly Designs - Large Print and Spiral Bound!
Not as common as other options but if you’re looking for a coloring book that is large print and offers spiral bound pages, that are easy to tear out and frame, this is worth a look!
Our ‘Large Print and Spiral Bound’ Coloring Book Recommendation
Large Print and Spiral Bound - Specific Benefits
Accessibility:
Large prints are particularly helpful for those with vision impairments or age-related sight issues, making the coloring activity accessible and enjoyable without straining the eyes.
Ease of Use:
Bigger spaces within the designs allow for easier coloring, which is beneficial for people with motor skill challenges or conditions such as arthritis that may make fine movements more difficult.
Flat-Laying Pages:
Spiral binding allows the book to lay flat while open, which facilitates easier coloring across the entire page. This is especially useful when coloring intricate designs that extend towards the edges.
Durability and Flexibility:
Spiral-bound books are generally more durable and can handle frequent use better than perfect-bound books. They also allow for easy page removal if you want to work outside of the book or share a page with someone.
Inspirational Quotes Coloring Books
Inspirational Quotes Coloring Books offer a unique combination of creativity and motivation, making them a popular choice among adults who seek both relaxation and encouragement.
Our ‘Inspirational Quotes Coloring Book’ Recommendation
Inspirational Quotes Coloring Books - Specific Benefits
Emotional Uplift:
Each page typically features an uplifting quote, providing a positive affirmation that can help elevate the colorist’s mood and outlook. As users spend time coloring, they internalize these positive messages, which can help combat negative thoughts and boost overall emotional well-being.
Mindfulness and Relaxation:
The act of coloring itself is meditative. Pairing this with inspirational quotes further enhances the mindfulness aspect, allowing individuals to focus on the present moment and the positive message, reducing stress and anxiety.
Creative Expression:
These books offer a canvas for creative expression, enabling users to experiment with colors and techniques while engaging with meaningful text. The choice of colors and how they apply them can reflect personal emotions and interpretations of the quotes, making each artwork uniquely personal.
Motivational Tool:
For many, these coloring books serve as a motivational tool, especially if the quotes are aligned with personal goals or challenges. Coloring a quote that resonates can serve as a form of affirmation practice, reinforcing motivation and determination.
Seasonal Picks: Best for Holidays and Special Occasions
Whether sitting on the beach and being at one with your summer themed coloring book, or approaching halloween with some spooky ‘quiet time’, there are coloring books for every holiday and occasion.
Here’s a selection of our absolute favorites!
Conclusion
We hope this article has been helpful in guiding you towards choosing the right colouring book.
There’s a lot of choices available and we would recommend you take a little bit of time doing some more research before deciding on which book to go for. Hopefully our research, and the books recommended above will make this easier and quicker.
There’s also other outlets besides Amazon of course but with their user review system, they are a great place to do your shopping for colouring and other types of books.
Happy coloring.
