National Coloring Book Day

 

Today is National Coloring Book Day.

The celebration was first marked back in 2015, and has continued to celebrate a hobby many adults and children love. 

The first coloring books are credited to the McLoughlin Brothers. In the 1880s, they produced The Little Folks' Painting Book, in collaboration with Kate Greenaway. 

Many educators at the time concluded that all students, regardless of their background, would benefit from an art education. It was a means of enhancing their conceptual understanding of the tangible, further developing their cognitive skills, and improving skill that could be useful in a profession. 

The McLoughlin Brothers continued publishing coloring books until the 1920s, when their company became part of Milton Bradley Company. 

Coloring books have been used for more than a century for educational purposes. And fun.

They've also been used as a rehabilitation tool. Accident victims have found aid with hand-eye coordination by coloring, and the act of coloring has been considered a great way for many to destress.

I loved coloring books when I was a child, although I tended to color outside the lines. There are those who might say I still do that in a figurative sense. 

Regardless of my coloring skill, I thought you might enjoy some free coloring pages today! 

Enjoy and happy coloring!

Do you suppose any cowpokes ever take along a few colored pencils and a coloring book to pass the time around a lonesome campfire on out on the range? 

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Today, Shanna draws on her rural roots to create sweet romances filled with hope, humor, quirky small-town characters, realistic heroes, and women of strength.

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.

Find her online at http://shannahatfield.com