Do you color with your kids? My kids were always wanting to color and draw from very early ages. I used to sit down and color and draw with them sometimes. I think it's good for them for dexterity and for teaching colors. My kids can all draw fairly well to this day. My youngest is especially good at it and has been since she could hold a crayon on her own. Even when she was quite small, you could at least tell what the drawing was supposed to be. Coloring, drawing, painting, etc. were always good inexpensive ways for us to have fun.
Most certainly! This is an activity that I have done with all of my children and coloring is a favorite past time of my own. It helps with fine motor skills as well. Crayons are pretty cheap, which is great and you can use plain paper to draw, get a traditional coloring book, or you can even download coloring sheets from the internet. Coloring is also a great way to keep children busy and allow them to use their imaginations.
I agree with you on all counts. I always found it fun too. I love when crayons and other art supplies go on sale before school starts back up. I always stocked up during those sales. This stuff is affordable anyway, but it was great to always be able to have fresh new crayons at the ready if some broke or got lost. I still even have a few pictures left that they kids made. I used to save them all, but yeah, you run out of room, lol. Now I have grandkids to color with though, so I'll start a new collection.
I am an amateur artist. When one of my nieces stayed with me for a little while she, too, fell in love with drawing. I'd show her how to draw something and she'd doodle all over the page and we'd both have a good laugh. I agree with Zyni that drawing with kids can not only be fun but it's great for bonding too because parents spend more time with their kids engaged in an activity they both enjoy.
Ah, crayons and coloring books will never go out of style! Some of my earliest memories is coloring in a Sesame Street coloring book. She had a coloring style in which she pushed down very hard and her colored-in areas were very solid. I picked this up from her, and 35 years later I still color this way with my kids. My kids are also showing signs of being able to draw. My girl is three and son is nine, and both are remarkably talented. Like you said, it is inexpensive, and a book (sometimes Fun pad) and crayons often find it's way into a bag, box or stocking for Christmas.
I cannot draw a lick but I love to color. I used to color in coloring books all the time with my siblings. I remember teaching them how to shade and color and make things stand out in their pictures. My daughter is only two months old -- but I am sure I will be teaching her one day.