3 Activity Books for Calm, Connection and Creativity

There is a big push these days to increase calmness with our children as well as connection and creativity.  I find this to be so especially in between school homework, Taekwondo, dance class or swimming lessons.  If you have read some of my other posts you will know that I have taken part in the BanBusy challenges over at The Abundant Mama project.  If you are interested in those I will include links to my posts at the end of this one.

Usually, my family and I head outdoors to calm down and reconnect.  Here are some of the photos from our last adventure.   We were all in the house and just starting to get on each others last nerve.  Siblings quarrelling, mama had her agenda and papa had his while each of our 3 kids had their own.  Not a great mixture.  I felt like we were all going a bit squirrelly.  So we went for a leisurely hike on a path along the river valley.  The first shot is before we descended down the valley.  You can see downtown in the far distance.  The second shot is our family navigating some tricky terrain on our hike.  Everyone was in a much better mood afterwards.  We were calmer, we had connected as family, had lots of fun.

But what do I do as a stay at home mom in those times when going outside is not an option?  I reach for the paper, pencils, pens, crayons and colouring markers.  I always try to have them handy and easily accessible.  In recent months we have added some really great books that I pull out when we just need to slow down and reconnect or disconnect from devices.  Each of the books have added to our connection, calmness and creativity as a family. These are not just for your kids to work on.  I participate fully in these activities.  Moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas or anyone who wants to find a creative way to reconnect to children may find enjoyment from these books.

The first book is  Big Colour By Numbers Book design and illustrated by Erica Harrison, written by Fiona Watt. 

We can all work on the same page together as a team and I found it to be calming activity.  Each of us grabs the colour we want and begin.  It can also help in early number recognition but usually I use it as calm quiet activity.  And I have also used it when I just need to focus my brain to stop the flood of distractions.  Here are some of the pages we have worked on.

The next book, The Colouring Book  by Herve Tullet, is a fun, creative distraction.  Herve Tullet is the author of the book Press Here and the new book Mix it Up.  Again this book is calming as we or they colour away but it also ups the creativity level leaving the kids or you to draw in the lines or not.  Just do whatever comes out of your pen.  Here is an example.

The last book is Drawing Shape by Shape: Create Cartoon Characters with Circles, Squares & Triangles  by Chris Hart.  

This is a learn to draw book for kids ages 4 and up where they learn to create cartoon characters with circles, squares and triangles.  I will freely admit I bought this book 2 summers ago for myself.  Yup, because I wanted to learn how to draw simple things and also to teach myself so when my kids wanted to learn I was prepared.  I love this book.  Not only has it helped me develop my skills of simple character drawings but it has sparked some writing ideas as well.  You just have to begin somewhere.   Here are few of what my kids and I have created with Chris Hart's book.

Books that promote Calmness, Connection and Creativity.  Do you have a suggestion about a book that does the same thing?  I am always looking to add to my arsenal.

Cheers,
Bonnie

Ban Busy Posts:
Slow Summer
Simple in Small Ways
Moments in the Mountains