The best coloring books for kids (and teens!) from a faith-based art therapist

This devotional book is perfect for kids because they get to learn Bible stories through coloring! I believe the more a child is able to apply what they learn creatively, ideas become more concrete for them. The art a child creates can become memory cues for what is read. Personally, I love this devotional and think it offers kids a unique way of comprehending the Bible. Not only does it benefit children, but I believe adults can benefit from doodling while they read, too! We may be older, but the inner child in all of us is still there. So—if you're looking for a good faith-based devotional for your kids, I recommend a devotional that has some aspect of coloring in it!

This is a fantastic coloring book for kids as the illustrations are large and detailed displaying familiar age-appropriate objects, florals, animals, and nature. Each illustration has a repetitive pattern to it allowing the reader to feel more relaxed as they color. The pages are thick and can keep a child busy for hours. I'd suggest this coloring book if you're looking for something that can help your child explore their artistic side! As an art therapist, I think this book can guide your child (and you!) to practice new strategies for mindfulness. How does the coloring make them feel? This book is a high-quality coloring book that can be a relaxing activity for finding centeredness and to achieve emotional regulation. It's a perfect tool for relieving anxiety and unneeded stress!  

This is a lovely coloring book for girls and tweens! Each page is an affirmation or scripture verse from the Bible that the reader can color in. The illustrations are detailed with thick and precise linework. A really neat addition to this book is that the coloring pages can be ripped out! I personally love this element of the book because it gives the reader a sense of ownership to their own completed page. Simply hanging up a finished page can give a girl feelings of pride and self-love! This is a great coloring book to help a girl build her self-esteem and be reminded of truth found inspired by the Bible. I recommend the book to be done with your closest girlfriends! 

I absolutely adore this coloring book for teens (and adults!). The coloring pages aren't just pictures or detailed illustrations to color, but the pages also include self-affirmations and phrases teaching the reader about self-awareness. For example, one of the pages in the book writes "I breath in calm and I breath out stress" accompanied with a mandala. I love combining both of these elements! A mandala is often used by art therapists to help guide someone to become more centered and self-aware. I appreciate how the coloring book intertwines both mantras and meaningful artmaking to achieve self-awareness in the simplest forms. If you're looking for a coloring book to do with your teen specifically around mindfulness and meditation, this is the book for you!

This book is so fun! It invites the reader to create art in response to a truth about who you are! The activity book engages its reader in creativity and artistic expression after reading a devotion and scripture verse. Personally, I adore any book where its sole purpose is to remind the reader who God created them to be! It is an empowering read and is really hands-on. I would recommend this book for any girl who is creative at heart, and wants to grow their faith with Jesus! It's another great resource to have on you so that your child can do the activities with a group of their closest girlfriends.