Strong home-school connections help children do better in school, but busy families need simple ways to join in. Coloring is one of the easiest. Almost every family can sit down and color together.
Take-home pages
- Send home a page that matches the week’s letter or theme
- Add a short note: "This week we learned the letter B. Ask your child what sound it makes."
- Include a question to talk about at dinner
Letter pages from Trace Then Color: Alphabet Monsters work well for this.
Family coloring night
A family coloring night is an easy school event:
- Tables with supplies and a mix of pages
- A short welcome and a story read-aloud
- A family mural where everyone adds a part
- Pages to take home
See family coloring games for ideas families can use at home.
Share progress
- Save a dated page each month and share them at conferences
- Show how coloring control and letter formation have grown
- Celebrate effort and focus, not just neatness
All about my family
Pages with people, like Trace Then Color: Cartoon People, can become "my family" projects. Children color people to match their family and bring them in to share. Pets count too, with Trace Then Color: Cartoon Cats and Dogs. See skin tones in coloring.
Suggestions for families
- Color together for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a week
- Talk about the picture, using new words
- Let your child pick the colors
- Put finished pages on the fridge
Make take-home coloring optional. Some families have very little time, and it should never feel like extra homework.
Questions teachers ask
How often should I send pages home?
Once a week is plenty. Keep it optional and fun.
What if families don’t have supplies?
Send a small bag of crayons with the first page, or ask for donations to make supply kits.
How do I reach families who don’t speak English?
Pictures need no translation. Add a short note in the family’s language if you can.
About Kevin Coulston
Kevin Coulston is a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, including the Trace Then Color series. Meet Kevin or browse all his books on FirstArtBooks.com.
