Coloring together is lovely, until the 7-year-old is bored and the 3-year-old is frustrated, or both want the same book. Giving each sibling a book that suits their age and personality makes shared coloring time much smoother.
Match by age
Ages 3 to 4
Big, round, simple characters with few small details. Good picks:
Ages 5 to 6
A bit more detail and lots of personality:
- Trace Then Color: Cartoon Dinosaurs
- Trace Then Color: Cute Cartoon Monsters
- Trace Then Color: Fairies, Princesses and Other Cute Stuff
Ages 7 and up
Detailed, funny or gross characters that feel grown-up:
See also coloring books by age.
Match by personality
- The animal lover: baby animals, cats and dogs, sea creatures.
- The giggler: goofy faces, food monsters, Crusty Goobers.
- The dreamer: unicorns, mermaids, fairies.
- The builder: robots, robot dinosaurs, cyborgs.
- The explorer: aliens, dinosaurs, weird creatures.
Same theme, different levels
Some siblings want to color "the same thing." Try books with related themes at different levels:
- Robots: Baby Robots for the younger child, Alien Cyborgs for the older one.
- Animals: Baby Animals for the younger, Mutant Animals for the older.
- Monsters: Cute Cartoon Monsters for the younger, Crusty Goobers for the older.
Both kids feel they are doing the same thing, but each has the right challenge.
Coloring side by side
- Give each child their own supplies, or a shared cup with two of each popular color.
- Sit across from each other, not elbow to elbow.
- Let each child choose their own page.
- Avoid comparing their work.
See siblings coloring together and coloring with mixed ages.
Gift idea
A matching set of books, one per child, makes a great family gift: each book chosen for one child, all from the same series.
Questions parents ask
Can a younger child use an older sibling’s book?
Sure, with help. Detailed pages might frustrate them, so pick the simpler pages.
My kids fight over one book. What should I do?
Give each child their own book. Having something that is "theirs" reduces fights.
Do the books overlap in characters?
Each book has its own characters on its theme, so siblings with different books get different characters.
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.
