Do Coloring Books Make Senior Citizens Brainier?

Want to learn but not work very hard? Love color? I loved coloring as a child. Now that I'm older and retired, I took up this activity again. A return to scribbling with crayons may sound boring, but on the contrary, coloring can open doors you never expected. Coloring uses hand and eye coordination, requires concentration, planning and creativity, provides new information, can be calming and provides a way to connect to younger generations.

My first adult coloring book I purchased was titled "Mandalas of the World-A Meditating and Painting Guide" by Rudiger Dahlke. This book provided history, several copies of designs, and a good variety of opportunities to play with color contrasts and blends. Because of the nature of the book, I found myself relaxing under the spell of meditative designs. I also learned a great deal about the various shades of colors and can use a good variety of color names when referring to objects. Names like mustard, lemon, cream can add visual appeal and variety to your vocabulary.