How to Inspire Children to Paint
When I was a child I painted all the time. I especially remember bright rainbows and little robots that I drew with my “Pelikan” felt-tip pens. Once I even drew all over the white wall of my bedroom with colorful wax crayons. My parents were, of course, shocked, but to me it felt like a real adventure. Those early experiences shaped my view of creativity: painting was freedom, a way to express myself, and a gateway to a world that felt like my own.
Where it all began… my first landscapes created with simple felt-tip pens.
Why Painting Is So Valuable for Children
Today I know it wasn’t just a feeling. Studies show that painting supports a child’s development in many ways. It improves fine motor skills, strengthens concentration, and helps children express emotions they might not yet be able to put into words. Neuroscientists have even found that painting activates the same areas of the brain that are responsible for creativity, problem-solving, planning, and emotional regulation.
Coloring books, in particular, offer a wonderful balance between structure and freedom: the outlines provide guidance, but the choice of colors, details, and little stories is left entirely to the child’s imagination. Painting is therefore not just a pastime but a way for children to grow, build confidence and find inner calm.
Especially nature-themed motifs have a calming effect on children. When they color trees, animals, or meadows, they often relax on their own. In a world full of screens, painting is a soothing counterbalance.
My Motivation to Create a Children’s Coloring Book
As a landscape painter, I have spent years working with nature-inspired subjects. One afternoon I had some time to spare and wandered into a bookstore in the city. By chance I found myself standing in the children’s section, in front of a small shelf filled with coloring books. The themes were all quite similar, and I couldn’t find a single one that showed beautiful trees, lakes or mountains. Yet nature is the greatest source of inspiration of all.
The thought that many children today grow up surrounded by concrete and rarely experience real nature stayed on my mind. The idea that they might not develop any connection to forests or animals makes me sad, especially because childhood shapes the way we see the world later in life. I was lucky enough to grow up in the countryside with a large garden. For many children today, that is no longer the case.
One of the coloring page as an example (web-safe preview).
With my coloring book, I want to build a bridge. I wish for children to learn to walk through the world with open eyes. That they notice colors, discover trees, animals and landscapes, and bring all of it to life on paper. The thought that a child might be inspired by my book to go out into the forest touches my heart. For this reason, alongside my full-time job and my own painting, I spent many months working on the illustrations every evening with genuine artistic passion.
By now, the book is available on several platforms (Amazon, BoD, Dussmann, Thalia… ISBN: 9783695102471).
The book contains 40 lovingly designed nature motifs with a special focus on animals in their natural surroundings, because as I learned from conversations with educators, children love to draw animals. It is printed in A4 size and was consciously designed so that the motifs are placed in landscape orientation. This makes the landscapes and animals appear wider and more natural. Each page is printed on one side only, so that colors do not bleed through and children can paint freely.
👉 You can find my children’s coloring book here:
Introducing Children to Painting Through Play
Parents sometimes wonder how to spark their children’s interest in creativity. That’s why, during my research for this book, I spoke with educators and mothers. And I was surprised, because it turned out to be much simpler than I first thought: children naturally have an enthusiasm for creativity. The key is simply to give them space. Often it is already enough to have pencils and paper within easy reach.
It becomes especially meaningful when parents paint together with their children. This not only strengthens the bond and makes it more fun, but also shows children that their art is valuable and appreciated.
If you would like to inspire your child to enjoy creativity and nature, my coloring book is an easy way to start.
👉 Find the book directly on Amazon, BoD, Dussmann, Thalia and more!
👉 ISBN: 9783695102471