A Halloween color by number? Yes, please! Toddler and preschool activities don’t require many supplies.
Here, we created a Halloween color by number using paper and a fresh pack of markers. – yep! That is all you need to welcome your early risers and drink your coffee as they create.
This article tells you the benefits of color-by-number activities and answers frequently asked questions. It also gives you the supplies you’ll need and how to start. Bring on the simple, silly monster drawings!
RELATED: Is Halloween your jam? Here are 31 activities to celebrate Halloween on each day in October.
- The Benefits of Color by Number
- My Preschooler’s Experience With Color by Number
- My Toddler’s Experience With Color by Number
- Two Supplies for This Fun Activity
- How to Set-Up This Halloween Activity
- Seasonal Activity Cards
- Halloween Color by Number is Simple and Fun!
- Other Halloween Activities to Try
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Benefits of Color by Number
This Halloween coloring activity has some hidden skills for the mind and creativity.
- Develops pencil grip – did you know that you can practice pencil grip and how to write before forming a single letter? It’s true! Simple activities like this monster coloring sheet will allow children to grow comfortable with proper finger positioning in a relaxed environment.
- Encourages creativity – giving your child a chance to explore colors is great for their imagination and experimentation. “Parents need to be aware that children learn a lot more from graphic sources now than in the past. Children need to know more about the world than just what they can learn through text and numbers. Art education teaches students how to interpret, criticize, and use visual information, and how to make choices based on it.” – Dr. Kerry Freedman, Head of Art and Design Education at Northern Illinois University.
- Hand-eye coordination – coloring inside the lines takes a lot of practice and increases hand-eye coordination.
- Improves fine motor development for writing – we want to introduce writing and drawing with risk-free invitations before setting limits on how to form letters correctly. The more free choice we offer now with markers, squirt bottles, scissors, etc., the more open our children will be down the road when learning how to form letters.
- Increases concentration – they will focus on choosing and using different materials and colors.
- It helps kids learn color names and shades – it’s a great way to introduce colors through play without pressure.
- Paying attention to detail – your kid will need to consider the numbers and match them to the color chart.
RELATED: Don’t miss out on these great fine motor activities and ways to play!
My Preschooler’s Experience With Color by Number
My preschooler colored by number and followed the directions. Here, my five-year-old has the concentration and momentum to follow each color by number correctly.
He also has years of squirting, squeezing, and sticker peeling under his belt, so his grip has improved drastically over the years! This color-by-number is a terrific Halloween activity to warm up his hands for writing and mind for creative play.
My Toddler’s Experience With Color by Number
My toddler played color by number differently. I set the monster up for my toddler by matching color instead of numbers.
It turns out he went in his direction and colored how he saw fit. Such is the life of a toddler.
When this happens, I prompt by showing my three-year-old that different parts of the monster are labeled with a matching color. If my toddler still shows disinterest in following the color codes, he can carry on as he sees fit.
Remember, coloring practice is better than no coloring practice. Forcing my three-year-old to use the correct color will not do any good. Allowing some flexibility helps us all enjoy our morning and wake up with creativity. – A Breakfast Invitation Win.
RELATED: You’ll also love this monster eye count-up!
Two Supplies for This Fun Activity
Let’s set up these monsters!
- Markers – giving a choice of different colors is great for learning.
- White paper – I use this one from Amazon.
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How to Set-Up This Halloween Activity
Step 1. Tape the white paper to your tabletop Make sure your child can reach it easily.
Step 2. Find simple monster images to sketch on your paper quickly They don’t have to be perfect!
Step 3. Include color dots or create a color-by-number key to your drawing. You can use colored stickers or marker pens.
Step 4. Invite your child to join in and color the Halloween monster! Do this as a Breakfast Invitation so you can drink coffee while your child takes the lead.
Seasonal Activity Cards
No more searching for ideas. Here’s exactly what you need to celebrate fall, Halloween, winter, and Noon Year’s Eve.
You will ADORE these 20 all-new ideas.
Halloween Color by Number is Simple and Fun!
This activity is easy to set up and incredible for kids’ development and growth. So what are you waiting for?! When will you make a Halloween Color by Number?
Other Halloween Activities to Try
- A Halloween Art Activity: Bone Painting
- Halloween Messy Sensory Play
- Pumpkin Faces for Halloween
- Room on the Broom Paint by Number
- Spider Web Dots – The Best Preschool Halloween Activity
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Monsters with silly faces and different colors are typically a hit. Invite older children to color the monsters by number and younger children to color the monster by color matching.
Crayons, watercolors, and oil pastels work great! I like to place down a piece of kraft paper before using watercolors or oil pastels to protect the table.
No problem! Use the color by number as a guide to inspire creativity and pencil grip. Allow your child to take the lead. Remember, the more exposure to forming scribbles, lines, and curves, the better. Read more about the stages of writing here.
