Have you heard of mindful colouring? Colouring in shapes and pictures can be really calming and help to clear your mind. This can be really helpful if you are struggling with your grief and emotions. Have you tried it before?
What is being mindful?
Being mindful is a way of trying to be present in the moment, which can calm your busy brain and give you the chance to focus on what you’re doing in front of you. Sometimes it’s really helpful to not think about anything else for a few minutes and get absorbed in the activity or thing you’re doing. In this case, the activity of mindfulness is colouring.
How do I do it?
To be able to start mindful colouring, you’ll need to find a picture you like and be sitting somewhere quiet or where you can concentrate on what you’re doing. This activity is something you could do with others, or it might be an opportunity to have some time on your own and really focus on being present in the moment. Watching yourself colour in the different shapes to your own chosen design can be really satisfying, and you might even want to challenge yourself to stay within the lines!
What do I need?
If you can print the picture onto paper, you’ll need some colouring pens, pencils, or any other arty supplies. If you are colouring digitally, you or a grown-up will need to save the image to a device and download an app called Colorscape to colour it in!
We’ve put together some printable PDFs and digital downloads (use the app Colorscape to colour in on your device!) of single colouring pages. Mindful colouring books are increasingly popular among all ages, but sometimes having a whole book can feel overwhelming. There are lots of designs so hopefully you can find one suitable for your age and your personal interests.
Try this activity and take some time out of your day, even if it’s five minutes a day for five days. If you choose one of the harder designs that are more repetitive and smaller shapes, you could try following a colouring pattern to focus on what you’re doing. Being mindful is a type of self-care and can be a great way to ground yourself – see if it helps you take your mind away from your busy thoughts and grief.
Download our mindful colouring activity
Below you can see the different images we have created. Some are simpler designs than others! Choose the one you like and click on the button to download it either as a PDF or an image.
Getting grief support
If you’re a young person who is struggling with their grief or you are an adult who would like help to support a child or young person after the death of someone, Winston’s Wish are here to help. Winston’s Wish provides support for children, young people up to the age of 25 and adults supporting them.
You can call our Freephone Helpline on 08088 020 021 (8am-8pm, Monday to Friday), email us on ask@winstonswish.org or use our live chat (open 8am-8pm, Monday to Friday). Our support workers are here to listen, can offer immediate guidance and resources and tell you what support we can offer and what might be most suitable for you.
Our Winston’s Wish Crisis Messenger is available 24/7 for urgent support in a crisis. Text WW to 85258.
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Activities for grieving children
Download our free activities to help grieving children express their feelings and remember someone who has died.
Make and talk activity: Rainbow Review
A handy check-in to find out how grieving children and young people are coping at the moment by asking them about the good, not so good and stand-out moments from their day or week.