National Coloring Day is a holiday that’s observed annually on September 14th. It’s a holiday that encourages people to break out their crayons and their coloring books and to take up a hobby that they may not have enjoyed for many years. As children, most of us spent many a rainy afternoon coloring away in our coloring books, but that likely changed as we got older.

Eventually, we all would lose the desire to color, and we feel that’s a shame. There are distinct benefits to coloring that include improved motor skills, sleep, focus, and a reduction in stress and anxiety. All good reasons for people to grab their box of crayons and celebrate this holiday.

The History of National Coloring Day

National Coloring Day is a holiday that’s been around for a few years now, but we’re unsure of exactly when it was created or who created it. We do know that it came out around the same time as National Coloring Book Day — a separate holiday that was observed in August and was created sometime in 2015.

However, that’s all that we currently know about this holiday’s history. The history of coloring is something that we know a little bit more about. Humans have used natural materials such as clay, charcoal, and ochre to create drawings and paintings of the things that they encountered during the day, especially images of the animals they hunted.

As the years progressed, coloring materials became more sophisticated. The ancient Egyptians used ground minerals and plant extracts for coloring, and in ancient Greece, lead and copper were used to create frescoes and mosaics. During the 16th century, some of the first crayons were invented using a combination of oil and charcoal.

However, it wouldn’t be until the 20th century that modern crayons would be invented. Binney and Smith began producing crayons made from a combination of wax and pigment. This company would later become Crayola and sell millions of crayons over the years.

Today, crayons and coloring books are still enjoyed by both children and adults alike. This will likely continue well into the future, even as more modern pastimes such as video games continue to grow in popularity. In fact, adult coloring has continued to rise in popularity among people who recognize its benefits.

Observing National Coloring Day

Grabbing a box of crayons and a particularly interesting coloring book is a great way to observe National Coloring Day. It’s also a good day to introduce other people to the hobby by hosting coloring parties or by sharing news about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalColoringDay on social media.

Just remember, if you’re going to spend the day coloring with friends and family members, be sure to supply plenty of drinks and snacks. After all, a day of coloring can be exhausting.