Colouring

1. Share the purpose of the activity, orally, before you actually begin the exercise. For instance, “This is an activity that is meant to help students recharge and refocus their minds. Also, the activity is meant to bring calm in the face of challenging subject matter.” You might also mention that students can use colouring on their own as a way to help them with anxiety or big feelings.
2. Give options. There are a number of excellent colouring books produced by and about Black, Indigenous, and racialized peoples. Here are some links that allow you to print individual pages. Make sure that you print a variety of pages for your students.
   • Indigenous Words Colouring Pages by the National Arts Centre
   • What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book by D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice
3. Foster a calm and relaxing environment. Music may be played at a lower volume if you feel it may help students to relax and focus on colouring. Students may be allowed to chat with each other; however, it is important that the noise level stays low.
4. Continue the colouring as you move on to begin your lesson or lecture. Allowing the students to continue to colour, particularly as you move through challenging or emotionally laborious material, may help them to cope with and process what you are saying.

Students may want more information on how colouring specifically helps mental health and inner calmness. You may direct them to the following resources:

• Colouring is good for your health by the Mayo Clinic
• 3 reasons adult colouring can actually relax your brain by Cleveland Clinic