Busy Folders

Busy Folders

Do you have coloring books galore?  With three girls we accumulate a lot of coloring books and of course we never finish them or use them all up.  I struggled with getting coloring books and then not using them up. I felt I was wasting resources and money even if I didn't buy them.  Especially, when I was printing pages for my girls to color instead.  So, I started to find ways to use up those coloring books and make it something my girls enjoyed doing.  Recently, I posted on mg IG account about my busy folders. These folders are one of the ways that we use up our coloring pages. 

At the end of the school year, I collect any folders that are salvageable.  Really, they don't have to be in pristine condition, but able to still work (I even tape some first).  I make sure I have one for each kiddo.  These are their busy folders. Sometimes I save two per kiddo if I can just in case one falls apart.

Then I collect all my coloring books that I have on hand.  In each folder I put 8-10 pages choosing different coloring pages (not all come from the same book).  

Really that's it.  We use these folders for traveling and during church on Sundays.  I just make sure each week, usually Sunday night, to recycle any pages that are filled and make sure they have enough pages in their folders for the following Sunday.  

Another way we use up our coloring pages is by coloring them.  I know, I know that sounds obvious, but instead of just coloring in the book I tear the pages out.  We have a craft area, and in the craft area I have three hanging folders of coloring pages.  I tear out the pages of the coloring books and divide them into three sections; Bible, Holiday and anything else.  Then when the girls want a coloring page I will print one, but then they can pick from the folders. Having them in the folders really helps too when I'm re-filling our busy folders.  

Finally, we use the coloring pages as fun mail.  This is something that the girls' Nana started when we were living far apart.  She bought coloring books about something they liked and then would send them weekly mail with a coloring page or two each.  This could be something that your kiddos send to cousins or friends on their birthdays.  Or they could color a coloring page to mail to a friend or family member. 

Ways we use coloring book pages: 

1. Sunday folders

2. travel folders 

3. fun mail 

4. Color them 

I've found that while coloring books are fun, after they've filled their excitement, kiddos still enjoy them just in a different way. Tearing them out and having options to choose from helps, along with having different coloring ages in the folders for church or travel.