A fixed tradition that dates back to every person's childhood is every child's dream. I remember when I was a small, crazy, irritating child, there was only one gift I loved to receive for every single birthday I went to: coloring books. I had a towering beige-toned wooden cabinet in the corner of my bedroom, adjacent to my fancy Mermaid Ariel bed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay This vintage shelf, which I still keep in the corner of my room, was dedicated only to my books, especially my imaginative princess coloring books. However, as I grew up, my passion for using children's items such as colored pencils, crayons and markers transformed into those for high-tech ones such as mechanical pencils, electric erasers and erasable pencils. I had been coloring every day at school since my teachers told me to. But I started to wonder why… What is the actual purpose of coloring? I learned that coloring is not only done for recreational purposes, but also for health and exercise. From easing anxiety to improving handwriting, coloring has all kinds of positive effects on individuals of all ages. The three main benefits that coloring books provide include the reduction of anxiety, the meditative, relaxing and focused state that the brain enters into, while also helping to perfect vision and manual motor skills. For example, coloring has proven to be a good exercise due to its de-stressing power. According to Marygrace Berberian, a certified art therapist, clinical assistant professor, and graduate art therapy program coordinator at New York University, “coloring definitely has therapeutic potential to reduce anxiety, create focus, or bring [about] more awareness.” A 2005 study by therapists found that individuals' anxiety levels decreased significantly when coloring geometric patterns such as mandalas and paisleys. It was once said that even simple recreational sketches and doodling had good effects, but this is not true. Coloring can greatly enhance the human brain, the organ that controls most functions of the human anatomy. This fun activity creates a calm environment. It puts our brain in a meditative and relaxed state. It makes us live in the moment and not have tension. Dr. Stan Rodski, a neuropsychologist who has published a series of coloring books for adults, says that “the most amazing things happened: we started seeing changes in heart rate, changes in brain waves. . . There are three key elements – repetition, pattern and detail – that stimulate positive neurological responses in participants. When there are things that you can predict will happen in a certain way, it's reassuring for us. The drop in the level of anxiety in people causes a slowdown of brain waves and an average heart rate. Not only do coloring books affect us internally, but also externally. It improves our vision, improves hand-eye coordination and hand movement skills due to the small movements of our hands during the coloring process. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Choosing the right shades and tones to hold a colored pencil or crayon correctly are all great examples of these skills. This act of movement exercises and develops your arm muscles and also improves your writing, which is equally important. The fatigue we feel when coloring.