7 Creative Ways to Use Local Coloring Books With Your Kids

Coloring is more than just staying inside the lines—it’s a way to slow down, connect, and notice the world around you. At Local Color, we design coloring books based on real places so that every page can turn into a story, a memory, or even a mini adventure.

Here are seven creative ways to use local coloring books with your kids to build connection and spark curiosity about the places you share.

1. Turn Bedtime Into “Story + Coloring” Time

Instead of rushing through bedtime, try adding a 10-minute “color and talk” ritual.

• Let your child pick a page from a familiar neighborhood spot or landmark.
• As they color, ask simple questions:
  • “Do you remember when we walked past this?”
  • “What do you think is happening just outside this picture?”
• Use the scene to tell a short, calm story together.

This helps kids wind down while replaying happy, grounded moments from their own life.

2. Use Coloring Pages to Plan a Weekend Outing

Flip through your Local Color book and let your child choose the next place to visit in real life.

• “Which one should we go see this weekend?”
• Circle that page and color it before or after your trip.
• When you go, bring the colored page along and compare:
  • “What looks the same?”
  • “What did we imagine differently?”

Suddenly, your weekend plans go from “Where should we go?” to “Which page should we visit?”

3. Make a “My City” Scrapbook

Turn finished coloring pages into a simple scrapbook that grows over time.

• Have your child write (or dictate for you to write) a short note under each page:
  • “We came here for ice cream with Grandma.”
  • “This is the bridge we cross on the way to school.”
• Add small printed photos or ticket stubs when you can.

Over time, this becomes a memory book of your family’s life in your city—not just a stack of torn-out pages.

4. Create a “Tour Guide” Game

Kids love being the expert. Use colored pages to let them guide you.

• Ask them to choose 3–5 finished pages.
• Lay them out and pretend you’re a tourist.
• Have your child “give you a tour” using the pages:
  • “This is our favorite bakery because…”
  • “Here’s where we saw the big dog…”

You’ll hear how they see the city—and what moments meant the most to them.

5. Pair Coloring With Local History Fun

If your child is curious, use a page as a simple, age-appropriate history prompt.

• Look up one short fact about the place (a date, a fun story, or a person).
• While they color, share that one bite-sized fact.
• Ask, “If you were designing this place today, what would you add?”

You don’t need a full lesson plan—just one fact is enough to make the place feel more alive.

6. Use Coloring as a Gentle Transition After School

Many kids need a soft landing between the intensity of school and the rest of the day.

• Set out a page from a familiar local scene and a small set of pencils.
• Invite them to color for 10–15 minutes before homework, screens, or activities.
• Let them talk (or not talk) about their day while their hands are busy.

Because the scenes are from real life—not fantasy worlds—it can feel grounding and safe.

7. Start a “Color It How It Feels” Tradition

Some days, kids don’t want to talk about feelings directly. Coloring can help.

• Ask them to choose a local scene page for that day.
• Invite them to color it based on how they feel, not how it “should” look:
  • “If today felt loud, what colors would you use?”
  • “If today felt calm, what colors match that?”

Later, looking back at the pages can gently open conversations about emotions through color, not pressure.

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At Local Color, we believe the places you share every day—your coffee shop, your streets, your bridges and parks—are worth celebrating. Our coloring books are designed to help your family slow down, notice those places, and turn them into something you can hold in your hands.

Ready to start some new traditions with your kids? Explore our collection of locally inspired coloring books and see which places your family wants to color first.