There’s no question we’re living in a
technology-saturated age, even when it comes to the simple act of drawing. Graphics tablets and super advanced design programs give anyone the ability to
create masterpieces without necessarily having the innate talent to draw.
But there’s still something special about
cracking open a fresh box of wax crayons, and seeing the sharp, unused tips,
ready to add streaks of colour to the page.
My daughter’s almost a year and a half old now,
and while she definitely enjoys playing games on our smartphones and watching
TV, she’s also at the age where she can grab a crayon and scribble, which I’ve
been waiting for since I first laid eyes on her in the hospital.
Colouring with my daughter has reawakened my
love of crayons and colouring books. I
remember being super excited to get a brand-new mega-pack of crayons as a kid, so
I was more than happy to provide her with the same feeling.
My fiancée bought her a few Sesame Street
colouring books, and nearly every day since then we’ve had colouring time. She
even asks for it – pointing at the box and saying “colour!”
I don’t always draw perfectly in the lines,
especially when a tiny hand is constantly trying to snatch the crayon I’m using
or scribbling over the area I’m trying to fill in. But just the experience of
colouring alongside her is priceless - even if she immediately ruins all my
hard work!
And I’m certainly guilty of continuing to finish
what I was working on - even starting a new page - well after she’s moved on to
another source of entertainment.
It’s kind of nice to know that, in an era of
iPads and Wacom tablets, a company like Crayola is still going strong. In fact,
it’s their 110th anniversary this year, and they’re celebrating by
releasing a limited edition 1903-style eight-crayon pack with new nicknames.
Whatever the name or colour, the simple crayon
will always have a special place in my heart - and in my hand, especially when
it’s being shared with another tiny hand.
