Coloring Book To Benefit Special Needs ChildrenA Warsaw woman is in the process of producing a coloring book that would benefit area special needs children.
Cynthia Aleman is planning on coming out with 1,500 coloring books titled “Special Friends” in mid-November. The coloring book is 20-24 pages and is 8-1/2-by-11 inches.
“We designed this book for children ages 3 on up,” Aleman said, also stating adults might enjoy it.
At least 25% of the proceeds of the coloring book after production costs will go to the special education department at Warsaw High School.
The reason she chose Warsaw High School to start off with is because Aleman adopted a son who had cerebral palsy who was taught by Barb Martz, a special needs teacher at the high school, “and she was absolutely wonderful.”
Aleman said she told Martz about her idea for the coloring book and she was thrilled with the idea.
There’s another reason for doing the coloring book.
“I wanted to do something for these kids,” she said, also saying she wanted the students to know there are people that care about them.
“The kids at the high school are going to be able to benefit by having additional manipulatives or teaching aides,” she said.
“There are so many types of children in a special education class that getting supplies that are specifically tailored to them is no easy feat.
“The equipment and manipulatives needed to facilitate learning and progress toward independence cost a great deal,” Aleman wrote in an advertising brochure for the coloring book.
“I wanted to supplement that,” she said.
The idea came from a meeting with a colleague who wanted her opinion on a coloring book. That coloring book had advertising in it and she wondered what good she could do with it.
“My husband and I talked it over and I thought maybe we could benefit the special needs kids at the high school,” she said.
The coloring book, which is free of charge to those who take them home, will be first distributed to advertisers. and then to businesses with waiting rooms where parents need to occupy their children.
There are benefits to coloring for children, she said.
“Creativity is always a good thing for brain development,” she said, adding there’s also self-esteem that is involved when the child gets acclamation for coloring or creating, including hand-eye coordination.
This is Aleman’s pilot book.
“We have definite plans to do another one in a year,” she said, although it might be sooner since she doesn’t know how long the 1,500 coloring books will last.
Subsequent coloring books will have new pictures.
“We want to branch out and use more of our own artwork,” Aleman said.
To advertise in the coloring book, call Aleman at 574-268-8166 or email her at cynthia@lightplaymarketing.com.
