Relax and Unwind With This Color by Numbers App

For the Pacific Northwest, the whole month of February was a wash. We had back to back, once in 20 years snowstorms, and for half the month the city was virtually shut down. I spent a lot of time on my couch, being bored. Until, that is, I found out about the Happy Color App.

Happy Color is a color by numbers program, and it’s surprisingly addictive. I downloaded the app after someone I follow on Instagram mentioned it, and within 10 minutes I had purchased the premium version. There are a lot of ads in the free version, and I was snowed in and it seemed absolutely worth $5 to not see an ad after every picture is finished.

There are TONS of pictures to choose from, and more are added every day. There are categories like animals, nature, places, patterns, and fashion. There’s also a daily picture, and you can go back and color the picture of the day from yesterday, or months ago. There are easy pictures for kids, and harder ones for when you want to zone out for 40 minutes. There is truly something for everyone.

There was a recent update that I think improved the app even more. When you select a color from the bottom menu, all the spots that need that color are darkened with a grey and white checkerboard pattern (the used to just turn a light grey shade and sometimes they were hard to find, but there’s a hint button!). Then, when you have colored all of say, number 8, that color is moved to the back of the color bar, so you only see the colors you have yet to use. Once your picture is done an animation of your coloring plays, and your picture is added to an album of all your coloring projects.

I frequently use my iPad while I watch TV, and I particularly use this dual-distraction method when I’m in pain. The Happy Color App is a great way to keep my mind occupied without being taxing or taking my concentration away from Grey’s Anatomy, like Twitter or Instagram could. If you’re in need of some mental detox but don’t want something too involved or intense, perhaps a digital color by numbers is for you.