Coloring Activities for Kids
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Coloring Activities using Kids Coloring Pages
A collection of coloring activities using coloring pages. Sure you can color them in, but there's lots more that you can do too. We'll help you find some good free coloring pages to use in your crafts too. I've included links to some of our favorite sites for finding free printable coloring pages.
I have a toddler and a preschooler boy. They love coloring and craft. We use coloring pages as the starting point for lots of our craft activities.
I have a toddler and a preschooler boy. They love coloring and craft. We use coloring pages as the starting point for lots of our craft activities.
Free Coloring Pages - Popular Characters
To use for the activities on this page
- Disney Coloring Pages
- Coloring pages for all their favorite Disney characters including Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Cars, Toy Story and lots more.
- PBS Kids Coloring Pages
- Coloring pages for Dinosaur Train, Curious George, Super Why and all the other favorites from PBS Kids shows.
- Nick Jr Coloring Pages
- Coloring pages for Dora, Diego, Wonder Pets, Dino Dan and lots more Nick Jr favorites.
- DC Comics Superheroes Coloring Pages
- Coloring pages for Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and lots more DC Comics Superheroes. Choose your character and then select Printables.
- Marvel Superheroes Coloring Pages
- Coloring pages for Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Spider Man, Wolverine and more.
Free Coloring Pages - Animals
- Animal Coloring Pages
- Animal coloring pages from National Geographic including: gorilla, bear, elephant, iguana, chimp, shark, lion and lots more.
- Dinosaur Coloring Pages
- My collection of our favorite dinosaur coloring pages. Dinosaurs are a favorite topic in our house!
- Butterfly Coloring Pages
- Lots of pretty butterfly coloring pages to choose from.
Coloring Activities
1. Turn a Coloring Page into a Foam Mosaic
Color-by-numbers coloring pages are great for this purpose.
We had fun creating this Dino Dan Dinosaur Mosaic. We used this Dino Dan color-by-numbers poster.
Peel & Stick Foam Sheets
Peel & Stick Foam Sheets 5.9-Inch-by-4.43-Inch 65-Pack, Rainbow Colors
Amazon Price: $4.96 (as of 06/01/2012)
Peel and stick foam sheets are brilliant for making mosaics because you don't need glue.
2. Create a Collage from a Coloring Page
Creating a collage from a coloring page is another fun activity. You can stick on all sorts of bits from the craft box: paper, feathers, gems, foam shapes, sequins - whatever works for your picture. We've done this activity for a pirate treasure map, a chinese dragon at Chinese New Year and a prehistoric bird (using feathers.)
Craft Supplies for Creating a Coloring Picture Collage
Alex Little Hands Craft All Day
Amazon Price: $18.98 (as of 06/01/2012)
A big tub with all sorts of interesting craft bits it. A good starter set.
3. Use Coloring Pages for Drawing Practice
Depending on the ability of the child you can either place a thin sheet of paper over the printed coloring page and have them trace over it using the picture underneath as a guide.
Or they can copy the picture freehand. My son likes to do both depending on how confident he's feeling. He might trace the picture first and then copy it.
My son used this knight coloring page and used a combination of tracing over and freehand drawing. He was really pleased with the result.
4. Stained Glass Coloring Pages
Flower Power Stained Glass Coloring Book@ Amazon 
BUY NOW
Trace over your coloring page with a thick black marker pen onto tracing paper. Then color in the design on the tracing paper with brightly colored pens. You can stick your coloring page up at a window when it's finished.
Or you could buy a stained glass coloring book with images printed on translucent paper - these are available in a range of designs for girls and boys.
5. Create a Place Mat from a Coloring Page
Have your child color a coloring page as normal. A big coloring page that takes up most of the page is good for this activity.
Once they have finished, laminate the page. You can then use the picture as a place mat. Or give it as a gift. We often give laminated coloring pages as gifts to grandparents at Christmas - they are more durable when stuck on the fridge.
Laminated coloring pages are also good for playing with Play-Doh on. You can use them as a background, so color a forest scene and them make animals from Play-Doh. Or using a kitchen coloring picture and then make food.
Once they have finished, laminate the page. You can then use the picture as a place mat. Or give it as a gift. We often give laminated coloring pages as gifts to grandparents at Christmas - they are more durable when stuck on the fridge.
Laminated coloring pages are also good for playing with Play-Doh on. You can use them as a background, so color a forest scene and them make animals from Play-Doh. Or using a kitchen coloring picture and then make food.
Scotch Thermal Laminator
Scotch Thermal Laminator 15.5 Inches x 6.75 Inches x 3.75 Inches, 2 Roller System (TL901)
Amazon Price: $23.99 (as of 06/01/2012)
A laminator is a great idea if you have kids who like coloring. Laminate their coloring pages as place mats or pictures to give as gifts. It's a great birthday party activity that fits with any theme too. (And you can laminate your favorite recipes with it too.)
6. Use Glitter to Decorate a Coloring Page
If you want to avoid mess then you can use glitter glue - this is glue with colored glitter inside it. You won't get such a vibrant effect but it will be tidier.
If you're up for getting glitter everywhere, put on the aprons, put down a craft mat or some newpaper and get out the glue. Use a paint brush or glue spreader to cover one color at a time. You could print a copy of the picture and cut out the areas that you want to color and use it as a stencil. Or you can go for a less perfect finish and just sprinkle glitter in the right place.
My boys really enjoy this activity. They look forward to adding glitter all the way through coloring their pictures. I think that's a great white shark in the picture. My son's choice of red glitter makes it look rather gruesome! Not quite what I expected but the kids had fun.
Crayola 25-count Washable Glitter Glue Pouch
@ Amazon 
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Glitter Crayons 16-Pack
@ Amazon 
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Crayola 6ct Washable Kid's Paint w/Glitter Special Effects
@ Amazon 
BUY NOW
Simple Coloring Pages for Adding Glitter to
- Fantasy Castle Coloring Page
- This coloring page includes a fantasy castle, dragon, unicorn and knight's shield. Perfect for adding a bit of sparkle to.
- Spacey Shapes Coloring Page
- These stars, a space ship and planets would love a sprinkling of glitter.
- Undersea Creatures Coloring Page
- An undersea scene works brilliantly with some glitter.
7. Make a Jigsaw Puzzle from a Coloring Page
You can make a simple jigsaw puzzle from a colored in picture. It won't be a professional jigsaw puzzle, but it will keep the kids happy for a bit. My boys really enjoy making their own jigsaw puzzle and then completing them or getting their parents to complete them. They feel like they've really made something.
Just take a finished coloring picture and glue in onto a piece of card (the front or back of a cereal box will do.) Then cut the jigsaw into pieces. Don't try anything too intricate, just big curves or straight lines. Kids can do it themselves, but help the younger ones to make sure they don't make the pieces too small.
Just take a finished coloring picture and glue in onto a piece of card (the front or back of a cereal box will do.) Then cut the jigsaw into pieces. Don't try anything too intricate, just big curves or straight lines. Kids can do it themselves, but help the younger ones to make sure they don't make the pieces too small.
Put your own picture on a Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle
Melissa & Doug 376 Make Your Own Jigsaw Puzzle
Amazon Price: (as of 06/01/2012)
You could make a small coloring picture and put it onto this wooden jigsaw puzzle kit for a more professional result.
8. Make a Cardboard TV with Coloring Pages
This one will keep them busy for a while! Make a cardboard TV where the coloring pages are used as TV shows. They'll need to color several coloring pages, say 4-6. Make them quite different. This is an ideal activity for using coloring pictures from movies or TV shows.
You can either laminate the colored pages or stick them to card. You'll also need a cardboard box with one face about the same size as a coloring page. A small pizza box, cereal box or box from an online delivery would work. If you use a box that has a picture on you could paint it or cover it with plain paper to make it look like a TV.
Cut a screen area from the cardboard box, make is a little smaller than a coloring page. Now cut slits in the cardboard box so that a coloring page can be slotted in as the TV show. Kids will have great fun changing the channel on their television!
You can either laminate the colored pages or stick them to card. You'll also need a cardboard box with one face about the same size as a coloring page. A small pizza box, cereal box or box from an online delivery would work. If you use a box that has a picture on you could paint it or cover it with plain paper to make it look like a TV.
Cut a screen area from the cardboard box, make is a little smaller than a coloring page. Now cut slits in the cardboard box so that a coloring page can be slotted in as the TV show. Kids will have great fun changing the channel on their television!
9. Make a 3D Paper Picture using Coloring Pages
Color the background scene on one page. Color the foreground characters on another. Now cut out the colored foreground pictures. Now use sticky foam mounting tabs to stick the foreground images over the corresponding area on your background picture. You can use this technique to build up several layers if you like. Only the layers that are visible need to be colored.
We used this Tyrannosaurus Rex coloring page to make our 3D picture. The little lizard at the front is on a third layer. The 3D effect is stronger in real life.
You could frame the finished picture in a deep picture frame or shadow box to give as a gift.
Double-Sided Mounting Tabs
Duck Brand 297472 Double Sided Mounting Tabs, 60-Count
Amazon Price: $1.79 (as of 06/01/2012)
Mounting tabs are sticky on both side and made from foam so they can raise up part of a picture.
10. Make a Gift Bag using Coloring Pictures
Take a plain paper bag (if you can save one that you get from a store that's brilliant.) Choose a picture that will fit on the bag and have the kids color it, or maybe you have some pictures they colored earlier. You can either fill the whole front of the bag or have a picture running across the middle, or you could even stick your picture at a jaunty angle.
This is a great alternative gift wrap idea which can save you money on gift wrap and keep the kids occupied for a while. (And get rid of one or two of their colored pictures - did I say that?)
This is a great alternative gift wrap idea which can save you money on gift wrap and keep the kids occupied for a while. (And get rid of one or two of their colored pictures - did I say that?)
Paper Gift Bags
Baker's Dozen Medium Gift Bags 8x4-1/4x10" 13/Pkg-Primary
Amazon Price: $5.81 (as of 06/01/2012)
These paper gift bags come in white, brown (cheapest), bright and pastel colors.
More Coloring Craft Ideas
Do you have an other Coloring Page Activity Suggestions?
Comments
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Atreyusmommy May 15, 2012 @ 10:24 pm | delete
- www.tlsbooks.com has some really cool educational coloring activities that my son loves. You listed some really good ideas here. Thanks so much for sharing this.
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Pastiche
Dec 28, 2011 @ 11:46 am | delete
- I love drawing coloring page art and coloring crafts are a great way to add another dimension to line art and coloring pictures.
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dannystaple Aug 24, 2011 @ 1:38 am | delete
- These are good fun, I'll try some with my daughter, especially with Dino pages - she loves dinosaurs now...
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by DinosaurEgg
DinosaurEgg has two small boys who have lots of fun using coloring pages in craft activities.
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