Five ways to use coloring pages in class, beyond "color this in"

In some classrooms, a coloring page is used as a quiet moment: "color this in while I finish the group." That is fine, but a page can do more. It is a picture with a lot to see, and you can build a short activity around it. This article gives five activities that use free pages and need no extra materials. They suit different ages, and you can make each one short or longer.

1. Search and color

Choose a page with a lot going on and ask the children to find something: a bird, a hat, three animals. The site has pages built for this, such as the search-and-color page on the farm. The children color what they find, and they look closely at the details at the same time.

For younger children, use one object to find. For older children, ask for two or three.

2. Write the story

After coloring, ask each child to write one sentence about the picture. Who is in it, and what are they doing? The class can also talk about it in a circle. A page such as the fox with a scarf or the big autumn leaf gives an easy start.

For older pupils, add a second question: what happens next? That is a simple writing exercise that does not feel like a test.

3. Count and compare

Ask the children to count: how many animals, how many colors, how many shapes in one area. A page with clear shapes works best. Write the answers on the board and compare them. The results often differ, and that makes a good talking point.

4. Color with a rule

Give the class one rule: only warm colors, or every color must start with a letter of your name, or no two neighboring areas may share a color. The rule makes the task harder, which can suit older children. A page with a clear shape, such as the round lantern, is good for this.

At the end, the children explain which rule they used. This also practices listening and speaking.

5. Let the class talk

Hang the finished pages on the wall. Ask the children to look at each other's work and name one thing they like. This is a short exercise in giving compliments. For a seasonal lesson, the Christmas cat fits a winter display. For a Sinterklaas display, the little shoe with a carrot works well.

If you want other pages for a theme, the forest collection, the pets collection and the easy collection group pages by subject and level.

Practical notes

Print at 100 percent on A4 in portrait orientation, so the lines stay sharp. Print a few spares before the lesson, so you do not wait for the printer. Use one copy per child and keep a few extra for those who want to try again.

All the pages in this article are free to print and color in class. You do not need an account to use them.

To finish

Pick one of the five activities for each lesson and keep it short. Five minutes with a page is often enough to make the idea land. If the class enjoys it, you can build the activity into the next week. The classroom section of the site has worksheets and more ideas for teachers.