Color by Number – 48 Free Printable Worksheets

Every sheet on this page is a picture split into numbered areas, and every area waits for the right crayon. Look at the number, find it in the color key at the bottom, and fill the shape in. Little by little a finished picture appears, often a surprise until the very last area. These 48 free printable color by number worksheets begin with gentle first pages and grow into detailed pictures for steady hands, so everyone in the family can find a sheet to enjoy.

All 48 Color by Number Worksheets

All worksheets are free. Click a picture to open the PDF, which prints on A4 and US Letter paper. The pictures are sorted from easy to hard, so you can start at the top and work your way down. Every sheet has a color key at the bottom, and page 2 of each PDF shows the colored solution.

Easy Color by Number (15–24 Areas)

Double-Scoop Ice Cream Cone with Cherry (15 Areas)

Two stacked scoops with wavy lower edges sit on a tall waffle cone split into three sections, with a cherry and curved stem on top. Three round sprinkle dots mark the upper scoop, and two clouds and two curved hill lines frame the background. The scoops suit pink and mint as a color-by-number scheme.

Sailboat with Striped Sail on Waves (17 Areas)

A sailboat floats on two wavy lines of water, its tall mast topped with a small round knob and a pennant flag. The large main sail is split into three bands and a smaller triangular sail sits to the right. A round sun with rays and a puffy cloud fill the sky. The sail bands suit blue, red and yellow as a color-by-number scheme.

Jack-o’-Lantern with Moon and Leaf (17 Areas)

A big pumpkin with a curved stem and one pointed leaf is carved with two triangle eyes, a small triangle nose and a wide grin with three square teeth. A round full moon, scalloped bushes and rolling hills sit behind it. The large pumpkin segments suit orange shades, and the moon could be yellow against a purple night sky.

Rainbow with Clouds and Sun (18 Areas)

A color-by-number rainbow made of six wide arched bands, with a fluffy cloud at each foot and a round sun with long rays in the upper right corner. Two rolling hills fill the bottom. The even bands take a classic red-to-violet sequence well.

Rocket with Round Porthole and Flame (19 Areas)

A rocket points upward with a large double-ringed porthole, two curved side fins and a three-layer flame underneath. Three five-pointed stars and sweeping curved bands fill the space behind it. The flame’s nested tongues would take a red, orange and yellow color-by-number scheme well.

Apple Tree with Five Apples (19 Areas)

A round, cloud-shaped tree crown holds five apples, each with a short stem and a pointed leaf, above a thick trunk with flared roots. A big sun, a puffy cloud and two small bushes on a grassy hill surround it. The large, open shapes make this an easy color-by-number sheet, and red apples against a green crown stand out well.

Three Striped Easter Eggs in Grass (19 Areas)

Three tall Easter eggs stand side by side in a row of grass tufts, each split into top, middle and bottom bands by two curved lines. Behind them are scalloped bushes, two rolling hills, a puffy cloud and a round sun with straight rays. The wide egg bands are easy to fill and would suit pastel pink, blue and yellow in a color-by-number scheme.

Cherry Cupcake on a Plate (20 Areas)

A cupcake with three tiers of swirled frosting sits on an oval plate, topped by a big round cherry with a curved stem. Six round sprinkle dots dot the frosting, and the wrapper has three panels. Two horizontal lines behind it split the background into bands, and the cherry and frosting suit red and pink.

Striped Fish with Bubbles and Seaweed (21 Areas)

Swimming left with a round eye and a little pursed mouth, a plump fish is divided into four body sections by three curved stripes. Three bubbles rise in front of it, wavy seaweed grows on both sides, and rocks sit along the seabed. Its large fan tail and top fin are wide, open shapes.

Yellow School Bus Under Clouds and Sun (21 Areas)

This color-by-number school bus is drawn in side view on a straight road line. It has five tall rounded windows, a windshield, two big wheels with small hubs and a bumper at each end. A round sun and two puffy clouds fill the sky. The large body shape suits a bold yellow.

Smiling Butterfly with Spotted Wings (22 Areas)

Seen from the front with wings spread wide, a smiling butterfly has big round eyes and one large circle on each of its four wings. Clouds drift in the corners and a gentle hill runs along the bottom. The big circles are easy to fill with a bold color or a pattern of their own.

Ladybug on a Leaf Under the Sun (23 Areas)

A color-by-number sheet of a big-eyed ladybug sitting on a broad green leaf, with a round sun with rays and two puffy clouds above. The wing cases carry six round spots and the stem rests on a rolling hill. The large, open shapes suit beginners.

Smiling Sunflower in a Flowerpot (23 Areas)

A color-by-number flower with a round smiling face and eight pointed petals stands in a tapered pot with a wide rim. Two big leaves flank the stem, clouds float in the sky, and sun rays reach in from the top corners. The large petals and pot are easy to fill, and the leaves would take two shades of green.

Smiling Sea Turtle with Lily Pads (24 Areas)

A smiling sea turtle seen from above swims through wavy water, with big round eyes and four flippers. Its shell is split into a central hexagon and surrounding plates, and two lily pads with wedge-shaped notches sit in opposite corners. Green on the shell and blue water bands would make this color-by-number sheet clear.

Solar System with Ringed Planet and Comet (24 Areas)

A ringed planet sits in the middle of the page, with a wavy-rayed sun in the top left corner and a comet with a streaming tail at the top right. Earth with its continents, a crescent moon, a small cratered planet and six five-pointed stars are spread between curving orbit lines. A yellow sun, a purple ringed planet and a deep blue sky between the orbits would make a good color-by-number scheme.

Medium Color by Number (26–59 Areas)

Smiling Bee Above a Five-Petal Flower (26 Areas)

A friendly bee with big googly eyes and a curved smile hovers over a flower with five rounded petals and a round center. The bee has two oval wings and a striped body with a pointed stinger, while two puffy clouds, two leaves and a gently curved ground line complete the scene. The stripes make natural yellow and black sections for a color-by-number key.

Christmas Tree with Star and Two Gifts (29 Areas)

A three-tiered Christmas tree with scalloped edges hangs a star from a string at the top and carries four round ornaments. Two ribbon-wrapped gift boxes sit beside the trunk on an oval tree skirt, and two horizontal lines divide the background into bands. The bold, open shapes make this an easy sheet, and the star would suit yellow against a dark blue background band.

Autumn Oak Tree with Pumpkin and Acorns (30 Areas)

A broad tree with a gnarled trunk and five scalloped crowns stands on a grassy hill, with a sun and cloud above. At its foot sit a ribbed pumpkin, two acorns and five fallen maple leaves. Orange and red crowns with a brown trunk suit this sheet, and the big, open crowns make it easy to color.

Snowman with Top Hat and Scarf (30 Areas)

This color-by-number sheet shows a smiling snowman in a tall top hat, a long striped scarf and a carrot nose, with twig arms raised and three buttons down its middle. Two snow-capped fir trees, rolling hills, a round sun and two clouds fill the winter background. The big, open body areas suit beginners, while the scarf stripes and the nose ridges are the smallest spaces.

Smiling Spotted Cow in a Meadow (31 Areas)

A smiling cow stands in side view with its head turned toward us, showing a small horn, a pink-style muzzle with two nostrils and a tufted tail. Large patches mark its body, and two daisies, grass tufts, rolling hills and a sun with eight rays fill the meadow. The big patches and wide-open shapes make this an easy sheet; soft green hills and black or brown patches would suit it well.

Hot Air Balloon over Rolling Hills (31 Areas)

A large hot air balloon with five vertical panels and a woven basket floats above two grassy hills, while a smaller balloon drifts at the top right. A rayed sun, two clouds, two round-crowned trees and four grass tufts fill out the scene. Orange, red and yellow panels on the big balloon would stand out against a blue sky.

Smiling Octopus with Spotted Head and Bubbles (32 Areas)

Front view of a smiling octopus with big round eyes, six oval spots on its head and eight curling arms. Wavy water lines divide the background, and three bubbles float at the top right. Seaweed and rounded rocks sit along the bottom. The wide, simple arm shapes suit a purple or orange body, with the spots in a second shade.

Striped Lighthouse on Rocky Shore (32 Areas)

A tall tower with a lantern room, a railed gallery and a pointed cap stands on a rocky shore above two wavy bands of sea. Two arched windows, a small arched door with steps, a light beam to the right, a sun with eight rays and a single cloud fill the scene. The tower’s bands and the wide rocks and sea are open areas, while the window panes and gallery railing are the smallest spaces.

Smiling Lion Face with Scalloped Mane (33 Areas)

A front-facing cartoon lion with wide eyes, a heart-shaped nose and a broad smile sits inside a mane of eight rounded petals, most split in two by a center line. Two small round ears peek out at the top corners, and curved lines in the background mark off sky and ground. A mane this segmented suits a color-by-number key of warm oranges and browns, with a sky blue behind it.

Beach Scene with Sandcastle and Umbrella (34 Areas)

A sunny beach day with a crenellated sandcastle and flag, a large striped umbrella, a folded towel, a pail with a handle and a segmented beach ball. Two wavy bands of sea, a ten-rayed sun and two clouds fill the background. The wide sea bands and sky suit blue and turquoise, while the umbrella panels and ball segments allow a few bright contrasts.

Elephant Walking Under an Acacia Tree (37 Areas)

A smiling elephant walks to the left across the savanna, with a curled trunk, one tusk and a striped blanket on its back. An umbrella-shaped acacia tree, a sun with eight rays, a small cloud, three rocks and several grass tufts fill the scene. The elephant is large and open, so a gray or soft blue-gray would work well for it, while the striped blanket takes bright accent colors.

Sailing Ship with Lookout, Dolphins and Treasure Island (38 Areas)

A three-sail ship with a lookout holding a spyglass in the crow’s nest crosses wavy water, with four round portholes along its striped hull. Two leaping dolphins, a palm tree with coconuts, a treasure chest on a small island, two seagulls, two clouds and a rayed sun fill the scene. The big sails and waves are open areas, while the planks on the palm trunk and the small portholes are finer.

Three-Tier Birthday Cake with Balloons and Gift (39 Areas)

A three-tier cake with scalloped icing sits on a round stand and carries three lit candles and a pair of cherries on its middle tier. Two glossy balloons on wavy strings float behind it, and a ribbon-tied gift box stands at the right. The large, open tiers make this a gentle sheet, while the small cherries and candle flames are the finest areas.

Mother Giraffe and Calf on the Savanna (42 Areas)

A tall giraffe and a small calf look at each other beside a flat-topped acacia tree, with a big rayed sun, three clouds and two birds overhead. The mother has seven large patches on her body and neck, and the calf has three. Grass tufts and two rocks fill the foreground. The wide patches are easy to fill, while the grass and the acacia branches are finer.

Friendly Stegosaurus with Volcano and Nest (45 Areas)

A smiling stegosaurus walks in profile across a grassy hill, with four large plates along its back and two spikes on its tail. A smoking volcano with lava drips, a nest holding two eggs, two tall ferns, a rayed sun and three clouds surround it. The big plates and body make easy areas for a green or orange in color by number.

Astronaut Planting a Flag on the Moon (49 Areas)

Seen from the front, a cartoon astronaut with a round helmet and big oval eyes holds a tall flagpole on the lunar surface. Three craters, three four-pointed stars and a large Earth with continent outlines fill the sky and ground. On this color-by-number sheet the Earth can be blue and green, and the empty flag can be any bold color.

Coral Reef with Two Clownfish and Starfish (50 Areas)

Two striped clownfish swim past rising bubbles above a branching coral, a scalloped brain coral and tall wavy seaweed. A smiling starfish and a ribbed scallop shell rest on the sandy seabed below. Orange fish, a purple coral and a blue-green water background suit this sheet, which has many small areas and is best for a patient colorist.

Fruit Basket by a Sunny Window (51 Areas)

A handled basket holds an apple with a leaf, a pear, a banana, an orange with a star-shaped stem and a bunch of round grapes. It sits on a sill in front of a four-pane window with a sun, clouds and curtains on both sides. Red for the apple and yellow for the banana are natural picks on a color-by-number sheet.

Farm Tractor with Hay Bales and Farmhouse (53 Areas)

A side-view tractor with a glass cab, tall exhaust pipe and a big treaded rear tire stands on wavy plowed rows. Behind it, two round hay bales, a small farmhouse with a chimney and rolling hills sit under a rayed sun and a puffy cloud. The large shapes on the tractor body are easy to fill with a bright red or green on a color-by-number sheet.

Fire Truck with Ladder and Hydrant (59 Areas)

A side-view fire truck with a roof ladder, two warning lights and three tall equipment doors drives along a road with dashed lane markings. A fire hydrant stands at the curb, with a sun, clouds and small hills behind. Red for the truck and the hydrant against a blue sky is the obvious choice, and the large door panels are easy, open areas.

Hard Color by Number (73–142 Areas)

Macaw Parrot Perched on a Branch (73 Areas)

Perched on a branch, a macaw looks to the right with a round eye and a large hooked beak. Its scalloped wing feathers, long split tail and two leaves sit against a sun, clouds and rolling bands. The many feather segments make this a medium-detail sheet, and the wing rows suit a gradient from red to yellow to blue.

Astronaut and Rocket in Space (74 Areas)

A waving astronaut floats beside a rocket with a round porthole, three fins and a flame, surrounded by a ringed planet, a cratered moon, a comet, a striped planet, Earth and six stars. Curved bands split the sky into large sections, so a color-by-number version could give the sky a deep purple or blue and the flame orange and yellow.

Peacock with Fanned Tail and Flowers (75 Areas)

A smiling peacock stands front-on with a small head crest and a tail fanned into seven feathers, each with an oval eye. A big sun with rays, puffy clouds, a grassy hill and three five-petal flowers fill the background. Blue and green for the tail feathers and a yellow sun are a natural fit for this color-by-number sheet.

Owl on a Branch Under a Crescent Moon (78 Areas)

A front-facing owl with two big round eyes, a heart-shaped face and small ear tufts grips a branch with both feet. Its chest is covered in rows of scalloped feathers, and a crescent moon, two leaves and puffy clouds fill the night sky. With so many small feather and wing segments, this sheet is demanding and has plenty of numbered areas. Deep blues and purples suit the sky behind the owl.

Busy Town Street with Bus, Car and Traffic Light (88 Areas)

Three townhouses with chimneys and arched doors line a street where a five-window bus and a small car wait beside a traffic light with three round lamps. A zebra crossing with three stripes runs across the front, and two round trees, hills, clouds and a sun fill the background. The many window panes and crossing stripes are small areas, while the sky, hills and road are large and open.

Red Barn with Silo and Hay Bales (89 Areas)

A gambrel-roof barn with a round cross-pane window and X-braced double doors stands beside a banded silo. A rail fence, two spiral-end round hay bales, a sun with long rays and a cloud fill the rest of the scene. Red planks for the barn and golden yellow for the hay bales would match the farm theme.

Steam Train by a Tunnel and Hills (90 Areas)

Color by number sheet of a steam locomotive pulling a coal tender and two passenger cars, each with three square windows, along a tie-lined track. A stone-arch tunnel, two round trees, rolling hills, puffs of smoke and a rayed sun fill the scene. The hills and sky are large open areas, while the tunnel bricks and track ties are small.

Smiling Whale with Treasure Chest (92 Areas)

A smiling whale with a striped belly swims above a seabed with a locked treasure chest, three striped fish, a jellyfish, two dotted starfish and a spiral shell. Branching corals, tall wavy seaweed and rising bubbles fill the rest of the scene. The whale’s big body is an easy, open area, while the dotted starfish and the corals have smaller sections.

Fairy Tale Castle with Drawbridge and Rainbow (105 Areas)

Four striped-roof towers with flags stand around a gatehouse with an arched double door, a chained drawbridge and a moat, all under a rainbow with four bands. Stone-framed arched windows, grass tufts and two small clouds fill the scene; the striped tower roofs suit alternating colors in a color by number sheet.

Toucan and Monkey in a Jungle Clearing (114 Areas)

A toucan with a big curved beak perches on a branch while a smiling monkey hangs from a vine beside it. Two butterflies, three hibiscus flowers, a small pond with two stones and a round sun fill out the jungle. A color-by-number version could give the beak orange and yellow, the pond blue and the big leaves several greens.

Gingerbread House with Candy Garden (114 Areas)

A gingerbread house with a scalloped icing roof, a brick chimney, a round peppermint window and an arched double door sits between two swirl lollipops and four candy canes. Six gumdrops line the front, a stepping-stone path leads to the door, and a smiling gingerbread man stands in the corner.

Farm Yard with Cow, Pig, Hen and Ducks (132 Areas)

A spotted cow, a pig and a hen stand in a fenced farmyard in front of a barn with an X-braced door and a ringed silo. Two hay bales sit to the right, and two ducks swim in a pond with cattails below a big sun. The cow’s patches and the barn’s wide door are roomy areas, while the hen’s feathers and the silo’s thin bands are smaller.

Flower Garden with Fence and Watering Can (142 Areas)

A sunny garden scene with a wooden fence of four pointed boards, a tulip, a sunflower, three more blooms and a lily. A watering can, a ladybug on a leaf, a bee and two butterflies complete it. The leaves and the watering can are big open areas that suit green and a metal gray or blue, while the flower petals are smaller.

Why Color by Number Is Good for Kids

Color by number has a long history. In the early 1950s, designer Dan Robbins at the Palmer Paint Company in Detroit created craft kits that the company sold from 1951 under the name Craft Master. In English they were called Paint by Number. Each kit held a printed board with numbered shapes and small pots of paint, and the number on each pot matched a shape. Anyone who filled in the numbers in order ended up with a finished picture without needing to draw. Americans bought these kits in large numbers during the 1950s, and today they are seen as a piece of American everyday culture and have even been shown in museums.

The printable worksheet works without paint pots. The numbers sit inside the areas, and the color key tells you which number belongs to which crayon. Besides being fun, it gives children a few useful things to practice.

Numbers and Colors

Every area asks a small question: which color goes with this number? Children practice reading numbers, matching a number to a color, and using color names along the way. The matching happens over and over, so it sticks without feeling like a drill.

Pencil Control

Filling a small area without going over the lines trains fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Children learn to steer a crayon or pencil, to press lightly or firmly, and to stop at an edge. That is good preparation for handwriting, and it happens while they are busy with a picture they care about.

Patience and Following a Rule

A color by number sheet has one simple rule: the number decides the color. Following it takes some patience, because the picture only shows up once all the areas are filled. Children find out that a little steady work leads to a result they can hold up and show to someone.

Which Level Is Right for Your Child?

The levels on this page are sorted by the number of areas on a sheet. More areas mean smaller shapes, more numbers to track, and more time at the table.

• Easy Color by Number (15 to 24 areas): Large, friendly shapes and a short color key. These sheets suit children from about four to six years old and early grade school children who are just starting out.
• Medium Color by Number (26 to 59 areas): Smaller shapes and more colors to keep track of. This level fits grade school children who can hold a pencil with control and enjoy a longer project.
• Hard Color by Number (73 to 142 areas): Detailed pictures with many small areas. They are made for older children and adults who like to settle in with a sheet and take their time.

Age is only a guide. If your child finishes an easy sheet with a smile, move up a level. If a sheet feels like a chore, step back one level and come back to it later. Trying a sheet from each group is an easy way to find the right fit.

Tips for Printing and Coloring

Paper: Regular printer paper works well for crayons and colored pencils. If your child likes to press hard or to use markers, a slightly heavier paper holds up better.

Print settings: Choose A4 or US Letter to match your paper and print at actual size or 100 percent, so the small numbers stay easy to read. The PDF has two pages. Print page 1 for the worksheet, and print page 2 only if you want the solution on paper.

Black and white is fine: Page 1 does not need a color printer. Each color key shows a number inside a dot, so the numbers stay readable even when the dots print in gray.

Crayons or colored pencils: Both work. Crayons are great for younger children and bigger areas. Colored pencils give more control for small areas and hard sheets.

Light colors first: Start with the lightest colors, such as yellow and light blue, and finish with the darker ones. Dark colors can smudge onto light areas, and this order keeps the picture clean.

You can follow the color key or color freely. If a child thinks a different color is the better choice, that is allowed, and the picture will still be theirs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these color by number worksheets really free?

Yes. Click a picture, open the PDF, and print it as often as you like at no cost.

What age are they for?

It depends on the level. Easy sheets suit children from about four to six years old, medium sheets suit grade school children, and hard sheets suit older children and adults. Pick the level by how comfortable your child is with small areas and numbers.

How many colors do I need?

Each sheet has its own color key at the bottom, and it shows exactly which colors you need. Easy sheets use fewer colors than hard sheets, so check the key before you start and set out the crayons you will use.

Where is the solution?

On page 2 of the PDF. It shows the colored picture, so you can check your work or see what the finished picture looks like. The previews on this page also show the finished picture next to the worksheet.

Can I use them in the classroom?

Yes, they work well for teachers. They give practice with numbers and color names, and they make a calm activity for quiet time. The levels let you hand out different sheets to children who are ready for different challenges.

Should I use markers or pencils?

Colored pencils and crayons are the best choice, because they give good control in small areas. Markers can work on the easy sheets with large areas, but they may bleed through thin paper and cover the printed numbers. If you use markers, try a heavier paper.

Matthew Matthysen( Drawing and Painting Artist )

Matthew Matthysen is an educated multidisciplinary artist and illustrator. He successfully completed his art degree at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, majoring in art history and contemporary drawing. The focus of his thesis was to explore the philosophical implications of the macro and micro-universe on the human experience. Matthew uses diverse media, such as written and hands-on components, to explore various approaches that are on the border between philosophy and science.

Matthew organized various exhibitions before and during his years as a student and is still passionate about doing so today. He currently works as a freelance artist and writer in various fields. He also has a permanent position at a renowned online gallery (ArtGazette) where he produces various works on commission. As a freelance artist, he creates several series and successfully sells them to galleries and collectors. He loves to use his work and skills in various fields of interest.

Matthew has been creating drawing and painting tutorials since the relaunch in 2020. Through his involvement with artincontext.org, he has been able to deepen his knowledge of various painting mediums. For example, watercolor techniques, calligraphy and lately digital drawing, which is becoming more and more popular.

Learn more about Matthew Matthysen and the Art in Context Team.