Lion Coloring Pages – 35 Beautiful Sheets to Color

There is something about a lion’s face that pulls kids in before you even hand them a crayon: the big round eyes, the wild mane, that low rumbling roar you can almost hear on the page. This collection gathers 35 free lion coloring pages for anyone who loves the king of the savanna, from a calm lioness resting in the grass to a whole pride sharing a nap. Whether you are stocking a rainy day activity box or planning a safari unit for the classroom, there is a sheet here for every skill level and every mood.

All 35 Lion Coloring Pages

Every lion coloring page below is free and printable, and all you have to do is click the picture to open the full PDF. Each sheet is formatted for A4 paper, so it prints cleanly with no cropping or resizing needed. The pages range from very easy, with bold thick outlines for little hands, all the way to detailed, intricate designs for older kids, teens, and adults who want a longer, more relaxing project.

Lion Portraits

Lion Under an Acacia Tree

A male lion with a full mane stands facing forward on the savanna, with an acacia tree, tall grass, a rock and two birds overhead.

Yawning Lion on a Rocky Ledge

A big lion stands on a flat rock, eyes shut, jaws wide in a huge yawn, with tall grass, a small acacia, a rocky peak and clouds behind it.

Lioness and Spotted Cub Crossing the Savanna

A lioness walks through tall grass beside her spotted cub, while a herd of wildebeest grazes in the distance and a beetle sits in the foreground.

Lion Profile at Sunrise

Seen from the side, a male lion with a flowing mane looks across the savanna past a rising sun, rolling hills and a flat-topped tree.

Smiling Lion Face with Sun and Clouds

A friendly lion face with a big layered mane rests on a hill under a bright sun and two puffy clouds.

The Pride

Sleeping Lion Pride in the Shade

A maned lion and three lionesses nap in a cozy pile beneath a shady tree, with a termite mound and far-off hills behind them.

Two Lionesses Greeting with a Head Rub

Two lionesses press their heads together and cross their tails while a male lion and three more lionesses rest by an acacia tree, a rock and birds overhead.

Lion and Lionesses Drinking at the Waterhole

A maned lion and two lionesses lap water side by side while three zebras and a stork wait on the far bank, paw, hoof and bird tracks marking the mud.

Two Lion Brothers Walking Side by Side

Two maned lions walk shoulder to shoulder across the grass toward the viewer, with a low sun, bushes and two bones in front.

Two Lionesses Wrestling While the Pride Watches

Two snarling lionesses rear up and wrestle in a cloud of dust as a maned lion and his pride watch from a rock, acacia trees and birds circling overhead.

The Cubs

Spotted Cub Climbing on a Resting Lion

A playful spotted cub climbs onto the mane of a big male lion resting in the grass, near an acacia tree, a boulder and two birds on a branch.

Three Spotted Cubs Playing Near a Resting Lioness

Three spotted lion cubs play-fight in the grass while a lioness rests behind them, near a termite mound and bushes.

Lioness Carrying Her Cub by the Scruff

A lioness walks down a grassy path holding her spotted cub gently in her mouth, with boulders, an acacia tree and clouds behind her.

Lioness Teaching Two Cubs to Stalk a Gazelle

A lioness crouches low in the grass while her two spotted cubs copy her, and a gazelle stands far off by an acacia tree.

Lioness Napping with Two Spotted Cubs on the Rocks

A lioness dozes with her chin resting on two spotted cubs curled up on flat rocks, while a bird sits on a leafy branch and a beetle crawls below.

On the Savanna

Lion Resting on a Tree Branch Above Grazing Zebras

Stretched out on a thick branch with one paw hanging down, a maned lion watches three zebras graze on the plain below as birds fly past.

Lioness on a Termite Mound Watching Wildebeest

Perched on a tall termite mound, a lioness watches wildebeest cross the grassland while two dung beetles roll their balls past a feather below.

Lioness Stalking Zebras at the Waterhole

A lioness crouches low in tall grass, watching three zebras drink from a waterhole while more zebras graze under acacia trees.

Resting Lion in a Simple Savanna Scene

A smiling lion lies on a grassy hill with an acacia tree, a round sun, two clouds and grass tufts around it. Big, open shapes make this an easy sheet for young kids.

Lion Stalking Through a Rocky Gorge

A maned lion walks straight toward the viewer through a narrow path between big boulders, while a small rock hyrax watches from above.

Day and Night

Lion on a Rock Above Dewy Grass and Grazing Elephants

Standing on a rock above tall dewy grass laced with a spider web, a maned lion watches elephants pass an acacia tree as birds fly toward the rising sun.

Lion and Two Lionesses Watching the Sunset

Seen from behind, a maned lion sits between two lionesses as the trio gazes at the sun setting over a river framed by acacia trees and a flock of birds.

Lioness Stalking Through the Grass at Night

A lioness creeps low through tall savanna grass beneath a crescent moon, a starry sky and a lone acacia tree.

Rain-Soaked Lion by a Puddle

Rain pours down as a lion with a dripping wet mane stands over a rippling puddle, with two birds sheltering in an acacia tree.

Lion Gazing at the Full Moon

A seated lion with a big flowing mane looks up at a round full moon surrounded by four stars.

Kawaii Lion in a Flower Wreath

A chubby kawaii lion with a petal-shaped mane and rosy cheeks sits inside an arch of daisies, stars and hearts, with two big leaves at the bottom.

Kawaii Lions

Playful Lion Cub with Yarn Ball and Butterfly

A cheerful spotted lion cub waves up at a butterfly beside a ball of yarn, with a smiling sun, bubbles, hearts and big daisies around it.

Lion Cub in a Paw Print Mug

A happy lion cub peeks out of a mug covered in paw prints, with a striped straw, two sugar cubes on the saucer, daisies on both sides, and hearts floating above.

Cartoon Lion Cub Sitting on a Giant Donut

A cheerful cartoon lion cub waves from the top of a giant frosted donut, with smaller sprinkled donuts and hearts floating around it.

Happy Lion Resting Under a Rainbow

Eyes closed, a cheerful cartoon lion lies on rolling hills dotted with small flowers, a rainbow arching over two puffy clouds above.

Cute Lion Cub Holding a Big Heart

A cheerful cartoon lion cub sits on a small hill and hugs a large heart, with a cloud and four stars above.

Lioness Portrait with Hibiscus Flowers

A calm lioness with a hibiscus bloom tucked by her ear rests amid hibiscus, puffball blossoms, ferns and broad leaves.

Patterns and Mandalas

Lion Head Mandala with Paw Print Ring

A lion’s face looks out from the center of a round mandala, framed by a ring of paw prints, leafy branches and petal-shaped edges.

Zentangle Lion with Patterned Mane and Body

Facing left, a standing lion’s mane and body are filled with swirls, paw prints, scales, chevrons and a checkerboard patch.

Sitting Lion Filled with Savanna Patterns

A sitting lion’s mane and body are packed with tiny acacia trees, paw prints, suns, swirls and leaves, a detailed patchwork sheet for older kids and adults.

Getting to Know Lions

The lion, known by scientists as Panthera leo, is one of the most recognizable animals on the planet, and also one of the most unusual big cats. It is the only cat that lives in a lasting social group, the only one where males and females look clearly different from each other, and the only cat with a tuft of hair at the tip of its tail. Even its name has traveled a long way to reach English: “lion” came through Old French lion from Latin leo, which in turn came from Greek leon, and the trail likely goes back even further into a Semitic language, related to the Hebrew word lavi.

Where Lions Live

Lions make their home in savannas and open, dry woodlands south of the Sahara Desert. You will not find a wild lion in a rainforest, no matter how thick the jungle looks in old cartoons. Outside of Africa, only one wild population survives today, living in the Gir Forest in the Indian state of Gujarat. This makes the lion one of the few large predators whose entire wild range can be traced across just two regions of the world.

What Lions Eat

Lions eat meat only, and they favor medium to large hoofed animals such as wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, and antelope. It is the lionesses who do most of the hunting, working together as a coordinated team, while the males typically move in afterward to take the first share of the kill. Lions are also determined scavengers. They will happily steal a meal that a pack of hyenas worked hard to bring down, given the chance.

A Life of Rest and Roars

For all their reputation as fierce hunters, lions actually spend most of their time resting, sleeping up to twenty hours a day. Hunting takes a lot of energy and most attempts fail, so conserving strength between hunts makes sense. When a lion does roar, the sound can travel up to five miles, thanks to a specially shaped, flattened vocal cord that produces very deep tones without much effort. A litter of cubs usually numbers two to four. They are born with their eyes closed, which open after about a week, and cubs do not join the rest of the pride until they are six to eight weeks old.

Before You Start Coloring

These pages are sized for standard A4 paper, so most home and school printers will handle them without any adjustment. Set your printer to “actual size” or 100 percent rather than “fit to page” to keep the proportions accurate, and choose a normal or high quality print setting so the fine lines stay crisp. Regular printer paper works fine for crayons and colored pencils, but if you plan to use markers, watercolor paint, or gel pens, a slightly heavier cardstock will prevent bleed through and curling.

For matching a sheet to an age group, the Kawaii Lions gallery and the simplest pages in The Cubs are a good starting point for younger children, since they use bold, thick outlines and large open spaces. Sheets from On the Savanna and The Pride work well for early elementary kids who are ready for a bit more detail and a small scene to color. The Patterns and Mandalas gallery, along with the more intricate Lion Portraits, are better suited to older kids, teens, and adults who enjoy a slower, more detailed coloring session.

Ideas for Your Finished Sheets

A finished lion coloring page does not have to go straight into a drawer. Here are a few simple ways to give it a second life.

• A safari bulletin board. Pin a row of finished lions, along with any other animal pages you have on hand, to create a classroom or bedroom safari display.
• A pride family book. Staple several colored pages together, from The Cubs to The Pride, to tell a simple story about a lion family growing up.
• Party place mats. Laminate a finished page for a lion or jungle themed birthday party so it can be reused as a durable place mat.
• Bookmarks and gift tags. Cut smaller motifs, like a single lion face from the Lion Portraits gallery, into strips or tags for a personal, handmade touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these lion coloring pages really free?

Yes. All 35 sheets in this collection are free to download and print, for personal and classroom use, as many times as you like.

What age group are these pages for?

They cover a wide range. The very easy sheets, especially in the Kawaii Lions and The Cubs galleries, suit toddlers and preschoolers, while the detailed patterns and portraits are a better fit for older kids, teens, and adults who enjoy a longer coloring project.

What colors are actually correct for a lion?

A lion’s coat ranges from light sandy yellow to a deep reddish brown, and the mane can be blond, reddish brown, or nearly black, growing darker as a lion ages. The tail tuft, the backs of the ears, the tip of the nose, and the whisker spots are dark, while the belly and inner legs are light. Only males grow a mane, and it does not start filling in until a lion is about two years old, so a maned lioness is a common mistake to watch for. White lions are real, but they are not albino, they are leucistic, and they keep blue or golden eyes. A few other details separate a lion from a generic big cat: the pupils are round, not slit like a house cat’s, and lion cubs have rosette spots on their flanks and legs that fade as they grow, so a spotless cub in a picture is really just a small adult.

Can these pages be used in a classroom?

Absolutely. Teachers often use them for an animal or safari themed unit, and since each page is a standard A4 PDF, a whole class set can be printed at once with no special software needed.

Do I need special paper to print these?

No special paper is required for basic coloring with crayons or pencils. If you or your child prefer markers, paint, or gel pens, a heavier cardstock will hold up better and reduce bleed through to the next page.

Can I color these with markers or paint instead of crayons?

Yes, any coloring medium works. Just keep in mind that wetter media like watercolor or brush markers do best on thicker paper, and it is worth placing a scrap sheet underneath to protect your table or the next page in the stack.

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.