Snowflake Coloring Pages – 34 Snow Crystals with Six Arms

Every snowflake you will ever see has six arms, and that tidy rule leaves plenty of room for variety. This collection of 34 snowflake coloring pages shows the real shapes: star-shaped crystals with fern-like branches, flat hexagon plates, slim columns and needles, and cozy winter scenes where the flakes drift past a window. Pick one, grab your blue and silver pencils, and see how different six arms can look.

All 34 Snowflake Coloring Pages

All 34 snowflake coloring pages are free and printable. Click any picture to open the PDF, which is sized for A4 paper. The sheets range from very easy designs with a few big shapes to detailed crystals with fine side branches, so there is something for a first-time colorer and for someone who likes small spaces.

Six Arms, Many Shapes

Six-Armed Stellar Snowflake

A large snowflake drawn as one bold outline, with six arms that each split into rounded-tip branches. The top and bottom arms carry two pairs of branches, and the four diagonal arms have forked tips. The wide, open shapes are easy to color and suit younger children.

Hexagon Plate With Six Sections

A large hexagon with a smaller hexagon at its center, joined to the outer corners by straight lines. This splits the plate into six equal trapezoids around the middle. The clean, thick lines and big open areas make it easy to color, and each section could get its own shade.

Snowflake With Leaf-Shaped Arms

Six broad, leaf-shaped arms radiate from a small round center circle. Each arm has a center vein, short side branches with rounded tips and a pointed or angular end, and thin lines divide the wide arm tips into narrow wedges. The medium-sized sections suit a child who is comfortable with small spaces.

Fern Dendrite Snowflake

Fern-like branches in pairs grow along each of the six arms of this snowflake, and a small circle sits at the center. The vertical arms have three pairs of rounded-tip branches, and the diagonal arms have two pairs plus a forked tip. The pairs get shorter toward the ends, so the shapes come in a range of sizes.

Snowflake Column and Needle Crystals

Four faceted ice crystals are scattered across the page: two short, chunky hexagonal columns and two long, slim needles set at a slant. All have beveled, flat-topped ends and clean outlines. The big flat faces are easy to fill, and the narrow needle strips suit a fine-tipped pencil.

Capped Column Ice Crystal

A single hexagonal ice column stands upright between two wide, flat hexagonal plates, one at the top and one at the base. The column shows three vertical faces, and each plate has a visible thick edge. All the faces are large and open, so bold crayons work well here.

Snowflake With Broad Plate Tips

One large six-armed snowflake is drawn with a round circle in the middle. The top and bottom arms end in diamond-shaped tips with two rounded side branches each, while the four diagonal arms finish in wide, angular plates with a small branch beside them. Bold outlines and big open shapes make it an easy sheet to color.

Snowflake Growth in Four Stages

Four figures run left to right to show a snowflake growing: a small hexagonal prism, a flat hexagon plate, a six-armed star with a hexagon center, and a large branched snowflake. Each stage is bigger and more detailed than the last, so the sheet moves from bold, simple shapes to a finer final flake.

Discover Snowflakes

Girl Catching Snowflakes on Her Tongue

A smiling child with closed eyes tilts their head back and sticks out their tongue under four falling snowflakes. They wear a striped pom-pom beanie, a puffy zip-up jacket, mittens and boots. The big snowflake at the top right has plenty of room for a few different blues.

Boy Studying a Snowflake With a Magnifying Glass

A wide-eyed boy holds a magnifying glass in one mittened hand and looks at a single snowflake resting on his other mitten. He wears a chunky scarf with fringed ends and a zip-up jacket with ribbed cuffs. The tiny snowflake is fine and detailed, while the clothes offer big, open areas.

Photographer With Vintage Camera and Snowflake Photo

A bearded man in a flat cap and overalls stands beside a bellows camera on a tripod. He holds up a framed photo of a six-armed snowflake. The big overall pocket, the shoe soles and the tripod legs are open shapes that suit broad strokes of color.

Children Cutting Paper Snowflakes

At a table, a laughing boy holds up a finished six-armed paper snowflake while a girl with a hair bow and ponytail pulls open a folded paper triangle. A pair of scissors and a small stack of paper lie in front of them. The scissor handles and the snowflake’s broad arms are easy to color, but the faces and hair need a steadier hand.

Puppy With Snowflake on Its Nose

A fluffy sitting puppy looks cross-eyed at a single snowflake balanced on its nose, with its tongue sticking out and floppy ears hanging down. A curled tail, tufted chest fur and four toed paws rest on low snow mounds. The large, open fur areas suit broad strokes, and the small snowflake is the one fine detail.

Cardinal on a Snowy Branch

A crested cardinal perches in profile on a snow-capped branch, its long tail sweeping down to the left. Five six-armed snowflakes and a scatter of round snowflakes fill the sky around it. The black face mask and the wing feathers are the most detailed parts, while the body is one large open area.

When It Snows

Children Cheering Under First Snowfall

Three bundled-up children in coats, scarves and mittens raise their arms and laugh beneath three big six-armed snowflakes. Behind them, three snow-roofed houses with chimneys sit along a low snowy hill. The houses and snowflakes are big, open shapes, while the faces and hair need a finer touch.

Fox Walking Through Snowy Forest

A smiling young fox walks through snow with its head turned to the side and its bushy tail raised behind it. Five paw prints trail across the ground, four snowflakes and a few round flakes fall overhead, and snow-capped fir trees stand behind. The tail’s zigzag tip is the trickiest spot, while the snow mounds are wide and easy.

Driftwood Snowflake Mobile

A wavy driftwood branch hangs from two strings that meet at a bead at the top. Five thin strings drop from it, each ending in a bead and a six-armed snowflake with forked tips. The branch has wood-grain lines and wrapped cord at both ends. Every snowflake is a big, open shape, so this one suits bold crayons.

Children at a Snowy Bus Stop

Under a snow-covered bus shelter, three children in pompom hats and puffy coats look up with open mouths as snowflakes fall. Seven snowflakes of different sizes drift above, three more sit on the shelter’s glass panels, and a bench stands behind the children. The faces and scarf fringe are small and detailed, while the snowflakes and shelter are large, open shapes.

Snowy Owl on a Fence Post

A round-eyed snowy owl perches on a wooden fence post, gripping the top with both feet. A small cap of snow sits on its head and more snow covers the post and rails. Six snowflakes in three sizes float around it. The owl’s wide body is one big open area, which makes it easy to color.

Grandmother Lifting Child to Hang a Bird Feeder

A woman with curly hair, round glasses and a long scarf lifts a child in a pompom hat so they can hang a seed feeder from a snowy branch. A chickadee watches from the branch, and six snowflakes drift around the scene. The seeds in the feeder are small ovals, so they need a fine tip.

Two Mallard Ducks Under Falling Snowflakes

Two ducks with collar rings and folded wings swim on a pond with ripples around them, and snowy banks curve along the edges. Five snowflakes in three sizes hang above, with eight small round snowballs scattered between them. The bold, open shapes make it an easy sheet to color.

Smiling Snowflake Hanging From a Pine Branch

A cheerful snowflake with big round eyes and an open smiling mouth dangles from a pine branch by a short string. Each of its six arms has a side branch and a rounded tip, and small curved motion lines mark both sides. The needle clusters are large, open shapes, so a broad marker works well here.

Girl Walking a Fluffy Dog in the Snow

A smiling girl in a pompom hat, scarf, mittens and boots walks a curly-coated dog on a leash. The dog stands on its hind legs and sniffs upward at five snowflakes of different sizes. The fluffy dog fur has many small curls, so it suits a fine tip.

Bunny in a Snowflake Sweater

A standing bunny with long inner-lined ears, round cheeks and a smile wears a ribbed turtleneck sweater with a large six-armed snowflake on the front. In one paw it holds a steaming mug that carries a small snowflake of its own. The ribbed collar, cuffs and hem are made of narrow stripes, so those parts take a fine tip.

Snowflake Patterns

Ring of Six Different Snowflakes

Six differently shaped snowflakes form a loose wreath around a small empty circle in the middle. The ring includes a hexagon plate with nested hexagons, a branching fern snowflake and one with small hexagons at the arm tips. Every outline is bold and open, so a broad marker works well.

Snowflake Mandala With Teardrop Petals

A round mandala with one large snowflake in the center circle, framed by six teardrop petals. The outer ring is split into six wedges, each holding a smaller snowflake and two more petals. Outlines are clean and the spaces are medium-sized, so a regular pencil or marker works well.

Twelve Snowflakes in Hexagon Tiles

Twelve hexagon tiles are arranged in four rows of three, and each one holds a different six-armed snowflake. The designs include heart-tipped arms, circle-tipped arms, a six-petal flower shape and pointed diamond arms. Lines are bold and the shapes are fairly large, so a thick marker works as well as a pencil.

Scattered Snowflakes in Three Sizes

Nineteen snowflakes in large, medium and small sizes are spread across the page, with the biggest in the four corners and the middle. Each has six arms with heart-shaped tips and a smooth, bold outline, so the open spaces are easy to fill with a chunky marker.

Heart-Tipped Snowflake With Stars and Dots

One large six-armed snowflake fills the page, with a heart-shaped tip on each arm and a round circle in the center. Small five-point stars and little round dots are scattered along the arms. The few big, open shapes make it an easy sheet for younger colorists.

Snowflake With Forked Branch Arms

A single large snowflake with six arms, each arm sending out two pairs of rounded side branches, and a small hexagon in the center. Six triangle-shaped panels sit between the arms near the middle. The outline is thick and clean, and the wide branches are easy to fill, even with a chunky marker.

Snowflake Kaleidoscope Circle

A round kaleidoscope design split into six wedges, each holding one small snowflake framed by a pair of curling, scroll-like swirls. Because the swirls repeat around the center, the sections can take matching color schemes or six different ones.

Snowflake Mittens on a String

A pair of mittens joined by a looped cord, each with a ribbed cuff and a large six-armed snowflake on the back of the hand. The cuffs are split into vertical stripes, and the rounded snowflake tips leave roomy spaces. The wide mitten shapes suit a bold marker.

Snowflake Garland With Circle, Heart and Star

Three snowflake ornaments hang from a swooping string with small round beads along it. Each flake has a different cut-out in the middle: a circle on the left, a heart in the center and a star on the right. The largest, center flake gives the heart a roomy spot for a contrasting color.

Half-Drawn Snowflake With Dashed Right Side

The left half of a six-armed snowflake is drawn in solid lines around a round center circle, while the right half is only dashed guides to trace. Each arm has two pairs of rounded side branches, and the smooth shapes leave wide, open spaces.

Fun Facts About Snowflakes

How a Snow Crystal Forms

A snowflake can be a single snow crystal, or it can be a loose clump of many crystals that stuck together as they fell. A crystal begins high in the clouds around a tiny particle, such as a speck of dust or a grain of pollen. Water vapor freezes onto that particle, and the crystal grows layer by layer.

Snow crystals are actually clear ice. Snow looks white because the many small crystal faces bounce light in every direction. Freshly fallen snow is also mostly air packed between the crystals. That is why it muffles sound and keeps warmth in like a blanket.

Why Every Flake Has Six Arms

Water molecules link up into a hexagonal lattice as they freeze, and that built-in order gives every crystal six arms or six corners. On a snowflake coloring page, the arms sit at equal angles to each other. Side branches grow at the same angle, so they run parallel to the neighboring arms and never cross at a right angle.

Temperature and humidity decide which shape grows. At about minus 2 °C, flat plates tend to form. Around minus 5 °C you get columns and needles. At about minus 15 °C the big star-shaped dendrites appear, with many side branches. You will find all of these among the sheets, from the plain hexagon plate to the fern dendrite.

Because each crystal meets slightly different conditions on its way through the cloud, practically no two large, branched flakes are alike. The six arms of one flake are very similar, but not perfectly identical, so you do not have to color them in exactly the same way.

Two People Who Studied Snow Closely

In 1885, Wilson A. Bentley, a farmer from Jericho, Vermont, became the first person to photograph a single snow crystal through a microscope. He went on to capture thousands of them and earned the nickname “Snowflake Bentley.”

In 1936, the Japanese physicist Ukichiro Nakaya became the first to grow snow crystals in a laboratory. He sorted their shapes by temperature and humidity, and his “Nakaya diagram” is still used today.

Printing and Coloring Tips

Each sheet is made for A4 paper. If your printer offers a scaling choice, pick actual size so the thin lines of the detailed crystals stay crisp. If your printer is set to Letter, “fit to page” shrinks the picture slightly and works fine for most sheets.

Plain copy paper is perfect for colored pencils and crayons. If you plan to use markers, gel pens or watercolor, print on heavier paper or cardstock so the color does not bleed through or make the page buckle.

Choose the sheet by age and patience:

• Ages 3 to 5: the very easy sheets with a large hexagon plate or a simple star, where thick lines and big spaces are easy to fill.
• Ages 6 to 8: the sectored plates and the columns and needles, which have more sections but still plenty of room.
• Ages 9 and up, and adults: the fern dendrites and the detailed patterns, with fine side branches that reward sharp pencils and a steady hand.

A good trick for any sheet is to color the six arms one after another in the same order. Coloring one arm, then the one opposite it, helps the flake look balanced without needing to match every detail.

What to Do With Finished Pages

• Make a window display. Cut out your favorite flakes, punch a small hole at the top of each one, and hang them on string in a window so the light shines through the paper.
• Glue them onto dark blue paper. Mount a finished flake on a sheet of dark blue construction paper and add white highlights with a gel pen. The colors stand out like crystals against a night sky.
• Turn them into winter cards. Fold a sheet of paper in half, glue a trimmed picture on the front, and write a short note inside for a friend or relative.
• Start a snow science notebook. Tape your pages into a notebook and label each one: star, plate, column or needle. Add a note about the kind of weather that grows that shape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these snowflake coloring pages really free?

Yes. All 34 sheets are free to download and print for personal use at home. Click a picture to open the PDF, then print as many copies as you like.

What age are the pages for?

There is a range. Preschoolers can start with the very easy sheets that have large, simple shapes, while older children and adults will enjoy the detailed crystals with fine branches. If you are not sure, print one easy and one detailed sheet and see which one gets finished first.

Which colors are correct for a snowflake?

There is no wrong answer. Snow itself is white, but on paper, snowflakes look especially lovely in ice blue, light blue, purple and silver gray, with white saved for the highlights. If you color the sky behind the flakes dark blue, the flakes seem to glow.

Do all the snowflakes really have six arms?

Yes. Every snow crystal is built on a six-sided lattice, so every flake in this collection has six arms or six corners, including the cute ones and the ones in patterns. A star with eight points or a flower with five petals is a different shape, not a snowflake.

Can I use the pages in a classroom?

Absolutely. Teachers and group leaders are welcome to print the sheets for their students. They pair well with a lesson on weather or the water cycle, and the different shapes make a natural starting point for talking about how temperature and humidity affect how crystals grow.

What should I do if the lines look too thin or too light?

Check that your printer is set to actual size and not to a draft or economy mode. For the detailed sheets, a standard or high quality setting gives the cleanest lines. If a design still feels too fine, choose one of the easier sheets with bolder shapes.

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.