Free Color by Number Animal Printables
Free printable colour by number animal pages — elephants, cats, dogs, lions. Preschool and Kindergarten ready. Instant PDF download.
Colour by number is the activity that makes colouring into a small puzzle. Instead of free-choice colouring (which some kids love and others find overwhelming), colour by number gives a gentle structure — the 1s are red, the 2s are blue, the 3s are green — and produces a satisfyingly correct result at the end. It's especially good for kids who need a clear 'right answer' to feel comfortable with art activities.
This pack has 12 animal colour-by-number pages with numbers 1 through 6 (six colours) — simple enough for 4 to 5 year olds with basic number recognition, detailed enough that the finished pictures are actually pretty. Animals include elephants, cats, dogs, lions, giraffes, owls and fish. Each sheet has a colour key at the top showing which number matches which colour.
Double benefit: the child practises colour recognition and number matching at the same time. Our Colour by Number worksheets page has a broader set (patterns, shapes, objects) but this pack is the animal-specific version. Everything free, classroom-ready.
Download the Printables
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Frequently Asked Questions
What age is colour by number for?+
Ages 4 to 7. Younger kids find it hard to track the numbers; older kids may find six colours too simple and prefer more complex grids.
How many colours do I need?+
Six colours: red, blue, yellow, green, orange, brown. A standard pack of children's crayons covers it.
Is this good for preschool classrooms?+
Yes — preschool and kindergarten teachers use colour by number as a quiet-time activity that doubles as number recognition practice.
Are the pages really free?+
Yes. Full pack, free to print, no signup or 'premium' pages.