Free Christmas Penguin Coloring Page
Print this free Christmas penguin coloring page and color it with crayons, markers or colored pencils. It takes about 15 minutes and works for ages 3 and up.
- Coloring page
- Ages 3+
- Grades Pre–K-K
- Beginner
- About 15 min
You’ll need
- The printed page
- Crayons, markers or colored pencils
You’ll practice
- Small-muscle control
- Coloring inside a shape
- Picking colors that go together
Free Activity Page from Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters
Enjoy This Christmas Penguin Coloring Page
Today I’m excited to share a new free activity page from my book Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters. This one features a cheerful winter friend—a cute cartoon penguin bundled up in a cozy scarf and winter hat. If your child enjoys holiday-themed art activities, this Christmas Penguin Coloring Page is the perfect way to celebrate the season with a little creativity and a lot of charm.
The character is designed in my signature kid-friendly cartoon style, with bold outlines that make tracing easier for young artists. The winter hat and scarf add extra color possibilities, making this Christmas Penguin Coloring Page a fun activity for kids who love both Christmas and animals. This page is ideal for ages 3 and up, but older kids often enjoy it too, especially if they like experimenting with colors or drawing backgrounds.
As always, this entire page—like every page in my books—is hand-drawn by me without the use of AI. I want kids to learn from warm, expressive lines created specifically for their skill level, and this penguin fits that goal perfectly.
Christmas Coloring Book for Kids
About the Book: Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters
This Christmas Penguin Coloring Page is taken from Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters, a book designed to give kids a festive way to explore creativity during the holiday season. Inside, children will find a variety of Christmas-themed characters to trace and color, all drawn in a cute cartoon style that keeps the art approachable and fun.
Characters in the book include:
- Santa
- Snowmen
- Reindeer
- Gingerbread characters
- Holiday animals
- Winter creatures
- Christmas ornaments
- Stocking pals
- And of course, a penguin
Each page presents bold outlines for kids to trace before coloring. This gentle approach helps younger children build confidence while strengthening fine motor skills, pencil control, and early drawing foundations.
The simplicity of the format makes this book perfect for holiday downtime—whether it’s a quiet afternoon at home, a classroom art project, a holiday party activity, or a fun screen-free break during winter vacation.
Why Kids Love Trace-and-Color Christmas Pages
The Christmas Penguin Coloring Page is a great example of why trace-and-color books work so well for young artists. They offer structure but still give kids the freedom to customize their art however they’d like.
Here’s why children enjoy it:
1. It’s Easy to Start and Easy to Finish
Kids don’t need prior drawing experience. Tracing gives them a strong foundation, and finishing with coloring gives them a sense of accomplishment.
2. It Builds Real Drawing Skills
Even though the penguin outline is provided, tracing helps kids learn how shapes fit together in a drawing. They practice following curves, controlling pencil pressure, and improving hand coordination.
3. It Invites Creative Exploration
The Christmas Penguin Coloring Page encourages imagination. Kids can color the scarf with stripes, polka dots, holiday colors, or even make the penguin rainbow-colored.
4. It’s a Great Holiday-Themed Activity
Kids love Christmas characters, and this free page fits perfectly into the excitement of the season.
5. It Can Be Repeated Over and Over
One of the best things about tracing pages is that kids can enjoy them multiple times. Print the Christmas Penguin Coloring Page as often as you’d like—each version will turn out differently.
Trace and Color Christmas Characters
Part of the Larger Trace Then Color Series
While the Christmas Penguin Coloring Page is from the holiday-themed book, Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters is just one title in the much larger Trace Then Color series. Each book uses the same tracing format but features different themes so kids can explore their interests while practicing early drawing skills.
Other themes in the series include:
- Cute cartoon animals
- Unicorns and mermaids
- Robots
- Dinosaurs
- Monsters
- Food creatures
- Aliens
- Fairies, princesses, and cute stuff
- And more
Browse All Coloring Book Themes
Because each book in the series keeps the format consistent, kids feel comfortable moving from one theme to another. And since the artwork is always hand-drawn by me, the style has a familiar and friendly look no matter which book they try next.
Why This is a Great Holiday Art Activity
The Christmas Penguin Coloring Page is not only fun but also practical. Parents and teachers often tell me they love having simple, ready-to-go holiday pages that help kids stay focused during the festive season.
This free page works well for:
- Classroom winter art
- Homeschool holiday units
- Christmas party crafts
- Long car rides during holiday travel
- Quiet creative time during winter break
- Stocking stuffer preview activity
- Christmas Eve entertainment
With its friendly design and easy tracing format, this penguin is sure to be a hit with young artists.
Christmas Activity Books for Kids
A Closer Look at the Free Christmas Penguin Coloring Page
The free Christmas Penguin Coloring Page is a simple but charming activity designed to help young artists practice tracing and coloring. The character is standing upright, smiling warmly, wearing a fluffy winter hat and a striped scarf wrapped snugly around his neck. The cartoon proportions are exaggerated in a cute way, with big rounded eyes, soft flipper-like wings, and a friendly, approachable expression.
Kids begin by tracing the bold outer lines of the penguin. These lines are thick and steady, which helps build hand control and makes the penguin easy for beginners to complete. Once the tracing is finished, children can color the penguin however they like. Most kids enjoy giving the scarf and hat fun winter colors—reds, greens, blues, purples, or even holiday patterns.
The Christmas Penguin Coloring Page encourages creativity beyond tracing and coloring too. Kids can add snowy backgrounds, Christmas lights, falling snowflakes, a winter village, or other holiday touches. Many parents print multiple copies so kids can decorate the same penguin in different outfits or color schemes.
If your child enjoys this free page, they’ll love exploring the rest of the cartoon Christmas characters in the full book.
Closing Thoughts
I hope your child enjoys tracing and coloring this Christmas Penguin Coloring Page. It’s a cozy, cheerful introduction to the world inside Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters and a great way to bring a little creative joy into the holiday season.
If your young artist has fun with today’s page, the full book offers many more festive characters to explore—all designed to spark creativity and encourage kids to express themselves through art.
Draw it 3 ways
Every FirstArtBooks theme comes in three formats. Trace it, draw it step by step, or copy it square by square: the more ways kids draw a character, the better they know it.
- How to DrawHow to Draw booksDraw it step by stepNo free page of this one yet. See the How to Draw books (ages 5+)
- Trace Then Color
Trace it, then color itYou’re on this pageSee all Trace Then Color books - Draw by GridDraw by Grid booksCopy it square by squareNo free page of this one yet. See the Draw by Grid books (ages 7+)
Fun facts about the real penguin
- Penguins are birds that can't fly, but they are fast swimmers.
- A penguin's black and white coloring helps hide it in the water from above and below.
- Not all penguins live in the snow. Some live on warm beaches.
Draw your penguin, then add one of these facts in a speech bubble or on the back of the page.
Finished? Draw the scene next
- Add a background: draw a party table with friends.
- Write one line under your picture to finish this story:
The best present of all was…
That’s a picture book page. Draw two more and you have a whole story.
Draw it, then write about it
Give your christmas penguin a name. Where does it live, and what does it love to do? Write two or three sentences.
Print a draw-and-write sheet: a box for the drawing and lines for the story. Primary lines (K–2) · Regular lines (grades 2–5)
Want to make it a whole story? Try the comic story starter or fold a mini-book in Story Studio.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- The character has no holiday clues.
- Add one clear detail: a hat, a scarf, a bow, lights or a heart.
- The round shapes look lumpy.
- Draw circles in one smooth movement, or trace around a cup or a lid.
- The colors blend together.
- Pick two or three colors for the whole picture, and leave some white.
- Coloring over the lines on the edges.
- Outline the inside edge of each shape first, then fill the middle. It works like a fence.
More in 10 common drawing mistakes kids make.
Talk about it
For the grown-up: ask one or two of these while your child draws. There are no wrong answers.
- What is your favorite thing about this holiday?
- Who would you give this drawing to?
- What would you change if you drew it again tomorrow?
- Which part are you proudest of?
More ideas in 25 questions to ask kids about their art.
Questions about this coloring page
What age is this christmas penguin coloring page for?
Ages 3 and up (about grades Pre-K to K). Little kids can color it with crayons; older kids can add patterns and shading.
How long does it take?
About 15 minutes. Kids who add their own details or a background often keep going longer.
What supplies do you need?
The printed page; crayons, markers or colored pencils. Chunky crayons or washable markers are easiest for small hands.
What size does it print?
US Letter (8.5 by 11 inches). Use Print this page or Download PDF above. On A4 paper, choose “Fit to page” in the print settings.
Can I print more than one copy?
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your family, class or group. The page is free for home and classroom use.
For teachers: grade, timing and standards
Grades Pre–K-K, about 15 minutes. Coloring page, beginner level.
National Core Arts Standards (visual arts)
- VA:Cr1 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas: students choose colors and patterns.
- VA:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work: students build control with coloring tools.
See every lesson by standard, plus the math in grid drawing, on the arts standards map.
Copies: print as many as your class needs. More in the teacher resources and our no-prep sub plans.
Get the free Christmas Drawing Pack
10 printable Christmas pages to draw, trace, color and decorate, sent with your welcome email. After that, Kevin’s newsletter brings new free pages and book news.
Take the idea into a book
Want more characters to draw, trace or color? Explore these related books and see which approach fits your next creative session.
Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →
Mermaids, Unicorns, and Other Cute Stuff Coloring and Activity Book
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →
How to Draw: Christmas
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →Another idea to try
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