Color by Number: How It Works, Which Ages, and How to Make Your Own

A color by number page is a line drawing with a number in every shape and a legend that says which color each number stands for: 1 is red, 2 is yellow, and so on. Color every shape in its listed color and the picture appears. Children can start at about four, once they recognize the numbers 1 to 6. Easy pages use 4 to 6 colors and take 10 to 20 minutes, and detailed adult pages use 12 or more colors and take several hours. Our free color by number pages have 16 mandalas and patterns in three levels, ready to print. Here is how the pages work, which version suits which age, the math versions teachers use, and how to turn any coloring page, including one made from your own photo, into a color by number.

Quick answer: how to do a color by number page

1. Print a page: start with an easy one from our free color by number collection, such as the daisy mandala.
2. Read the legend at the bottom of the page: each number has a color.
3. Lay out the colors in number order before starting, so nobody hunts for "number 7".
4. Color one number at a time, all the 1s, then all the 2s. It is faster and avoids mistakes.
5. Color lightly first in small shapes, then go over them again for strong color.
6. Leave shapes without a number white, unless the legend says otherwise.

How does color by number work?

Every page has two parts:

• The drawing, split into closed shapes. Each shape has a small number printed inside it.
• The legend (or key), usually along the bottom: the numbers, a small circle in each color, and often the color's name.

The picture is hidden in plain sight. While you color, you see shapes, not a picture. Halfway through, the image starts to show, which is what makes color by number so satisfying for both children and adults.

A tip for black and white printers: a good legend writes the color name next to each number ("1 red, 2 sky blue"). The color circles print gray on a black and white printer, but the names still tell you what to use, so you do not need a color printer. Every page in our color by number collection has the names written out.

What age is color by number for?

Age	What works	Colors	Time
3 to 4	Big shapes, numbers 1 to 4, an adult reading the legend aloud	3 to 4	5 to 10 minutes
4 to 6	Numbers 1 to 6, shapes as big as a coin or larger	4 to 6	10 to 20 minutes
6 to 8	Numbers 1 to 10, smaller shapes, simple sums instead of numbers	6 to 8	20 to 30 minutes
8 to 12	Sums, times tables or letters instead of numbers	8 to 12	30 to 45 minutes
Teens and adults	Detailed scenes, mandalas, shading by number	12 to 30	1 hour to several evenings

Before color by number, a child needs to recognize the numbers on the page and match a number to a color. If counting is still new, start with our number coloring pages 1 to 10, which teach the numbers themselves.

What do children learn from color by number?

• Number recognition: finding every 3 on the page is a number hunt.
• Following instructions: the legend is a rule to follow, which is a school skill in its own right.
• Fine motor control: small shapes ask for a steadier hand than free coloring. See coloring for fine motor skills.
• Patience: the picture only appears at the end, and children learn to keep going until it does.

Free coloring still matters. Color by number is about following a plan, and free coloring is about making choices. Children need both.

What is math color by number?

In math color by number, each shape shows a sum ("3 + 2") or a times table ("4 x 6") instead of a number. The child works out the answer, then looks it up in the legend. Teachers use these for practice that does not feel like a worksheet:

• Ages 5 to 6: additions up to 10.
• Ages 6 to 7: additions and subtractions up to 20.
• Ages 7 to 9: times tables, one table per page.
• Spelling version: letters or sight words in the shapes instead of numbers.

French teachers call these coloriages magiques, and they are a classroom classic from kindergarten on.

Color by number for adults

Adult color by number pages are detailed scenes or patterns with 12 to 30 colors, often with several shades of the same color for shading. The appeal is different from free coloring: there are no decisions to make, just a calm, steady task with a reliable result. Many adults like that on a tired evening. The detailed pages in our free collection, such as the lantern mandala, use the whole 12-color box and about 95 numbered spaces.

• Tools: sharp colored pencils or fine felt-tip pens. Thick markers fill small shapes badly.
• Shades: if the legend has light, mid and dark green, lay them out side by side and test each one on scrap paper first. Pencil colors look different on paper than on the box.
• Paper: 120 to 160 gsm for pencils, 200 gsm for markers.

Our colored pencil techniques guide shows how to color small shapes evenly.

Is color by number the same as paint by number?

Nearly. Both work the same way: numbered shapes and a legend. Paint by number kits come with a printed canvas, small pots of acrylic paint and brushes, and take many hours. Color by number pages are printed at home on paper and colored with pencils, crayons or felt-tip pens. They are quicker, cheaper and less messy, which makes them better for children and for short sessions.

How do I make my own color by number page?

You can turn any coloring page into a color by number with a pen and ten minutes:

1. Print a coloring page with clear, closed shapes. A mandala or an easy-level animal works well. For older children, use a medium level.
2. Choose 4 to 8 colors from the box you will actually use.
3. Color a small copy yourself first, as the answer key, so you decide where each color goes.
4. Write a number in each shape of the clean copy, in pencil, small and in the middle.
5. Draw the legend at the bottom: each number, a dot of the color, and the color's name.
6. Photocopy it before anyone colors it, so you have spares.

For a math version, write sums instead of numbers. For a personal version, start from a coloring page of your own photo: a pet, a house or a family portrait at the simple level has shapes big enough to number. Children love finding their own dog appearing on the page, number by number. Our guide to what each detail level does to a photo shows which level gives shapes large enough.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between color by number and coloring by code?

None, really. "Color by code" is the classroom name for the same idea, where the code can be a number, a sum, a letter or a word. Color by number is the most common version.

Can I print color by number pages in black and white?

Yes, if the legend writes out the color names. The circles of color in the legend will print gray, but "1 red, 2 yellow" still tells you which color goes where. A page whose legend only shows color circles needs a color printer, or a parent to write the names in by hand.

What age can a child start color by number?

Around four, with numbers 1 to 4 and big shapes, and an adult reading the legend aloud. By five or six, most children can follow a legend of six colors on their own.

How many colors should a color by number page have?

4 to 6 for young children, 6 to 10 for school-age children, and 12 or more for adults. More colors than the box holds is the most common frustration, so check the legend against your pencils before printing.

Try it with your own photo

A color by number of your own pet or family is the one children want to finish. Coolorio turns a photo into a printable coloring page in four detail levels, delivered as a PDF to print at home: number the shapes yourself and add a legend. Photos are deleted after 7 days. See how it works to make your first page.