Picking a coloring book for a child isn’t always easy. The right book depends on age, skills and interests. Here’s what to look for at each stage.
Toddlers (ages 1 to 3)
Look for: big, bold shapes; thick outlines; simple, friendly characters.
Supplies: chunky, non-toxic crayons.
Pick: Trace Then Color: Baby Animals
Preschoolers (ages 3 to 5)
Look for: simple characters, tracing lines, letters and familiar animals.
Supplies: crayons and washable markers.
Picks: Trace Then Color: Cute Cartoon Animals and Trace Then Color: Alphabet Monsters
Early elementary (ages 5 to 8)
Look for: favorite themes like dinosaurs, robots, unicorns and monsters; a bit more detail.
Supplies: crayons, colored pencils and washable markers.
Pick: Trace Then Color: Cool Stuff for a mix of monsters, aliens and robots
Older kids (ages 8 to 11)
Look for: funny, gross or cool characters that don’t feel babyish.
Supplies: colored pencils, fine markers and gel pens.
Pick: Trace Then Color: Crusty Goobers
Tweens and teens (ages 11 and up)
Look for: detailed pages and cool themes.
Supplies: quality colored pencils, fine markers, maybe alcohol markers.
Pick: Trace Then Color: Alien Cyborgs. See cyborg coloring for older kids.
Match interests
Ages are a guide, but interests matter most. A dinosaur-obsessed ten-year-old may still love a dinosaur book. See mixed-theme coloring books when you’re not sure.
Make it a set
Add matching supplies and wrap it as a gift basket. See coloring gift basket.
When in doubt, ask the child’s parent which characters they love right now.
Questions parents ask
What’s the best coloring book for a 3-year-old?
Big, simple characters with bold lines and tracing.
What do I buy a tween who says coloring is babyish?
Funny, gross or detailed sci-fi characters, with better supplies.
Are coloring books good gifts for teens?
Yes, especially detailed books with quality pencils or markers.
About Kevin Coulston
Kevin Coulston is a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, including the Trace Then Color series. Meet Kevin or browse all his books on FirstArtBooks.com.
