Monsters under the bed are scary. Monsters on a coloring page are friendly, silly and totally under the child’s control. That’s part of why kids love them.
Why monsters work
- Safe scares. Coloring a friendly monster lets kids play with fear in a safe way.
- No rules. Monsters can be any color, with any number of eyes.
- Big feelings. Monsters can be grumpy, silly, shy or happy, which starts conversations about emotions.
See coloring and big feelings.
Ideas for coloring monsters
- Wild patterns. Spots, stripes and zigzags. See adding patterns to coloring.
- Fur texture. Short flicks around the edges.
- Opposite colors. A purple monster with yellow spots pops.
- Name and story. Who is this monster? What does it eat?
Pages to try
- Trace Then Color: Cute Cartoon Monsters for friendly monsters of every shape
- Trace Then Color: Alphabet Monsters for a monster for every letter
- Trace Then Color: Crusty Goobers for older kids who like gross and goofy
Monster activities
- Monster of the week. Color one and write its name, likes and dislikes.
- Fear fighters. Color a monster that scares away bad dreams.
- Monster mash. Swap pages and add one feature to a friend’s monster.
If your child is afraid of monsters, coloring friendly ones together can help. Let them decide what the monster looks like.
Questions parents ask
Will monster pages scare my child?
Cute monsters are designed to be friendly. Let your child choose.
What age suits monster coloring?
Any age. Simple monsters for toddlers, detailed ones for older kids.
How can monsters teach feelings?
Ask how the monster feels and why. Kids often share their own feelings through characters.
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.
