What do you get when you cross a shark and a chicken? A very funny coloring page. Mixed-up animals spark laughter and creativity.
Why mash-ups work
- Surprise. Unexpected combos are funny.
- No right colors. Is the shark-chicken gray, white or both?
- Storytelling. Every mash-up needs a name, a home and a superpower.
Coloring ideas
- Half and half. Color each animal part in its real colors.
- One color scheme. Make the whole creature match.
- Mixed textures. Fur on one half, scales on the other. See coloring fur, scales and metal.
Pages to try
- Trace Then Color: Mutant Animals is full of funny animal combos
- Trace Then Color: Unicorn Animals mixes animals with unicorn magic
- Trace Then Color: Weird Creatures goes even stranger. See weird creature coloring.
Invent your own
- Pick two animals.
- Choose which parts to swap: head, legs, tail, wings.
- Name it by mixing the names: a shark and chicken is a "Shicken."
- Write where it lives and what it eats.
Learning link
Mash-ups are a fun way to talk about real animal adaptations. Why do sharks have fins? Why do chickens have feathers? What would help a creature live in the desert?
Mash-up names are great spelling practice. Kids sound out and blend word parts.
Questions parents ask
What age loves mutant animals?
Ages 5 to 10 especially, though all ages laugh.
Can this help science learning?
Yes. Talking about animal parts and what they do teaches adaptations.
My child wants to draw their own. Where do they start?
Start by tracing parts from different pages, then combining them.
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.
