Forest animal coloring pages for toddlers and preschoolers

A fox, an owl and a hedgehog with soft shapes and thick outlines. Free to print on A4.

20 drawings

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Woodland friends from storybooks

Foxes, owls and hedgehogs turn up again and again in picture books and bedtime stories, so many children know them well even if they have never seen one. Each has one feature that is easy to spot: the fox's bushy tail, the owl's big eyes, the hedgehog's spiky coat.

On our pages, those features are drawn big and simple. The hedgehog's coat is one big zigzag shape instead of hundreds of needles, and the owl has no feather pattern. Each animal has a calm, friendly face, and the background stays almost empty: a ground line, a few leaves or a branch.

The owl on a branch is marked Very simple, for children of 2 and 3. The fox and the hedgehog are marked Simple. They add autumn leaves, an apple and a small mushroom for children of 4 and 5.

Ideas while you color

  • Hoot like an owl

    Say hoo-hoo while you color the owl, then try it in a whisper. A quiet game suits a calm little bird.

  • Share the apple

    The hedgehog is holding out its apple. Ask who it wants to share with, and pretend to take a bite.

  • Bring a leaf home

    Pick up a leaf or two on your next walk and put them next to the fox page. Your child can match the colors or pick completely different ones.

  • Count the spikes

    Count the points on the hedgehog's spiky coat together. Then pick one color for the whole coat, or a different color for the apple.

Questions parents ask

Which forest animal page suits a 2-year-old?

The owl on a branch. It is marked Very simple, with one bird, one plain branch, thick lines and big shapes.

Are the hedgehog's spikes hard to color?

No. The whole coat is one big zigzag shape, not lots of thin needles, so a chunky crayon fills it quickly.

Are these good autumn coloring pages?

Yes. The falling leaves, the apple and the mushroom fit well with autumn walks. The pages work just as well the rest of the year.

Can younger children color the fox and the hedgehog?

Yes. Both are marked Simple, so they have a few more parts. A younger child can color the animal and leave the leaves, the apple or the mushroom for later.

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