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15 Creative Color by Number Books for Kids of All Ages

Color their world with these fun activity books.

Split image with Color By Numbers book cover with child's hand coloring coloring scene with animals and girl doing color by number activity page using a colored pencil
By Kristy Zamagni-Twomey, B.S., ELA and Fine Arts
May 31, 2022

There’s nothing like the smell of a fresh box of crayons to give us all the feels. The distinct scent makes us nostalgic for one of our earliest academic activities: coloring. Even before we could read, we learned our numbers and colors, often with the help of color-by-number books. Today there are a myriad of color-by-number book options that span all kinds of subjects and interests. And little kids aren’t the only ones who are drawn to these activity books. Teens and adults also enjoy coloring by number as a way to relax and relieve stress. So grab your favorite box of colored pencils or crayons and check out the list below!

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Color by Number Books for Preschool and Early Elementary School Kids

1. Color by Numbers for Kids Ages 4-8: Dinosaur, Sea Life, Animals, Butterfly, and Much More! by Jennifer L. Trace

Book cover: Color by Numbers for Kids Ages 4-8. The title is in a black word bubble with rainbow lettering and a hand is shown coloring a page with a rainbow, dog, bunny, and fish bowl.

With three tiered difficulty levels, this book has something for everyone regardless of ability. Level one uses three to four colors, level two four to five colors, and level three uses five or more colors. Little artists will need a big box of crayons since they will sometimes need different shades of the same color.

Buy it: Color by Numbers for Kids Ages 4-8 at Amazon

2. On the Go Color by Numbers by Melissa & Doug

Book cover: On the Go Color by Numbers. A spiral pad is shown with the title in rainbow block letters. Six different colored markers are encased in the front cover. The tip of a pink marker is shown coloring a flower. There are other uncolored illustrations shown with numbers on them.

This travel-sized activity book gives kids something to do at restaurants, on a plane, or even in the car. In addition to the 12 design boards, this book includes six markers stored right in the cover so kids won’t misplace them. In a fun twist on other color-by-number books, kids will love watching the numbers magically disappear once colored over.

Buy it: On the Go Color by Numbers at Amazon

3. My Backyard Color by Number by Maggie Swanson

Book cover: My Backyard Color by Number. Cover has a sky blue background with title in white block letters. A little girl jumps through a tire swing while a boy rides on top of it. A bunny and other woodland animals surround them and there is a house in the background. Half the image is colored in and half is not.

Familiar backyard scenes pepper this sweet color-by-number book that will surely capture little artists’ imaginations. Be sure kids check the simple key at the bottom of each page before coloring.

Buy it: My Backyard Color by Number at Amazon

4. The Color by Number Book for Girls by Modern Kid Press

Cover: The Color by Number Book for Girls. A dark pink background features the title in white block letters. There is a small pink flamingo in the upper left-hand corner and a light pink block that says Ages 3-10 in the upper right. Three uncolored coloring sheets are shown. An ice cream cone, a mermaid, swan, and camel are in the foreground.

With a simple color key and limited colors per illustration, this book will certainly appeal to even the littlest artists. Despite its title, it is a perfect fit for any kid who loves mermaids, unicorns, princesses, and sweet treats. With over 50 pages, there will always be something to color whenever caregivers need a quiet moment.

Buy it: The Color by Number Book for Girls at Amazon

5. My First Color by Number by Blue Wave Press

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Book cover: My First Color by Number. The title is shown in red with the words fun-filled pages to color in white. A yellow school bus with three children in the windows is shown on a blue-sky background. There are white clouds and a sun in the background.

With simple illustrations and limited numbers and colors, this book is perfect for the littlest learners. In addition to working on color and number recognition, kids will also get practice following simple directions. Each page is single-sided so the finished product can easily be displayed.

Buy it: My First Color by Number at Amazon

6. The Ultimate Color by Numbers: Activity Coloring Book for Kids: Adding and Subtracting, by Brainy Tiger

Book cover: The Ultimate Color by Numbers: Activity Coloring Book for Kids. The title is shown in varying shades of orange. There is a red word bubble that says Adding and Subtracting. Three young, cartoon children are in the foreground looking at two large color by number coloring sheets that are in the background. Small blue words say, “Color by Math for Kids, Addition and Subtraction Workbook, Unicorns, Dragons, Mermaids, and Other Animals.”

This book is packed with learning opportunities as kids will have to complete a simple math equation before coloring the pages. Kids will have fun coloring the dragons, mermaids, unicorns, and other mythical creatures while practicing their addition and subtractions skills. Unlike traditional coloring books, the pages are very thick, allowing kids to use markers or even paint.

Buy it: The Ultimate Color by Numbers … Adding and Subtracting at Amazon

7. Dinosaurs Color by Number for Kids by Zoey Bird

Book cover: Dinosaurs Color by Number for Kids. A word bubble reads, “Ages 4-8.” A color by number page is shown featuring a blue dinosaur against a yellow background and blue sky with clouds in the forefront. Four colored pencils point toward the page.

If you know a dinosaur-obsessed kid, then this book is sure to be a hit. Time-travel back to the Jurassic period with 50 different pages ranging from easy to medium difficulty. Not only will kids brush up on their numbers and colors, they will also learn the names of dinosaurs as they are printed on the top of each page.

Buy it: Dinosaurs Color by Number for Kids at Amazon

8. Vehicles Color by Number by M. Power

8. Book cover: Vehicles Color by Number. The title is shown in black letters. There is a blue bubble that says, “Ages 4-8.” The background is yellow with different vehicles on it. A color by number page is shown in the forefront with a red tractor, green tree, and yellow sun.

Little ones will love the variety of trucks, tractors, planes, boats, and even blimps in this color-by-number book. The illustrations and corresponding color palettes will prove challenging but not intimidating for preschool and elementary school children.

Buy it: Vehicles Color by Number at Amazon

Color by Number Books for Upper Elementary and Middle School Kids

9. Color by Number: Coloring Book for Kids Ages 8-12 by RK Color Cafe

9. Book cover: Color by Number: Coloring Book for Kids Ages 8-12. Title is in rainbow text and an uncolored color by number page of a wolf is shown.

The limited color palette is easy to work with but the somewhat detailed illustrations will provide just enough of a challenge for slightly older kids. With over 50 designs of wildlife and mythical creatures, this book will be sure to keep kids entertained for hours.

Buy it: Color by Number: Coloring Book for Kids Ages 8-12 at Amazon

10. Marvel Superheroes Color by Number by Roswitha Peters

10. Book cover: Marvel Superheroes Color by Number. Title is shown in white block letters outlined in red. Rainbow colored image features Thanos, Iron Man, Black Widow, Spiderman, Hawkeye, Loki, and other Marvel characters.

Know a kid who loves superheroes and also loves coloring? Then this is the book for them. Loaded with Marvel’s beloved characters including Captain America, Iron Man, and Spiderman, superheroes of all ages can pick their favorite medium to complete their masterpiece. Since no one likes a mess, each design is printed on a single page to prevent bleed-through, and a color key can be found on the backside of each page.

Buy it: Marvel Superheroes Color by Number at Amazon

11. Stained Glass Nautical Designs Color by Number by Sachin Sachdeva

Book cover: Stained Glass Nautical Designs Color by Number. A coloring page with a boat sailing across the water is shown in bright colors. Title is shown in white lettering.

Each spread contains a color key with 21 colors on one page and a nautical-themed illustration on the other. This book will appeal to older children and teens with a penchant for sailing thanks to the semi-detailed pages.

Buy it: Stained Glass Nautical Designs Color by Number at Amazon

12. Color by Numbers for Kids Ages 8-12: Fun and Creative Coloring Activity Book for Kids by Jennifer L. Trace

Book cover for Color By Numbers for Kids Ages 8-12 with illustration of astronauts and aliens jumping in space above the moon

Both educating and entertaining, this color-by-number title challenges kids as they progress through the book. It has activity pages with increasing difficulty from easy to hard, as well as bonus challenges. It even includes a certificate to complete at the end to recognize kids’ accomplishment.

Buy it: Color by Numbers for Kids Ages 8-12 on Amazon

Color by Number Books for Teens and Adults

13. Color by Number Mystery Mosaics: Book 1 by Mindware

14. Book cover: Mystery Mosaics Book 1. Title is shown in white block letters and is in a teal band that runs diagonally across the cover. Yellow words read, “use color to reveal secret images.” A grid of tiny evenly spaced squares come together to form a sun with a face on it. One red and one blue colored pencil are in the lower left side of the cover pointing toward the sun.

This book is not for the faint of heart since these mosaics will require painstaking precision and patience. You will want to have a good collection of colors too because each sheet requires a large variety of hues. Each page has a color key that shows which color corresponds to which number, and each square in the mosaic contains a number. Older kids will undoubtedly feel a sense of accomplishment when finishing a mosaic!

Buy it: Color by Number Mystery Mosaics: Book 1 at Amazon

14. Creative Haven Around the World Color by Number by George Toufexis

15. Book cover: Creative Haven Around the World Color by Number. A village by a sea is pictured with three quarters of the image colored brightly and a third of it still uncolored. Tiny blue letters read, “find your true colors.”

This color-by-number book contains detailed scenes from around the globe that will certainly delight travel-hungry teens as well as adults. The inside covers feature thumbnail images in full color so users can choose to duplicate them or create their own. Images are detailed so users will likely want the precision afforded to them by colored pencils.

Buy it: Creative Haven Around the World Color by Number at Amazon

15. Color Quest Colossal: Extreme Color-by-Number Pictures to Reveal by Daniela Geremia, illustrated by Joanna Webster and John Woodcock

16. Book cover: Colossal Extreme Color by Number. Top of cover shows several clown fish swimming in the sea and bottom shows the city of Sydney, Australia.

This detailed book will prove particularly challenging even for those experienced with color-by-number books. Each page is a mystery that slowly reveals itself once colored. The perforated pages allow artists to frame their finished works.

Buy it: Color Quest Colossal: Color-by-Number Pictures to Reveal at Amazon

Looking for more books for kids? Check out 17 Drawing Books for Kids To Inspire Young Artists.

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15 Creative Color by Number Books for Kids of All Ages