Young children often find it easier to talk about feelings when their hands are busy. Colouring gives them time to think, and friendly animals make big emotions feel less serious.
This feelings colouring page shows four woodland animals in an autumn scene. Each one has a clearly different face: happy, cross, worried and excited. Children colour them, say what they notice and decide which animal feels most like them today.
It works at the kitchen table, in a calm corner, at circle time or as a quiet activity when the day has been a lot.
What’s inside this free printable
- 1 printable colouring page with four big, easy-to-colour animals
- A hedgehog, fox, owl and squirrel, each showing a different feeling
- Large autumn leaves with pattern ideas: stars, stripes, hearts and dots
- One discussion question under the picture to start a chat
How to use it
- Print the page on plain paper or thin card and set out crayons or pencils.
- Look at the four animals together. Ask, ‘What can you see on their faces?’
- Let your child colour in any order. There are no right or wrong colours for a feeling.
- Name each feeling together. Younger children can point, older children can write the word beside each animal.
- Ask the question under the picture: ‘Which feeling is closest to how you feel?’
- Display the finished page in a calm corner so you can point to it on a busy day.
Tips for little ones
- Let children choose the colours. Some may colour ‘cross’ blue and that is fine. Ask them why.
- Share a feeling of your own first: ‘I felt a bit worried this morning.’
- For a group, give each child one animal to act out with their face before they colour.
- Print two copies so children can colour how they feel at the start and at the end of the week.
Questions parents ask
What age are these emotions coloring pages for?
They suit children of about 3–8. Younger children can colour and point to faces. Older children can write a feeling word and tell a short story about each animal.
Can I use the page in a classroom?
Yes. It works for circle time, a calm corner, early finisher time or social and emotional learning sessions. Print as many copies as you need for your own class or family.
Do the animals have to match certain colours?
No. Feelings have no single right colour or answer. Let children pick whatever feels right, then ask them to tell you about their choices.
Get your free printable
Download the PDF (A4 and US Letter) from our free printables page. It only takes your email.
Want the full set?
Want to keep talking about feelings after the colouring? Our Feelings Flashcards for Kids Ages 3–7, a set of 32 printable emotion monster cards, make a lovely next step.
