Zen Vibes

11 Back to School Color by Number Pages (Free Printables)

By Zen Vibes Editors · Published · Updated

When school is about to start, or a child is still talking about the bus ride home, these back to school color by number pages are easy to hand over and watch them settle in. The first few are as simple as they look: a yellow school bus, a student backpack, a red apple on a desk, and a school bell tower with big open spaces and a short color key at the bottom.

Then the set starts to feel more like a whole school day. There are kindergarten cubbies, a crossing guard sign, a cafeteria lunch tray, and a music class violin, all with a little more to fill in but still clear enough for younger kids who like having the numbers tell them what to do. Older kids usually stick around for the soccer ball at recess and the science fair volcano, where there is a bit more going on without turning fussy. This one feels different from the season and holiday sets nearby because it lands right on familiar school moments. Our favorite is the kindergarten cubbies, because it looks exactly like that first walk down the hall with a backpack that seems a little too big.

Designs
11
Paper sizes
US Letter and A4
Difficulty
very easy to easy
Ages
2 to 7
Use
Free for personal, classroom, and therapy use

Compiled by Zen Vibes Editors.

How to print these pages

  1. Pick the paper size that matches what is in your printer: US Letter or A4.
  2. Open the PDF and choose Print. Set scale to 100 percent or “actual size” (not “fit to page”).
  3. Plain copy paper works for crayons and pencils. Use heavier cardstock for markers or paint.

Print at actual size on plain paper. Crayons work well on the simpler pages, and colored pencils help with the smaller spaces on the volcano and violin.

A good pick for the first week

These pages work well when a child is excited about school, nervous about it, or somewhere in the middle. The pictures are familiar, so the color by number part feels calming instead of like another job.

Best pages for little hands

If you are setting out crayons for a preschooler or kindergartener, start with the bus, backpack, apple desk, or bell tower. The spaces are roomy, the number matching is simple, and a child can finish one without losing steam.

Nice for classroom quiet time

Teachers and therapists can use this set when they want a school theme that is not tied to a specific holiday. The lunch tray, violin, recess ball, and volcano give kids something real to talk about while their hands stay busy.

Ideas for using these pages

  • Let each child color the page that feels most like their school day, then share why they picked the bus, cubbies, lunch tray, or recess scene.
  • Use the science fair volcano page as a lead-in to a simple classroom talk about what happens at a school fair and what kids might bring.
  • Set out the bus, backpack, apple desk, and bell tower pages on the first week of school for a quiet table activity during arrival time.

Questions about this set

Which pages are best for a preschooler or kindergartener?
Start with the yellow school bus, student backpack, red apple desk, or school bell tower. They have larger spaces and are easier for little hands to finish.
Are these only for the first day of school?
No. They also fit the first week, a school theme unit, or any time kids want familiar classroom and recess pictures instead of a holiday theme.
Do kids need markers for these?
No, crayons are fine for most of the set. Colored pencils can help on pages like the music class violin or science fair volcano where some spaces are a bit smaller.

Usage: All designs in this set are original Zen Vibes drawings. Free for personal, classroom, and therapy use. Full terms of use.