Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Colour By Numbers
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Colour By Numbers is a free printable Halloween activity for little ones. Children match numbers to colours and fill in the shapes to build a spooky art piece. It is a quiet, creative task for the days around Halloween, and it needs only something to colour with.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print the sheet, find a comfortable spot and let your child work at their own pace.
What is on the sheet
Children colour by numbers to reveal a spooky Halloween picture. Each number stands for a colour, so they look at a number, find the matching colour and fill in the space. As they go, the picture slowly appears. It is a calm task that practises number recognition, careful colouring and patience, and it ends with a finished piece of art to show off.
Ways to make the finished picture your own
Add a background
Once every numbered space is coloured, let your child add a background. A night sky, stars or a moon all work well. Leave this as a free choice so they can be creative.
Frame it
Mount the finished picture on a piece of coloured paper or card. A frame makes the work feel special, and it looks good on a wall or the fridge.
Make a Halloween display
Collect several pictures, from siblings, friends or a whole class, and hang them together as a spooky gallery.
Add a title
Ask your child to name their picture and write the title along the bottom. This adds some writing practice to the activity.
Why colour by numbers works for young children
Colour by numbers asks children to look closely at a number, remember what it means and act on it. That is a small but useful job for a young mind. They practise recognising numerals in a setting that feels like play, not like a test. The picture gives a clear reason to keep going, because every space coloured brings the finished image closer.
Colouring also helps children build control in their hands. Staying inside lines takes steady movements and focus, which supports early writing. Halloween is celebrated on 31 October, so a spooky theme is something many children are already excited about. A topic they enjoy makes it easier to settle and keep trying.
Skills and curriculum link
- Number recognition
- Matching numbers to colours
- Fine motor control
- Following instructions
- Concentration
- Creativity
Ideas for helping your child
- Check the colour guide firstBefore colouring, look at the numbers and their colours together. Ask your child to point to a colour and say its number. This makes the task feel clear before they start.
- Work in small stepsSuggest colouring all the spaces with one number before moving to the next. Doing one colour at a time keeps the task simple and makes mistakes less likely.
- Slow, careful colouringEncourage steady strokes in one direction. Small spaces need a sharp pencil or a light touch, while larger spaces can use a bigger sweep.
- Praise effortComment on how carefully your child is working, not just on the final picture. This builds confidence and a willingness to try again.
Key words
- NumberA symbol that tells us how many, such as 4 or 9.
- ColourHow something looks, such as red, green or purple.
- MatchTo find two things that go together, like a number and its colour.
- SpaceA small area on the picture that is ready to be coloured.
- SpookySomething a little bit scary but fun, like a Halloween picture.
- PatternA design where colours or shapes repeat in an order.
How to use it
- Print the sheet and gather your colouring tools. Crayons, colouring pencils or felt tips all work well.
- Look at the colour guide together. Ask your child to say which colour goes with which number.
- Choose one number and find every space with that number. Colour them all before moving on.
- Keep going, one number at a time, until every space is filled. Take breaks if your child gets tired.
- Look at the finished picture together. Ask your child what they like most and where they might display it.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
If your child finds it tricky, colour one number together first. Cover the rest of the sheet with a plain piece of paper so only a small area shows. Say each number aloud as you find it. Take it slowly, and stop for a break whenever needed.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to design their own colour by numbers picture. They draw a simple Halloween shape, split it into spaces, number each space and write a colour guide. Then a friend or family member colours it in following their instructions.
Make it a game
Play a spotting game. Call out a number and let your child race to point to every space with that number. Swap roles so your child calls out numbers for you. Keep it friendly and fun, with no scores needed.
Talk about it
- Which colour did you choose to start with, and why?
- What do you think the picture will look like when it is finished?
- Which number was the easiest to find? Which was the hardest?
- What would you add to the background of your spooky picture?
- If you could make a different Halloween picture, what would it be?
- How could we show this picture to someone else?
Take it off the page
Paper pumpkin faces
Cut out orange paper circles and let your child draw spooky or silly faces on them. Number the features and swap with a friend to colour by your own rules.
Spooky shape hunt
Walk around the house or garden and look for shapes that could be part of a Halloween picture, such as circles for moons or triangles for hats. Draw what you find.
Colour sorting
Gather coloured objects such as pencils, blocks or socks. Sort them into groups by colour and count each group, then put the groups in order from most to fewest.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first few spaces, then let them lead. It makes a good calm activity before bedtime or on a rainy afternoon. Praise the effort and let them finish in their own way.
Teachers
Use it as a quiet Halloween activity, a settling task after break or a reward activity. It links to number recognition in maths and to colour and drawing skills in art and design. Display the finished pieces together.
Home educators
Colour by numbers fits easily into a home education day as a gentle activity around Halloween. Combine it with talk about autumn, stories or crafts, and let your child decide how to finish and display it.
Where this skill leads
Before colour by numbers, children usually enjoy free colouring, naming colours and learning to recognise numerals. Handling crayons and pencils builds the grip and control needed for more precise work.
After this, children can try more detailed colouring, number puzzles, simple pattern tasks and eventually writing numbers themselves. In art, they can start mixing colours and designing their own pictures, using what they have learned about careful colouring.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What is the Colour By Numbers sheet?
It is a free printable Halloween activity. Children colour a picture by matching numbers to colours, filling in each space to create a spooky art piece. It is designed to keep little ones busy and creative at home.
- Is the sheet free?
Yes. The sheet is free to download and print as an at home activity from the Mini Minds Hub by Jaques of London.
- What do we need to do the sheet?
You need a printed copy and something to colour with, such as crayons, colouring pencils or felt tips. A hard surface to lean on and a comfortable place to sit also help.
- Should I print it in colour or black and white?
Check that your child can see which colour goes with which number. If the colour guide is hard to read on your print, print in colour or write the colour names beside the numbers.
- How long will it take?
It depends on the child. Some will finish in one go, while others like to colour a little at a time. Let your child set the pace and come back to it later if they get tired.
- What skills does it practise?
It practises number recognition, matching, careful colouring and concentration. In the National Curriculum for England, it fits with early number work in maths and with using colour in art and design.
- Can I use it in a classroom?
Yes. It works well as a calm Halloween task, a settling activity or a choice activity. Children can then display their finished pictures together as a class gallery.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.