Ocean Coloring Pages

• Underwater scenes: a school of fish over a reef, a sea turtle gliding past, bubbles rising to the surface
• Coral reefs: branching coral, sea fans and anemones with small fish hiding between them
• Kelp forest: tall swaying kelp with a sea otter floating in the canopy
• Waves and beaches: rolling waves, a sandcastle at the shore, shells and a starfish in the sand
• Boats and ships: a sailboat, a fishing boat at sunrise and a pirate ship far out at sea
• Lighthouse: a lighthouse on a rocky point with beams of light across the water
• Treasure: an open treasure chest on the sea floor with coins, pearls and a map
• Patterns: wave patterns and ocean mandalas for a calm, detailed color session

The sea gives you a whole palette in one picture: pale sand, turquoise shallows, deep blue water and bright coral. It is easy to color a reef with just blues and greens, and just as easy to go wild with orange fish and pink coral. Children often learn animal names this way, and the pages work well with a lesson on habitats or the water cycle. World Oceans Day is on June 8, and many classrooms color ocean pages in the weeks before summer break.

• Start with the water. Light blue near the surface and darker blue lower down makes a picture look deep.
• Use crayon resist. Color the fish with a white crayon first, then paint over the page with watercolor. The fish show through.
• Layer greens and blues for kelp. Colored pencils blend well for the soft edges of seaweed.
• Add sparkle. A gel pen in white or silver makes good bubbles and light rays.

More ideas in our coloring tips and the guide to how to color with colored pencils.

Took a photo at the beach or the aquarium? Turn it into a page with Photo to Coloring Page. Want a very specific scene, such as a submarine visiting a coral reef? Describe it to the AI Coloring Page Generator.