Penguin Coloring Pages

Penguins waddle, slide on their bellies and look dressed for a party, so it's no surprise they are a winter favorite. These free penguin coloring pages include an emperor penguin with a chick on its feet, a rockhopper with spiky yellow feathers, a penguin sliding downhill and a whole colony on the ice. Most of each bird is black and white, which leaves you free to go big on the scarves, sky and sea.

Penguins you can color

  • Emperor penguin: the tallest penguin, close to four feet, with yellow and orange patches on its neck
  • King penguin: a little smaller than the emperor, with a bright orange teardrop on each side of its head
  • Adélie penguin: all black and white with a white ring around each eye
  • Chinstrap penguin: a thin black line runs under its chin like a helmet strap
  • Rockhopper: red eyes, spiky yellow crest feathers and a habit of hopping over rocks
  • Little penguin: the smallest penguin, about a foot tall, with blue-gray feathers
  • Chicks: covered in soft down until their waterproof feathers grow in

Penguin facts and tips for penguin coloring pages

Penguins can't fly through the air, but underwater their wings work as flippers and they seem to fly through the sea. Nearly all penguins live south of the equator. Polar bears live in the Arctic, at the other end of the planet, so the two never meet in the wild. An emperor penguin father keeps a single egg warm on top of his feet for about two months of winter, without eating. To stay warm, emperors huddle in a crowd and take turns standing in the middle.

A penguin's black back and white belly are camouflage in the water: dark from above, light from below. Color the back and head black or dark blue-gray and leave the belly as white paper. Then add the small touches that tell the species apart, like the emperor's yellow neck patches or the rockhopper's yellow crest. Beaks are black, orange or pink, and feet are black or pink. For ice and snow, shade with pale blue and lavender instead of gray so the page stays bright.

Frequently asked questions

Are these penguin coloring pages free?

Yes. All penguin coloring pages are free to download and print for personal and classroom use.

What colors do I need for a penguin?

Black, a little yellow and orange, and pale blue for the ice. The white parts are just the paper. Baby emperor penguins are light gray with a black and white face.

Do penguins and polar bears live together?

No. Wild penguins live in the southern half of the world, and polar bears live in the Arctic in the north. Pictures that show them side by side are just for fun.

Do you have cute penguin coloring pages for winter?

Yes. The penguin in a scarf, the penguin on a sled and the penguin holding a snowflake are Easy pages that fit winter and holiday themes. There are more seasonal sheets in the Christmas coloring pages.