Turtle Coloring Pages
A turtle carries its own coloring challenge on its back. These free turtle coloring pages include a sea turtle gliding over a reef, a box turtle in the leaves, a pond turtle sunning on a log, a giant tortoise and a row of hatchlings heading for the waves. Each shell is drawn with clear sections, so you can fill them one by one.
Realistic box turtleDetailed
Desert tortoise among cactusDetailed
Realistic leatherback turtleDetailed
Turtle with a mandala shellDetailed
Sea turtle over a coral reefDetailed
Turtle swimming under lily padsMedium
Sea turtle near jellyfishMedium
Snapping turtle on a riverbankMedium
Red-eared slider in a pondMedium
Hatchlings crawling to the oceanMedium
Box turtle in fallen leavesMedium
Giant tortoise walkingMedium
Green sea turtle glidingMedium
Turtle and snail side by sideEasy
Tortoise eating lettuceEasy
Turtle peeking out of its shellEasy
Simple sea turtle swimmingEasy
Turtle sunning on a logEasy
Smiling turtle with a big shell patternEasy
Baby turtle hatching from an eggEasy
Turtles and tortoises you can color
- Green sea turtle: has flippers instead of feet and is named for the green fat under its shell
- Leatherback: the biggest turtle of all, with a rubbery back in place of a hard shell
- Box turtle: a hinged lower shell lets it shut itself in completely
- Red-eared slider: a pond turtle with a red stripe behind each eye
- Snapping turtle: a big head, a long tail and a rough, ridged shell
- Giant tortoise: lives on land, walks on thick legs and can pass 100 years old
- Hatchlings: baby sea turtles dig out of the sand and hurry to the ocean, usually at night
Shell facts and color ideas for turtle coloring pages
A turtle can't climb out of its shell. The shell is part of its skeleton, with the ribs and backbone built into it. The top half is called the carapace and the flat bottom half is the plastron. The plates you see on the outside are scutes, and they're made of keratin, like your fingernails. Turtles have been around for more than 200 million years, so they shared the planet with the dinosaurs. A turtle has no teeth. It bites with a hard, sharp beak instead.
Shells are rarely plain green. Mix olive, brown, tan and yellow, and give each scute a darker edge with a lighter center. Many box turtles have yellow or orange streaks on a dark brown shell. The skin on a green sea turtle's head and flippers is covered in dark patches outlined in cream. Markers make the shell pattern bold, and a pencil over the top adds shading.
Frequently asked questions
Are these turtle coloring pages free?
Yes. All turtle coloring pages are free to download and print for personal and classroom use.
What is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?
A tortoise is a turtle that lives only on land. It has a high domed shell and sturdy legs like an elephant's. Turtles that live in water have flatter shells and webbed feet or flippers.
What color is a sea turtle?
It depends on the species. Green sea turtles have olive to brown shells and a pale yellow underside. Hawksbills have amber shells streaked with brown. Leatherbacks are dark gray to black with pale spots.
Do you have cute turtle coloring pages for beginners?
Yes. The smiling turtle with a big shell pattern and the baby turtle hatching from an egg are Easy pages. Each shell has only a handful of large sections. Start there before moving on to the reef scenes.