Lion coloring pages
Free printable lions · Ages 4+
The lion is the safari page kids reach for first. Males come with a built-in challenge — the mane — that turns an otherwise plain head into a swirling halo of fur. Females are sleeker and a good option for younger children who'd rather color a simpler shape. Either way, the page reads as 'powerful' before a single crayon hits paper.
- Habitat
- Grasslands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa.
- Diet
- Carnivore — zebra, wildebeest, antelope and other large prey.
- Size
- Large — males 4 ft at the shoulder, up to 550 lbs.
- Best for
- Ages 4+
About this animal
Meet the lion
The lion is the safari page kids reach for first. Males come with a built-in challenge — the mane — that turns an otherwise plain head into a swirling halo of fur. Females are sleeker and a good option for younger children who'd rather color a simpler shape. Either way, the page reads as 'powerful' before a single crayon hits paper.
- Habitat
- Grasslands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa.
- Diet
- Carnivore — zebra, wildebeest, antelope and other large prey.
- Size
- Large — males 4 ft at the shoulder, up to 550 lbs.
Coloring tips
How to color a lion
Use a sandy gold base across the entire body. Layer a darker brown into the mane in radial strokes from the center outward, and let the tip of the tail match. The nose pad is dark brown to black; the eyes look most alive when filled with yellow or amber. A few tan grass strokes at the feet hint at the savanna.
Looking for more variety in the same style? Browse the other safari animals or head back to the full animal hub.
Step-by-step
How to color this lion
Five short steps that work for any age. Crayons, colored pencils and markers all work — pick whichever your child reaches for first.
Print the page
Save the lion coloring page to your device, then print it on standard letter or A4 paper. Thicker paper (around 90 gsm or 60 lb) handles markers without bleed-through; regular printer paper is fine for crayons and colored pencils.
Lay down the savanna base
Most safari animals share a warm sandy-gold base coat. Color the whole body with light yellow-tan, then go over it once more so the color is even. Save the chest, belly and inner ears for white or cream.
Plan the pattern
Stripes for tigers and zebras, spots for cheetahs and giraffes, manes for lions — these patterns are what make safari pages exciting. Sketch the pattern in pencil first, then ink over it with a darker color.
Anchor the scene
Add tall yellow-brown grass at the feet and one acacia tree in the background. A pale orange sunset behind the animal turns a flat coloring page into a small wildlife scene.
Finishing touches
When the colors are where you want them, trace the main outlines with a thin black pen to make the lion pop off the page. Date the back, snap a photo for the family album, then stick the finished page on the fridge.
What you'll need
A quick supplies checklist
Don't have everything? A printer, a piece of paper and a single crayon is enough to get started. The rest is optional.
Printer
Color or black-and-white both work. Set the print size to 'fit to page' and use letter or A4 paper.
Paper
Standard 20 lb (75 gsm) printer paper for crayons; 60+ lb (90+ gsm) for markers so the ink doesn't bleed.
Crayons
Best for ages 3-5 — forgiving on small hands, no smearing, and bright enough to feel finished in minutes.
Colored pencils
Best for ages 6+ and adults — perfect for shading, blending and the detailed pattern variants.
Markers
Bold, fast results. Pair with heavier paper so the ink stays on the page and doesn't soak through.
Did you know?
Fun facts to share while you color
Read these out loud — they turn a 20-minute coloring session into a quick science lesson.
A lion's roar can be heard up to 5 miles away.
Lions are the only cats that live in family groups — called prides.
Female lions do most of the hunting, working together in coordinated groups.
Cubs are born with rosette spots that fade as they grow.
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Tiger coloring pages
Tigers are the page where pattern matters more than color. The orange-and-black stripes are the whole point, and getting them right — irregular, vertical and never quite symmetric — is what separates a beginner's tiger from a confident one. It's one of the best pages to introduce the idea that coloring is also drawing.
Cat coloring pages
From sleepy tabbies curled in sunbeams to playful kittens batting at yarn, cats give children one of the most expressive shapes on the page. The mix of long flowing fur, big watchful eyes and distinctive markings makes a cat outline a perfect home for kids who are starting to experiment with stripes, patches and shading.
Zebra coloring pages
A zebra is a horse-shaped page with a pattern instead of a coat. That makes it surprisingly approachable: kids who already know how to color a horse only need to swap one solid color for a striped one, and the page transforms. It's also a good way to introduce that 'black-and-white' doesn't have to mean 'plain.'
Elephant coloring pages
Elephants are gentle on paper. The body is one of the simplest big shapes in the catalog — a barrel with four columns — which means kids can spend most of their attention on the trunk, ears and tusks. Asian elephants have smaller ears and a more rounded forehead; African elephants have wide ears that look almost like the shape of the continent.
Giraffe coloring pages
Giraffes are the page kids want when they're ready to take their time. The body is mostly neck and the neck is mostly pattern, which makes the giraffe the savanna's answer to a mandala. The trick is keeping the spots irregular enough to look natural — not a checkerboard, not perfectly round.
Monkey coloring pages
Monkeys are the safari group's wild card. They're shaped like small people, which makes the face the most expressive in the catalog, and the long tail wraps around branches in ways that create instant scene-building. Pair one with a banana and the page is finished without any background work at all.
Safari animals
More safari animals coloring pages
Safari pages are where coloring gets exciting: manes to comb, stripes to plan, spots to map out across a giraffe’s neck. They're a small step up in difficulty and a great way to introduce kids to habitats far from home without leaving the kitchen table.
FAQ
Lion coloring pages — FAQ
- Are these lion coloring pages free to print?
- Yes — every lion coloring page on this site is free to download, print and color for personal, classroom and library use. No watermark, no signup.
- What age are lion coloring pages best for?
- Ages 4+. Either way, the page reads as 'powerful' before a single crayon hits paper.
- What colors should I use for a lion?
- Use a sandy gold base across the entire body. Layer a darker brown into the mane in radial strokes from the center outward, and let the tip of the tail match. The nose pad is dark brown to black; the eyes look most alive when filled with yellow or amber. A few tan grass strokes at the feet hint at the savanna.
- What do lions eat and where do they live?
- Carnivore — zebra, wildebeest, antelope and other large prey. Grasslands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa.
- What other animals are similar to a lion?
- Try our tiger, cat, zebra coloring pages — kids who finish a lion page usually enjoy those next.
Looking for something else?
Browse all 41 animals in the catalog — pets, farm, safari, forest, birds, ocean and insects.
All animal coloring pages