Squirrel coloring pages
Free printable squirrels · Ages 3+
Squirrels are a backyard staple and one of the few wild animals most kids see almost every day. The fluffy tail (held in a question-mark curl above the body) is the showpiece of the page — and the acorn or pinecone in the paws gives the animal something to do without needing a background.
- Habitat
- Forests, parks and backyards on every continent except Antarctica.
- Diet
- Omnivore — nuts, seeds, fruit and occasionally insects or eggs.
- Size
- Small — 8 to 10 inches plus a tail nearly as long.
- Best for
- Ages 3+
About this animal
Meet the squirrel
Squirrels are a backyard staple and one of the few wild animals most kids see almost every day. The fluffy tail (held in a question-mark curl above the body) is the showpiece of the page — and the acorn or pinecone in the paws gives the animal something to do without needing a background.
- Habitat
- Forests, parks and backyards on every continent except Antarctica.
- Diet
- Omnivore — nuts, seeds, fruit and occasionally insects or eggs.
- Size
- Small — 8 to 10 inches plus a tail nearly as long.
Coloring tips
How to color a squirrel
Red and gray squirrels need different palettes. Red squirrels are warm orange-brown all over with a cream belly; eastern grays are a soft slate-gray with a white belly. The tail should always be slightly bushier and lighter in color than the back. The acorn cap is a darker brown than the nut itself.
Looking for more variety in the same style? Browse the other forest & wild animals or head back to the full animal hub.
Step-by-step
How to color this squirrel
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 squirrel 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.
Choose a forest-floor coat
Most forest and wild animals wear earth tones: warm browns for foxes and bears, gray for wolves, soft pink for pandas’ ears. Fill the body with the base shade, then leave belly, chest and inner ears for white.
Sketch the fur texture
Wild coats have visible fur direction — short strokes along the body in a slightly darker brown make the animal look real. Concentrate the strokes along the spine, shoulders and tail.
Build a wooded background
A few vertical tree trunks behind the animal, a scatter of leaves on the ground, and a soft blue-gray sky between the trunks fills the page out. Keep all background colors muted so the animal stays the focal point.
Finishing touches
When the colors are where you want them, trace the main outlines with a thin black pen to make the squirrel 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.
Squirrels can fall from any height without serious injury — their tail acts as a parachute.
They plant thousands of trees a year by forgetting where they buried their acorns.
Squirrels can rotate their ankles 180 degrees to climb down trees head-first.
Their front teeth never stop growing.
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Bear coloring pages
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Forest & wild animals
More forest & wild animals coloring pages
Forest and woodland animals balance familiarity (you might see a fox in the backyard) with the thrill of the wild. Most have rich coats with two or three natural colors, which makes them ideal for kids who are ready to layer crayons or blend pencils.
FAQ
Squirrel coloring pages — FAQ
- Are these squirrel coloring pages free to print?
- Yes — every squirrel 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 squirrel coloring pages best for?
- Ages 3+. The fluffy tail (held in a question-mark curl above the body) is the showpiece of the page — and the acorn or pinecone in the paws gives the animal something to do without needing a background.
- What colors should I use for a squirrel?
- Red and gray squirrels need different palettes. Red squirrels are warm orange-brown all over with a cream belly; eastern grays are a soft slate-gray with a white belly. The tail should always be slightly bushier and lighter in color than the back. The acorn cap is a darker brown than the nut itself.
- What do squirrels eat and where do they live?
- Omnivore — nuts, seeds, fruit and occasionally insects or eggs. Forests, parks and backyards on every continent except Antarctica.
- What other animals are similar to a squirrel?
- Try our rabbit, fox, deer coloring pages — kids who finish a squirrel 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