11 back-to-school coloring pages to get your kid excited for the new school year

A new school year can bring a lot of nerves and excitement bubbling to the surface for both kids and parents (and even teachers!). You may have tried cracking a funny back-to-school joke to help calm their jitters. Your child can recycle jokes as ice breakers at school, too. Reading books about the first day of school can be a soothing way to prepare your child for their first day of school. We also recommend back-to-school coloring pages to ease those jitters.

Coloring is such a calming activity that your kid will soon forget why they were worrying about the first day of school in the first place. It’s something that can be done solo or with a friend (did we just come up with an after school playdate activity?). And the best part is there are tons of back-to-school coloring pages available for free online. From school buses and textbooks to notebooks and pencils, these cute coloring pages about the new school year will have your kid jumping out of bed on the first day of school.

Free back to school coloring pages

1. Backpack with School Supplies Coloring Page

This back to school coloring page features all your back to school essentials: a backpack, apple, ruler, notebooks, and pencil. Download it for free at Primary Games.

2. School Building Coloring Page

Fight first day of school nerves with this school building illustration. You and your child can have a positive conversation about everything they have to look forward to this school year.

3. Smart Bee Coloring Page

School is back in session! Professor Bee is ready to teach their students new math equations like 5+3 — help your child solve the chalkboard equation.

4. Pencil Cartoon Coloring Page

This coloring sheet of a smiley, animated pencil is great for preschoolers. You can download and print it for free at Primary Games.

5. First Day of School Sign Coloring Page

Mamas! This illustration doubles as a coloring sheet and a super cute prop for those first day of school photos! Your child is tasked to write their name, age, the date, and what they want to be when they grow up. Available for free on Crayola.

6. ABC Book Coloring Page

This minimalist, ABC-themed coloring page can be enjoyed by young artists — maybe for the little ones who are sending their older sibs’ off to school!

7. School Supplies Coloring Page

Turn this into a mommy and me activity by asking your kiddo to help double check you got everything off their school supplies list. Afterwards, you can help them color this school supplies-themed illustration of notebooks, binders, pens and markers, crayons, scissors, a calculator, and a ruler.

8. Back to School Girl Coloring Page

Get your little girl ready for her first day of school with this adorable coloring page. Download and print it for free at Get Coloring Pages.

9. School Books Coloring Page

What’s your child’s favorite subject? Maybe they’re into math or science? Do they enjoy learning about history or what different words mean? This coloring page can be your segue into asking how their day was or what they learned in class.

10. School Bus Coloring Page

Courtesy of Get Coloring Page, this illustration shows a school bus full of kids on their way to campus.

11. Classmates Eating Lunch Coloring Page

Is your kid having first day jitters? This coloring sheet will serve as a nice reminder that they’ll be reunited with all their friends and get to hang out on the playground soon.

A version of this post was published June 6, 2022. It has been updated.