American Flag Coloring Page

This American flag coloring page shows the full flag on a tall pole, with 13 stripes and all 50 stars in their real rows. A string of triangle banners hangs below it, and a toy drum sits on the grass. It suits ages 5 to 12 and takes about half an hour if the stars get proper care.

The stripes are simple but need a steady hand. The blue box around the stars is the slow part, since kids have to color around each tiny point. Younger children can skip that fuss by using a blue marker with a fine tip, or by asking a grown up to help.

Flag Day, Veterans Day and state lessons

Teachers often need a flag for Flag Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and the Fourth of July. This one works for all of them. It also suits a lesson on American symbols or a unit on the 50 states.

Early readers can use it as a counting sheet. Older kids can use it as a careful coloring test and see how neat they can make the lines.

The right colors for the flag

A real flag uses just three colors. Start at the top with a red stripe, and take turns with white all the way down. The top and bottom stripes are both red, so there are seven red and six white.

The box behind the stars is a dark blue. Leave the stars white. Use a sharp colored pencil or a fine marker for the tight spaces around them.

The rest of the scene is up to your child. A gold ball on the pole looks smart. The banners can go red and blue in turn, with bright green grass under the drum.

American flag coloring page tips

• Put a dot of red on each red stripe first, so you do not mix them up.
• Rest a ruler along a stripe to keep your edge straight.
• Color the blue box slowly, one small star at a time.
• Skip the white stripes. The paper does that job for you.

Facts about the Stars and Stripes

The 13 stripes stand for the 13 colonies that became the first states. The 50 stars stand for the 50 states today. A star is added for each new state, and the 50 star design began on July 4, 1960, not long after Hawaii became a state in 1959.

Flag Day is on June 14. It marks the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress chose an official flag. Over the years the flag has picked up a few nicknames, such as Old Glory. The Flag of the United States article on Wikipedia covers the full history.

There are also rules for treating a flag with care. For example, it should not touch the ground. Those rules can start a nice talk about respect in the classroom.

Class and family activities

Math is built right in. Count the stars in one row, then the next. Rows of six and five take turns, which is a neat pattern. Ask older kids to find the total without counting one by one: five rows of six, plus four rows of five, makes 50.

Make a paper chain with strips of red, white and blue. Hang it over the door for a parade day at home. You can also glue the finished page to a stick and march around the yard with the toy drum idea from the drawing.

For a short writing task, ask what the word freedom means to your child. Write the answer on the grass at the bottom of the page, in the child's own words.

Other pages for the holiday

Light up the night with our fireworks coloring page, or visit Philadelphia with the Liberty Bell. Every design is in our 4th of July coloring pages. Print a few before the big day, since a quiet sheet of paper helps when the kids are waiting for the parade to start.

Questions