Christmas Lights Coloring Page

This christmas lights coloring page shows a snowy house on a winter night with lights everywhere. A long string of big, old style bulbs swings across the top of the sheet, and a second string runs along the bottom. Smaller bulbs follow the roof of the house, and a little pine tree in the yard is covered in round lights. Some of the big bulbs carry a star, a heart or dots.

It is an easy page with large shapes. Children from 4 to 9 can do it, and it takes about twenty minutes. Every bulb is a simple shape, so it is good practice for staying inside a line.

Picking a pattern

This page is a quiet way to teach patterns. Ask your child to pick three colors, then repeat them along the string. Red, green, blue, red, green, blue. For an older child, try a harder one, such as two reds and then a yellow. It feels like a game, but it builds real math skills.

If you would rather not plan, just grab whatever crayon is closest. Bright mixed lights look great too. Use a color for each bulb that is different from the one next to it.

Now think about the sky. A dark navy background makes every bulb seem to glow. Leave the shine mark on each big bulb white, and try gray for the sockets. The house can be a warm yellow with a red door.

Tips for this christmas lights coloring page

• Color the sky last, and go slowly around each bulb.
• Use a bright color on the short lines under each big bulb, since they show the bulb is shining.
• Use a yellow ring around each bulb for a soft glow.
• Skip one bulb and leave it white. It can be the one that burned out.

Kids get a kick out of that last idea. Then they can draw a tiny helper on a ladder who is coming to fix it.

How holiday lights began

Long ago, people put small candles on their trees, which was risky. In 1882, a man named Edward Johnson, who worked with Thomas Edison, wired up red, white and blue bulbs for his own tree in New York. You can read about the history of Christmas lights and how they spread. At first they cost a lot, so only rich homes had them. Today, many streets glow all through December, just like the house on this page.

A walk at night to see the lights on your street is a lovely free outing. Bring your colored page and try to match the colors you see.

Fun with this page

Make a counting game. Ask your child to count the big bulbs, then count only the small ones on the roof. Next, try adding. How many bulbs are there in all? For a child just starting to learn numbers, write a small number in each big bulb, starting at 1.

You can also turn the sheet into a garland. Cut out the big bulbs, punch a hole in each socket and thread them onto yarn. Hang it over a window or across a classroom board. This is a cheap way to decorate, and each child can add a bulb with their name on it.

A science chat fits here too. What makes a bulb glow? Older kids can look up how a simple circuit works, or try one with a battery and a small light from a kit.

Paper choice

Plain paper works for coloring. For the garland, print on heavier paper, because the thin sheet bends where the yarn passes through the socket.

Two strings, two plans

Each string can have its own plan. Let the top string repeat three colors and keep the bottom one to warm colors such as red, orange and yellow. Then match the roof bulbs to one of them, and hold the page at arm's length to see which side looks best from across the room.

More bright ideas

This christmas lights coloring page is part of our Christmas coloring pages. Hang your lights next to the Christmas tree, or try the Christmas ornament for one more shiny page.

Questions