On this page
Harvest season has arrived on this fall barn coloring page. A tall barn with a two slope roof stands at the end of a dirt lane, with a painted quilt block above its big double doors. A silo rises on the left, and a rooster weather vane tops the roof. Out front, a cart piled with pumpkins waits on the lane while two hens wander by. Shocks of corn stand tied beside the fence.
Kids from about 6 can enjoy it, and adults will like the quilt block. It takes around 40 minutes. The long boards go quickly, so the page feels satisfying early on.
Things to find around the farm
Start your tour at the top. The rooster turns on a pole with an arrow beneath it, showing which way the wind blows. The small door high up is the hayloft, with an X brace in the center. Hay goes up into the loft through an opening like that one.
Two more X braces cross the big doors. Move to the sides and you will find small four pane windows, a low shed with its own door, and a round tree starting to turn. Five geese fly in a loose V near the sun. Tie a story to any of these and the page gets more fun.
Fall barn coloring page color ideas
A red barn with white trim is hard to beat. Add a dark gray or navy roof, and the shape will stand out clearly from the sky. The silo can be pale gray with a red dome that matches the barn.
The quilt block is the jewel of the sheet. Stick with two or three strong colors so the star shows up from across the room. Red, orange and yellow match the season. Teal and gold give it a modern look.
- Lane: tan or light brown
- Corn shocks: gold with a red tie
- Hens: white with tan wings and red combs
- Field: yellow, for tired late season grass
Would you rather paint an old gray barn? Layer light gray over pale brown, and add a few streaks of darker gray down each board. It will look weathered.
Tips for boards and the quilt block
Color each board with strokes that run up and down, the same way the wood grain does. It sounds like a small thing, but sideways strokes tend to show. Vary the pressure from board to board and the wall will look less flat.
The quilt block has small sharp triangles, so use a fresh point. Plan your colors with a tiny test in the margin. Then fill one color at a time across the block, and you will be less likely to lose the pattern.
A paler sky helps the whole scene feel like early morning. Keep the blue light near the horizon and a bit stronger at the top.
What is a barn quilt
That bright square is a real thing you can spot on country drives. A barn quilt is a traditional quilt pattern painted on a barn or on a panel fixed to its side. Some people credit Donna Sue Groves of Adams County, Ohio, with starting the idea in 2001, though others say the custom is far older. Many rural counties now link these barns into quilt trails, which are driving routes for visitors to follow.
Keep the fun going
Design your own quilt block. Draw a square on graph paper, split it into triangles, and fill them in. Then glue your block over the one on the barn, or hang it in the classroom with the others to make a paper quilt.
You can also plan a pretend farm day. Ask your child to name the hens, count the pumpkins and decide what the cart is carrying to market. Younger kids love giving the rooster on top a name too.
More farm pages
For a simpler version with big shapes, print the barn coloring page. The corn shocks in this scene pair well with our corn coloring page.
Questions
How hard is this page?
It is a medium page. The barn has wide, simple boards, while the quilt block and the cart take more care. Kids from 6 can do well with it.
What is the star shape on the barn?
It is a barn quilt, a painted square that copies a traditional quilt block. You can find them on farms across the United States.
Does a barn have to be red?
No. Red is the classic choice, but white, gray and weathered brown barns are all common. Pick whichever you like best.
