On this page
Meet the star of this fall gnome coloring page. He is short and round, with a very tall hat and a beard that nearly reaches his belt. One hand is up in a friendly wave. The other rests on a fat pumpkin at his side. His hat is patched in three places and pinned with two maple leaves and a small acorn.
Kids from about 4 to 12 will enjoy him. The beard and hat are huge, easy shapes, while the patches and the hat band give older kids some small work. Figure on 20 to 30 minutes.
A closer look at the gnome
The hat tells a little story. Those stitched patches suggest a gnome who has been wearing the same hat for many, many years. Ask your child how each one got there. Maybe a squirrel chewed a hole, or a thorn caught the edge on a long walk.
Under the hat, there is a big round nose, two bright eyes and a curly moustache that sits on top of the beard. A band of diamonds circles the brim. His green coat has a plaid pattern and a wide belt with a square buckle.
The meadow behind him stays simple on purpose. A sun, some drifting leaves, two trees and a pair of spotted mushrooms frame the scene without stealing his spotlight.
Fall gnome coloring page color ideas
Red is the traditional hat color, and it looks great with an orange band. Then again, a mustard or plum hat feels very autumn. The patches are a good chance to use up odd crayons, since a patch can be any color at all.
- Coat: forest green, with a lighter green plaid
- Belt: dark brown, with a gold buckle
- Boots: chestnut brown, with tan soles
- Nose: peach, a touch darker than the face
A beard does not have to stay white. A soft gray along the curls gives it depth, and a gentle blue shadow near the bottom makes it look puffy.
Tips that help on this page
Color the face before the beard. The skin area is a thin curve above the moustache, so it is easier to fill while the white space around it is still clean. Then press a pink crayon lightly on the cheeks.
For the beard, try curved strokes that follow the long lines. That small habit makes the hair look like it flows. Straight strokes will show, even with a light hand.
The hat is the biggest single space on the sheet. Lay a crayon flat to cover it quickly, and small hands will not get tired before they reach the fun parts.
Where garden gnomes came from
The little figures you see in yards today have a real past. Garden gnomes grew out of German folk tales about dwarves, and they spread across Europe in the 1840s. In 1847, an English gentleman named Sir Charles Isham brought 21 clay gnomes home from Germany for his garden. Early ones were made of terracotta, and the classic look included a red pointy hat, much like the one on this page.
Games for after coloring
Give the gnome a name, then write a short note from him. What does he plan to do with that pumpkin? Soup? A new house? Kids tend to have strong opinions about this.
You can also cut him out, fold a strip of card behind his boots, and stand him on a shelf as a small fall decoration. Make a few in different colors and you have a gnome family for the table.
More pages with the same charm
For the snowy version of this character, print the Christmas gnome coloring page. Kids who liked the pumpkin at his side will also enjoy the scarecrow coloring page.
Questions
Is this gnome different from your Christmas gnome?
Yes. This one wears a patched hat with leaves and an acorn, and he stands in a fall meadow with a pumpkin. The Christmas gnome has a snowy scene.
What should I use for the beard?
Leave it white or shade it lightly with gray or pale blue. Kids who want color can use a soft yellow or a gentle orange for a ginger gnome.
Can a preschooler color this?
A 4-year-old can manage the hat and the beard well. The small hat band and the leaf pin will need more care, so help with those or skip them.
