Mermaid and Turtle Coloring Page

This mermaid and turtle coloring page shows two friends out for a swim. A happy mermaid with long straight hair and neat bangs rides on the back of a big sea turtle, waving one hand as her hair streams out behind her. The smiling turtle paddles along with its flippers spread out and a shell made of six sided plates. Coral grows from the sand below, kelp sways on both sides, and small fish swim past.

The turtle's friendly face steals the show. Kids who love animals will likely start there, then work up to the mermaid and her long hair, which streams out like a flag in the water.

Colors for your mermaid and turtle coloring page

Sea turtles have lovely shells, so take your time here. Use a dark green for the outer shell and a lighter green or yellow for the plates. Pale mint suits the flippers and head. If you like, add small brown spots on the shell, as real ones have.

The mermaid's tail looks bright in teal, with a blue fin. A yellow top with orange stripes makes her stand out from the water. Pick any skin and hair color you like. Then go with a clear turquoise sea, and let the coral be pink and orange.

• Draw soft sun rays coming down through the water.
• Add a small jellyfish in the empty space.
• Use a darker blue near the bottom of the page.

Sea turtle facts

Sea turtles have been around for over a hundred million years. They can hold their breath for a long time, but they do need to come up for air. Females swim back to the beach where they hatched to lay their eggs, sometimes after years at sea. The babies hatch at night and head for the bright horizon. You can read about the sea turtle on Wikipedia.

Unlike a land turtle, a sea turtle cannot pull its head or flippers into its shell. Ask your child why that might be. It is built for speed in the water, not for hiding.

Help keep the ocean clean

This page can start a talk about ocean pollution. Sea turtles sometimes mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, which they eat. Plastic in the water can make them very sick. Children can help by using a reusable bottle and picking up litter at the beach or park.

Make a small promise together. Write one thing your family will do on the back of the sheet, such as "we will bring our own bags to the store." Hang the page on the fridge as a reminder. Small jobs like this give kids a real sense that they can help.

Classroom connections

Teachers can use this page in a unit on oceans or Earth Day. Ask students to label the shell, flipper and head, then list what a turtle needs to live. Older students can follow a sea turtle's long trip on a world map.

The shell's plates also work for a math lesson. A six sided shape is a hexagon, and bees use the same shape in a honeycomb. Ask kids why that shape fits together so well. Then have them try to cover a sheet of paper with hexagons.

Who it suits

Kids from about four can color the turtle's big shell and the water. Older children can add scales and shell patterns.

Ask your child who is the better swimmer here. Sea turtles are stronger swimmers than most people guess, so she may be glad of the ride.

More ocean friends

After this mermaid and turtle coloring page, try the sea turtle page or the clean ocean page. For a mix of art and nature, the turtle mandala page is lovely. There are more on our mermaid coloring pages hub.

Questions