On this page
Spring has reached the garden on this spring gnome coloring page, and the gnome is busy. He sits on a big clay pot with zigzag bands, as if it were a throne. One hand lifts a tiny seedling in its own little pot. The other tips a watering can over a row of tulips. His tall hat has six daisies on it and a band of smaller flowers around the brim, and a small bird watches the whole job from the roof of a birdhouse.
Kids from about 4 to 10 will have a good time here. The beard, hat and pot are huge, so a young child can make fast progress. Give it 20 to 30 minutes, or longer if your colorer wants every flower just right.
Little jobs around the garden
There is a lot going on behind him. A wooden fence runs across the hill, with pointed posts you can count. Water drops fall from the can toward the yellow tulip in the middle. A snail slides along by the pot, and it is in no hurry at all. Over on the left, a daffodil leans in, and one bee buzzes near the fence while two butterflies hang in the air on either side of the hat.
The birdhouse has a round door, a perch and a striped front. Ask your child who lives inside. Some kids will say the bird. Others will insist it belongs to a much smaller gnome.
Spring gnome coloring page color ideas
Red hat, white beard, green coat: that is the look most people picture. It works, and it pops against a pale sky. For something fresher, try a pink hat with yellow daisies, a sky blue coat and a brown belt. Soft colors feel right for this time of year.
- Terracotta orange for the pot, with cream zigzags
- Bright blue for the watering can, and a yellow flower on its side
- Sandy tan for the path, and two greens for the hills
- Red, yellow and pink for the three tulips, so each one stands out
Keep the big nose a warm peach. It is the first thing your eye lands on, so a touch of pink on the tip gives him a rosy, just came in from the cold look.
Handy coloring tips
Do the hat first. It is the biggest area, and your child will feel like the page is nearly done once it is filled. Turn the crayon on its side for speed, then trace the edge with the tip for a neat finish.
The beard is white paper, so it needs almost no color. Add a few gray curved strokes next to the long lines inside it. Those give the hair some body.
Water drops are small. A sharp blue pencil handles them better than a fat crayon. They look nice if you leave a tiny spot white.
Where garden gnomes came from
Garden gnomes started in Germany in the 1800s, and the old ones were made of clay called terracotta. In 1847 an Englishman named Sir Charles Isham brought 21 of them home from Germany for his garden at Lamport Hall. Only one of that group survived. It is nicknamed Lampy, it is still on show there, and it is insured for one million pounds. Not bad for a garden ornament.
Play with it
Glue the finished gnome to card stock, cut around him, and stand him in a flower pot on a popsicle stick. He will guard a windowsill seedling very seriously. In class, kids can write a short note from the gnome listing his three jobs for the day.
Other gnomes and garden friends
Your gnome fan may want the whole set. The fall gnome coloring page has patches on his hat and a pumpkin at his side, and the Christmas gnome coloring page is the one to save for December. The ladybug coloring page is a quick, easy one to finish after this.
Questions
Is the gnome's beard meant to stay white?
It does not have to. White looks classic, but a gray, ginger or even pale blue beard gives him more character. Try a soft gray in the curls for shadow.
What can kids use for the big hat?
Crayons work well, because the hat is the largest shape on the page. Red is traditional. Color around the daisies first, then fill in the rest.
Is this okay for a preschool class?
Yes for most 4 and 5 year olds. The hat, beard and pot are all big. The daisies and hat band are smaller, so younger kids can simply color over those.
