Getting my kids out of the bathtub lately is like negotiating with tiny, slippery terrorists. They scream that they live in the ocean now.
To bribe them into dry clothes, I started printing these mermaid coloring pages and leaving them on the kitchen table. Honestly… it works like a charm.
As a former teacher, I appreciate when designs actually have distinct, colorable shapes. Kids get so frustrated when pictures are just a jumbled mess of thin, confusing lines.
Scroll down and find one that your little swimmer will actually finish. Print a few extra just in case they decide the first tail is the wrong shade of pink.
Featured Mermaid Coloring Pages
I have a soft spot for this little mermaid and her wobbly starfish tower—she’s clearly a firm believer in “just one more”! I’d give each starfish a different sunny shade, though I suspect a rainbow tail might steal the show.
I love the idea of a mermaid inviting her fish friends for a picnic—though I do wonder how they keep the sandwiches from floating away! I’d leave the ocean colors up to the kids; a pink sea sounds like a perfectly lovely place for lunch.
I love that this little mermaid collects her pearls in a woven seagrass basket—even under the sea, you need somewhere to stash your treasures! I’d try a coral-pink tail and a soft green basket, then leave a tiny white spot on each pearl to make it look shiny.
I love how the little pearls along this mermaid’s tail make her look dressed up for an underwater celebration, even while she’s just swimming past an old anchor. I’d leave a few pearls white for a bit of shine, but a rainbow tail would be awfully hard to resist!
I like to imagine Syrena is gazing out from her rocky tide pool, wondering whether her best friend will swim by for a seaside chat. I’d give her tail a splash of turquoise, but a rainbow of scales would be far too fun to resist!
I think this little mermaid’s coral flower crown deserves every pink and peach in the pencil tin. Though knowing how these things go, someone will make it rainbow-striped, and I’ll like that even better!
This little chibi mermaid looks so pleased with her splashy tide pool that I can almost hear the giggles. I’d give her a peachy-pink tail and bright turquoise water, but a rainbow splash would be hard to resist!
I love how this little mermaid has turned a strand of kelp between two rocks into her very own underwater swing. I’d go for a sparkly purple tail and bright green kelp, though I suspect the rocks would end up rainbow-striped at our kitchen table!
I love this mermaid’s cheeky little fish-bone comb—apparently, even under the sea, those tangles need sorting! I’d give her a swishy purple tail and rainbow hair, though I suspect the kids will have much bolder ideas.
This little mermaid tucked into her seashell blanket makes me think even underwater adventures should end with a cozy nap. I’d reach for soft peach and lavender, though a rainbow blanket would be awfully sweet too!
Those rosy cheeks and that squishy little seahorse make this mermaid look like she’s found her favorite bedtime buddy. I’d be tempted to give them matching pastel colors, though a rainbow tail is always hard to resist!
I think this little mermaid waving from her rock has the right idea—find a comfy spot and enjoy the sunset! I’d try peach and pink for the sky, then let the kids choose her tail colors, because a rainbow tail is always a perfectly good answer.
I think this little mermaid has found the ocean’s sweetest night-light, and she’s giving it a cuddle! I’d try a soft yellow glow around the jellyfish, then let the kids pick the wildest colors they fancy for her tail.
Mermaid Coloring Pages Highlights
Decorating Hair with Fish Lights
This little girl is holding up a string of what looks like glowing fish. My kids always argue over whether they are magic fish or just regular ones that swallowed tiny lightbulbs.
The details in her hair are surprisingly fun to color. You can use bright neon colors for the fish lights to make them pop against her hair.
Shimmering Scales Near the Surface
This is one of the more realistic coloring pages of mermaids we put together. She is swimming upward toward the top of the water.
The bubbles around her are perfect for practicing different shades of blue. I think those scales look amazing if you use metallic markers on them.
Underwater Tea Party with Friends
Who doesn’t love an underwater tea party. The crab sitting at the table just cracks me up every time I look at it.
There are little cups and a teapot sitting on a shell table. It is one of those cute mermaid coloring pages that lets kids use a bunch of random colors for the different sea creatures.
Drifting in a Moonlit Lagoon
The moon in the background of this one gives it a really calm feeling. Her hair is just floating everywhere in the water.
My oldest likes to color the sky a dark purple to make the moon stand out. You can even leave the moon completely white so it looks incredibly bright.
Exploring a Crystal Cavern
There are massive crystals all around this mermaid. She looks like she just found a secret hiding spot.
Coloring those crystals is a great excuse to bust out the gel pens. You can make them pink or purple or perhaps a glowing neon green.
Treasure Chest and Glowing Pearls
Every mermaid needs a treasure chest full of pearls. She is sitting right next to it with this big happy smile.
The pearls spilling out are so satisfying to color in. I tell my kids to use a light grey around the edges to make them look round.
Drifting Among the Jellyfish
Jellyfish are completely fascinating to watch but they are terrifying in real life. Here they just look peaceful floating around her.
These mermaid coloring sheets are great for blending soft colors. Try using light pinks and blues for the jellyfish tops to make them look slightly see-through.
Decorating the Cave with Shells
This one shows a mermaid fixing up her little cave home. She is hanging a string of pearls across the rock opening.
There are lots of fun little details like starfish and clam shells on the ground. It gives kids a chance to use pretty much every crayon in the box.
Tips for Coloring Mermaid Coloring Pages
1. Make the Pearls Glow
We have a lot of pearls in these designs like the ones spilling from the treasure chest. Don’t just leave them blank white.
Give them a tiny shadow on one side with a silver or light grey colored pencil. Then put a tiny dot of yellow near the top. That makes them look like they are actually glowing underwater instead of just being flat circles.
2. Shimmering Scales Trick
The realistic mermaid scales can look amazing if you layer your colors right. Start with a regular marker for the base color.
Then take a metallic crayon or a sparkly gel pen and just draw over the edges of the scales. It gives the tail this amazing shiny texture when you hold it up to the light. My kids always want to show me how the tail sparkles when they do this.
3. Coloring the Crystal Caverns
Crystals can be tricky because kids usually just color them solid purple and call it a day. I try to get them to use three different shades.
Use the darkest color at the bottom of the crystal and the lightest color at the very tip. Leave a tiny white line down one of the middle edges to look like a reflection. It makes the cavern look so much more magical.
4. Jellyfish Transparency
Those jellyfish floating around the mermaid need to look soft. Heavy crayon marks make them look like weird underwater mushrooms.
Color them very lightly with pink or light blue. Then color the water behind them just a tiny bit darker. This tricks your eye into thinking you are looking right through the jellyfish.
5. Making the Moon Stand Out
There is that one beautiful page with the moonlit lagoon. If you color the sky black the moon gets completely lost.
Try using a deep midnight blue or a rich violet for the night sky instead. Let the color get lighter the closer you get to the moon. It creates this glowing halo effect that looks absolutely incredible on paper.
6. Fun with the Tea Party Crustaceans
The crab at the underwater tea party doesn’t have to be boring old red. Crabs come in crazy colors in real life anyway.
We colored ours a mix of orange and bright pink last week. You can even give him little yellow spots on his shell. It makes the whole tea party scene look way more fun and chaotic.
7. Highlighting Flowing Hair
Mermaids have ridiculous amounts of hair floating everywhere in these pictures. If you color it all one flat color it loses that underwater feeling.
Pick a main color like red or purple and color the whole thing lightly. Then go back and press harder on the pencil where the hair twists or goes behind her back. Those darker shadows make the hair look thick and full of movement.
8. Glow-in-the-Dark Fish Lights
The tiny fish lights strung in the mermaid’s hair are such a cute detail. You want them to look like they are actually shining.
Color the fish a really bright neon yellow or green. Then take a yellow colored pencil and lightly color a soft circle around the outside of the fish. It gives off this soft light effect that makes the whole picture look special.