The heat is already creeping in, and keeping the kids occupied without screens is practically a full-time job.
That is exactly why we put together these summer coloring pages for you. We needed fresh activities that capture that vacation feeling right at the kitchen table. Just grab some crayons and maybe a cold drink.
I used to scramble for decent printables when I was teaching. Finding free summer coloring pages that weren’t totally blurry was an absolute nightmare.
So we make sure every single line here is crisp and ready to print. The kids can dive into these scenes while you actually get to sit down for five minutes.
Featured Summer Coloring Pages
Summer Coloring Page Highlights
Ultimate Summer Flat Lay
This page is completely packed with everything summer. You have sunglasses, a tiny crab, a bucket, and even a slice of watermelon squeezed in there. It is brilliant for kids who love coloring tiny details.
My oldest spent over an hour just shading the little hibiscus flowers. I think the ice cream cone in the corner is my favorite part. Honestly it is a great summer coloring sheet to keep them busy.
Hammock Ocean View
A hammock strung right over the water between two palm trees. We are totally out of decent coffee this morning. But anyway the sun is setting right in the middle of the horizon here and it just looks peaceful.
Sometimes I wish I could actually transport myself into this picture. My middle child decided to make the ocean purple and you know what it actually looked pretty cool. A really relaxing summer coloring sheet for quiet time.
Smiling Kawaii Flip Flop
We do a lot of kawaii style stuff because the kids are obsessed with it right now. This giant flip flop has a little smiley face right on the strap. It is surrounded by these big tropical flowers.
It is silly but it works. The bold lines make it really easy for the little ones to stay inside the borders without getting frustrated. Plus who doesn’t love free summer coloring pages with cute faces.
Chilling Ice Cream Cone
Okay this one makes me laugh every time I see it. It is an ice cream cone wearing sunglasses just lounging on a beach chair. The sun in the background is smiling down at it too.
It makes zero sense because he would definitely melt out there. But kids absolutely do not care about that logic at all. They always reach for these summer color pages first.
Classic Lemonade Stand
Every summer needs a lemonade stand. This scene has a striped awning and a blank chalkboard sign waiting to be filled in. There is a big pitcher and two glasses sitting on the counter ready to go.
I tell my kids to write their own names on the chalkboard part. It gives them a little ownership over the picture. Definitely one of our most popular summer coloring pages for kids right now.
Sunny Lifeguard Tower
A classic wooden lifeguard tower sitting on an empty beach. There is a single palm tree leaning in from the side. It reminds me of the beaches back home.
You get a lot of empty sky and sand here to play with. This is where I tell the kids to try blending their crayons. Finding printable summer coloring pages with this much open space is actually great for creativity.
Coastal Lighthouse Cliff
This is a gorgeous lighthouse perched on some jagged rocks. The waves are crashing right at the bottom of the cliff. There is even a tiny little sailboat way off in the distance.
My youngest usually scribbles blue all over the bottom half for the waves. Older kids can really get into shading the bricks on the lighthouse. Honestly these summer color pages are great for any age.
Summer Tennis Court
We added this sunlit tennis court surrounded by really lush trees. It captures that early morning summer sports vibe perfectly. The net and the court lines are drawn super crisp.
My husband used to play a lot of tennis so he claimed this one to color himself. It is funny how even adults get sucked into it. It is one of those summer coloring pages for kids that parents secretly enjoy too.
Tips for Coloring Summer Pages
1. Making Sand Look Real
Sand is never just flat yellow. I learned this the hard way trying to make a beach scene look decent for a bulletin board. If you just press down hard with a yellow crayon it looks plastic.
Have the kids lightly shade with a tan or light brown first. Then they can tap the page with a darker brown marker to make little dots. It gives it that gritty texture without making a massive mess.
2. Blending the Summer Sky
Summer skies have that deep blue at the top that fades as it goes down. Most kids just pick up a sky blue and go to town on the whole page. It works but we can do better.
Start with a dark blue at the very top edge of the paper. Slowly use less pressure as you move down toward the horizon line. By the time you hit the ocean or the trees it should barely be colored at all.
3. Getting the Sun Right
Every kid draws a yellow circle in the corner for the sun. But in these pages the sun is already drawn for you. Usually with little rays coming off it.
Instead of just coloring it all solid yellow try adding some orange near the edges. It makes the sun look incredibly hot. I think it adds a nice pop of contrast against the blue sky too.
4. Creating Deep Water
The ocean is tricky because it changes color depending on how deep it is. The shallow parts near the shore are almost clear. The deep parts are super dark and moody.
Use a light aqua or teal right against the sand. Then switch to a royal blue further out. Honestly if you mix a tiny bit of green in the middle it looks like a real tropical beach.
5. Punching Up Palm Trees
Palm fronds are huge and they cast a lot of shadows. A flat green leaf is pretty boring to look at. My team always adds little texture lines to help with this.
Use a bright lime green for the top of the leaves where the sun hits. Then take a darker forest green for the bottom edges. It makes the whole tree suddenly look three dimensional.
6. Leaving White Space
You do not actually have to color every single inch of the paper. Sometimes leaving a spot completely blank is the best trick. It looks like a bright glare from the summer sun.
If you are coloring an ice cream cone leave a little white spot on the scoop. It makes it look wet and cold. This is a super simple trick but it completely changes the drawing.
7. Grounding the Objects
Things floating in the middle of the page drive me crazy. The lemonade stand or the beach chair needs to look like it is sitting on the ground. Otherwise it just feels weird.
Take a gray crayon and lightly color a little oval underneath the object. Do not press hard at all. Just that tiny bit of shadow makes the whole picture look grounded.
8. Dealing with Markers
My kids love markers because the colors are so incredibly bright. But they will bleed right through typical printer paper. It ruins whatever is sitting underneath it on the table.
Always slide a piece of scrap cardboard under the page before they start. Or just print these printable summer coloring pages on heavy cardstock if you have some. It saves your kitchen table from permanent pink stains.