Winter always sneaks up on me. One minute I’m packing away Halloween costumes and suddenly my kids are begging for hot cocoa and reindeer coloring pages.
Honestly I needed a few minutes of quiet yesterday… so our team put together these printable reindeer coloring pages just in time for the holiday chaos. They really saved my sanity.
You know how it goes with finding good activities that actually keep them busy. I wanted designs that varied from super simple for my toddler to slightly more detailed for my oldest.
We used all our inspiration to make sure we covered all the bases. Just grab your crayons and let them go wild while you drink your coffee while it’s still warm.
Featured Reindeer Coloring Pages
Other Christmas Collections
Highlighted Reindeer Coloring Pages
Kawaii Reindeer Wearing a Tiny Santa Hat
This little guy is adorable with his big round eyes and a tiny Santa hat perched on his head. My youngest always grabs this one first because it looks like a baby.
The thick black lines make it really easy for little hands to stay inside the boundaries. Plus the simple collar with a single bell is fun to color bright gold.
Kawaii Reindeer With Rosy Cheeks
Here we have another super cute reindeer with big sweet eyes and little rosy cheeks. It stands playfully with a chunky collar made of several bells around its neck.
We use pink for the cheeks usually… it just adds to the cute factor. It is a great choice if you are looking for red nosed reindeer coloring pages to print.
Reindeer and Elf Preparing
This scene shows a busy little elf loading up a classic sleigh with square presents. A reindeer stands right next to the sleigh waiting patiently in the snow.
I love how this tells a whole story about Christmas Eve preparations. Kids can really get creative with the wrapping paper patterns on those stacked gifts.
Detailed Reindeer Close Up
If you want something more detailed this close up is absolutely perfect. It shows the reindeer’s face front and center with highly textured fur and very large antlers.
Older kids really enjoy shading the intricate fur lines visible around the neck and ears. It is one of the best Santa’s reindeer coloring pages in this whole set.
Reindeer Family in the Forest
Three reindeer of varying sizes are walking together through a snowy forest filled with pine trees. It looks just like a family out for a chilly winter stroll.
My middle child loves coloring the snowy ground blue and purple. Finding good free reindeer coloring pages with this much background detail is rare.
Galloping Under the Moon
Here we have three reindeer leaping across a snowy hill under a massive glowing moon. There are fluffy clouds in the sky adding to the night time feel.
This one feels so dynamic and magical. It reminds me of those classic coloring sheets of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer when he finally takes flight.
Quiet Grazing Reindeer
A single reindeer has its head bent down grazing quietly in a snow covered field. Tall pine trees sit quietly in the background under a blank snowy sky.
It is a very peaceful scene that requires some patience to color. I tell my kids to take their time on the harness details strapped around its body.
Harnessed for the Sleigh
Two reindeer stand side by side hooked up to an empty sleigh. They are completely harnessed and totally ready to go deliver some magic.
The sleigh itself has beautiful curved runners that are fun to fill in. This totally gives off Rudolf the rednosed reindeer coloring pages vibes.
Tips for Coloring Christmas Reindeer
1. Brown Isn’t Just Brown
When kids see reindeer they immediately grab the standard brown crayon. But real animal fur has so many different shades hidden in it… I always try to encourage my kids to look a little closer at nature. Sometimes breaking the habit of using just one color is hard. Or rather it is completely impossible on some days.
Try layering a light tan underneath a darker chocolate brown. You can even mix in a tiny bit of orange to make the fur look warm. We do this a lot with our printable reindeer coloring pages at home. It makes a huge difference.
2. Make the Nose Glow
Obviously the nose is the best part for a lot of kids. If they are working on red nosed reindeer coloring pages they want that nose to pop. Standard red is fine but it rarely looks like it is actually glowing.
We discovered a fun trick for this. Color a small circle of bright yellow right in the center of the nose first. Then lightly color the red around it leaving the yellow bright. It creates a really cool shiny effect.
3. The Magic of Snowy Backgrounds
Leaving the snow blank white is a missed opportunity. Snow reflects the sky and everything around it. My kids used to just ignore the ground entirely. Now we treat the snow like a blank canvas.
Light blue and pale purple are your best friends here. Just lightly shade the edges of the snow banks. When coloring Santa’s reindeer coloring pages this technique makes the cold winter setting feel real.
4. Shading the Antlers
Antlers are tricky because they aren’t exactly bone white but they aren’t dark brown either. They have this weird grayish tan texture. Most kids just leave them blank. That usually looks a bit unfinished.
I suggest using a gray or a very light yellow. Outline the edges firmly and color very lightly inside. If you are doing Rudolf the rednosed reindeer coloring pages this makes his antlers stand out against the night sky.
5. Blending Night Skies
A lot of these scenes take place at night. A flat black sky is boring and usually ruins the picture. I learned this the hard way after sweeping up black crayon shavings for an hour. Night skies need depth.
Start with a dark blue base layer. Then go over it with purple and finally a little bit of black at the very top. This is my favorite way to finish coloring sheets of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer because it looks like a real Christmas Eve sky.
6. Adding Sparkle to the Magic
Winter magic needs a little bit of sparkle sometimes. Crayons are great but they do not really shine. My daughter is always asking for glitter. Glitter is a nightmare for a tired mom. Actually glitter is just a nightmare for anyone with a floor.
Instead we use metallic gel pens for the stars and the bells on the harnesses. It gives that magical pop without the mess. I highly recommend keeping a gold pen handy. It saves you from sweeping up glitter for roughly 73 days.
7. Dealing with the Harnesses
The harnesses and bells are small details that can be frustrating for little hands. They try to use thick markers and end up coloring outside the lines. Then the tears start. I have seen it a hundred times in my classroom.
I think colored pencils are the absolute best for these tiny areas. Keep them sharp and take your time. Let them do the big areas with crayons first. Then they can focus on the bells with the pencils.
8. Creating Texture in the Fur
Fur should look soft and fluffy not flat and smooth. Kids naturally want to color solid blocks of color. It takes a little practice to change that technique. Honestly it is a good fine motor skill exercise anyway.
Tell them to use short quick strokes with their crayons instead of long back and forth motions. It mimics the look of animal hair. If they press too hard the paper rips. So gentle short strokes are the way to go.