Hippo Ballerina in a Tutu Colouring Page

This hippo is mid-twirl, up on the point of one foot with her other leg bent behind her and both arms stretched out wide like she has just finished a spin. She is dressed for the stage: a fitted leotard top with thin straps, a full tutu skirt made of seven rounded petal layers, and ballet slippers on both feet with ribbons crossed at the ankle. Her round ears stick out, her eyes have neat little eyelashes, and her mouth is open in a wide, gap-toothed smile.

There is nothing else on the page to distract from her, so the drawing is really an exercise in shapes. The body, head and each tutu petal are big closed spaces a small hand can fill without much steering, which suits a child who is still working out how to stop at a line. The ribbon straps on the slippers and the gaps between her open arms are the fiddlier bits, good for a child who wants a bit more of a challenge once the large areas are done. It is also an easy one to talk about while colouring: how many petals does the tutu have, why is she standing on one foot, what colour should her ballet shoes be.

Because the shapes are large and there is only one character with no background to fill in, this sheet sits on the easy side and works well as a first attempt at a ballet-themed page or a quick one before nap time. Older preschoolers who like more detail may finish it fast, but for the two-to-four range it is a solid, satisfying colour without being fussy.