Sun and Planets Colouring Page

Right in the middle of the page is a big round sun with a happy face and pointed sunburst rays circling all the way around it. Two curved lines sweep out from the sun like orbit paths. On the upper path sit two plain round planets and one Earth-like planet marked with a few wavy continent shapes. On the lower path are a planet with horizontal stripes, a planet with a single wavy line across it, and a ringed planet like Saturn, with its ring band looping out past the body. Two more small plain circles float loose in the bottom corners, outside the orbit lines altogether.

The sun's face and rays give a child a big, forgiving space to fill with one bold colour, which is a good place to start and build confidence. From there the planets ask for something different each time: the striped one wants several thin bands picked out, Saturn's ring needs to stay a separate colour from the planet behind it, and the plain circles are a chance to try mixing up a handful of colours across shapes that are all the same size. The wavy lines on Earth and the other textured planet are simple enough to trace with a crayon without needing a steady hand.

Nothing on this page has fiddly enclosed detail, so it sits on the easier end for preschoolers, though the ring and stripes make it a small step up from a plain circle-and-face sheet. It suits a child who has coloured a few simple pictures already and is ready for a page with more than one shape to think about, while still being calm enough for a first go at space-themed colouring.