Trace & color
Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters
For little hands still building pencil control.
Best for ages 3 to 5
- Dotted outlines to trace, then color in
- No drawing experience needed
- Ages 3+
Original festive art, drawn by Kevin Coulston
Christmas Activity Books for Kids
Santa, snowmen, elves and gingerbread friends to draw, trace and color. Three books, 50 activities in each.
Christmas
printablesPrint now →28 free sheets to try before you buy
The three Christmas books
Which Christmas book fits your child?
Fifty festive activities in each book, three different ways to make the picture. Pick by what your child likes doing, not by age alone.
- Each character built in 6 easy steps
- A page to practice after every lesson
- Ages 5+
- Copy one square at a time onto a grid
- Surprisingly accurate results
- Ages 5+, great for older kids too
30-second chooser
Not sure? Answer one question.
“They love coloring but get frustrated drawing.”Start with Trace Then Color. The outline is done, so they get a finished picture every time.See Trace Then Color: Christmas →
“They’re always asking me to draw things for them.”How to Draw. Six small steps turn Santa or a snowman into something they drew themselves.See How to Draw: Christmas →
“They like puzzles, Lego and getting it exactly right.”Draw by Grid. Copying one square at a time feels like solving a puzzle.See Draw by Grid: Christmas →
Free, no sign-up
Free Christmas printables
24 sheets taken straight from the books, plus 4 draw-your-own sheets. Print one tonight and see which style your child enjoys before you buy.
TraceTracing page · PDF + JPGCandy cane
DrawStep-by-step lesson · PDF + JPGHow to draw Santa Claus
GridGrid drawing · PDF + JPGPresent grid
CreateDraw your own · PDF + JPGDesign your stocking
TraceTracing page · PDF + JPGReindeer
DrawStep-by-step lesson · PDF + JPGHow to draw an elf
GridGrid drawing · PDF + JPGSanta grid
DrawStep-by-step lesson · PDF + JPGHow to draw hot cocoa
New · free puzzles
200 free Christmas puzzles
Word searches, crosswords, mazes, picture sudoku, secret code jokes and bingo, each with an answer key. Perfect for the car, the class party or the week before Christmas.
Free · no printer needed
Decorate them on screen
The four draw-your-own sheets also work in the Christmas drawing tool. Pens, a paint bucket and Christmas stickers, with a mouse, a finger or a stylus. When the picture is done, save it or print it.
December 1 to 24
The 24-day Christmas drawing countdown
One small drawing a day from December 1st to Christmas Eve, about 15 minutes each, with a free printable sheet for every day.
Christmas gifts by interest
Shopping for a dinosaur kid? A unicorn fan?
Short gift lists of Kevin’s year-round drawing and coloring books, grouped by what the child loves. Every pick goes straight to Amazon.
Plan the holidays
Ideas for every part of December
Stocking stuffers
Which book fits a stocking, and what to pair it with.
Read the plan →Christmas Eve box
A calm evening activity: a book, pencils, a hot chocolate.
Read the plan →Classroom party
A drawing station for a class party using the free sheets.
Read the plan →Winter break
Ten screen-free afternoons from Boxing Day to New Year.
Read the plan →Ages 3 to 5
Tracing and coloring for preschoolers.
Read the plan →Ages 5 and up
Step-by-step or grid drawing for school-age kids.
Read the plan →Free pages all year
New books and free art pages, from Kevin
Kevin’s newsletter brings free drawing, tracing and coloring pages and news of new books, so the ideas keep coming after Christmas.
From the artist
Every character drawn by Kevin Coulston
Kevin is a cartoonist and a member of the National Cartoonists Society. He has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, and he drew every Santa, snowman and gingerbread man in these three. More about Kevin
50characters per book
28free printables
100+books by Kevin
Christmas book questions
Which Christmas book is best for a 3- or 4-year-old?
Trace Then Color: Christmas Characters. It is made for ages 3+: children trace a dotted outline, then color it, so they finish with a recognizable picture every time.
What is the difference between How to Draw and Draw by Grid?
How to Draw builds each character in six steps from simple shapes, so kids learn to draw it themselves. Draw by Grid splits the picture into squares to copy one at a time, which gives very accurate results and suits patient, precise kids. Both are for ages 5+.
Are the printables really free?
Yes. All 28 sheets are free to download as PDF or JPG with no sign-up. Twenty-four are real pages from the three Christmas books, and four are draw-your-own activity sheets by Kevin that you can also color online in the Christmas drawing tool.
Will the book arrive before Christmas?
Every “View on Amazon” button opens the book on Amazon, which shows the price and the delivery date for your address before you order.
Are the other books on this site Christmas books?
Only three books have Christmas characters. The gift lists by interest show Kevin’s year-round drawing and coloring books for kids who love dinosaurs, animals, robots and more, as Christmas presents.
Who made these books?
Kevin Coulston, a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 books for kids. He drew every character.