Color By Code Worksheets for Teachers
Bring printable color by numbers, letters and more foundational concepts into your classroom with fun worksheets created by teachers for teachers.
This collection of curriculum-aligned teaching resources is designed to add an engaging element to your worksheets for math, science, ELA and more! Best of all, each printable has been carefully reviewed and selected by an expert on the Teach Starter teaching team, so you know it's ready for your classroom, your lesson plans and your students!
Not familiar with the term color by code, or just looking for some fresh ideas to use these worksheets in the classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is a Color By Code Worksheet?
Haven't heard the term color by code? That's OK! Maybe you've heard of color by numbers or coloring by math? Or maybe you call them mystery picture worksheets?
These fun worksheets allow students to pull out their crayons or colored pencils to color a picture based on a predetermined colour key or code, where each color corresponds to a specific number or symbol. The goal is to match the numbers or symbols on the picture with the corresponding colors to reveal a mystery picture.
Color by code refers not just to color by numbers but also coloring by parts of speech, synonyms, addition and other educational concepts!
Coloring by shape is a type of color by code worksheet!
History of Color by Numbers
Ever wonder how coloring by numbers became so popular?
The exact history of these sheets is hard to track down, but as far back as the early 20th century, people were "painting by number" as a recreational activity. Then an activity mainly for adults, it involved painting pre-drawn canvases with numbered sections that corresponded to specific paint colors.
In the 1950s, an artist called Dan Robbins developed a commercial version of the concept called "Paint by Numbers" that helped the idea go mainstream and give life to what we now call color by numbers in schools! His kits included pre-printed canvases, numbered paints and brushes, and his idea was soon adapted to make coloring books for kids.
In the versions for kids, numbers or symbols were added to line drawings instead of canvases, and young children could easily color within the lines using crayons or colored pencils!
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Fall Color By Part of Speech Worksheet - Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs
Use this color by part of speech worksheet as a fun fall activity with your students.
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Is It Half? Differentiated Fractions Coloring Sheet
Introduce your students to the concept of halves as well as equal and unequal parts with this fractions coloring sheet.
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Adding to Multiples of Ten up to 100 – Halloween Mystery Picture
Celebrate the coming of Halloween and practice adding 2-digit numbers up to 99 with a set of addition color by number worksheets.
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Parts of Speech - Color by Code Worksheet
Follow the color code to reveal the mystery image with a fun color-by-code worksheet.
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Color the Synonyms and Antonyms Worksheet
Explore vocabulary with this synonyms and antonyms worksheet for 3rd and 4th grade students.
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What is the Syllable Type? - Color By Syllables Worksheet
Practice identifying the six syllable types in common words with this color-coding activity.
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Fall Color by Part of Speech - Nouns and Verbs Worksheet
Use this fall color by part of speech worksheet to review nouns and verbs.
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Grammar Grid Mystery Picture Worksheet- Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives (Bunny)
Follow the color-coded parts of speech guide to fill in the word grid and reveal a mystery image.
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Addition Practice Worksheets
Support student fluency with addition practice worksheets that build confidence with addition facts from 0–20 through fun, varied, and engaging tasks.
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Easter Addition Coloring Pages (Differentiated)
Grab a fun set of Easter Addition Coloring pages to help your little learners practice adding 1 and 2-digit numbers without regrouping.
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Color by Number Addition and Subtraction Worksheets
Combine math and art with our color by number addition and subtraction worksheets that feature problems with solutions up to 20.
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Color By Code - Simple or Compound Sentences Worksheet
Use a Simple or Compound Sentences Color By Code worksheet to help your students practice identifying simple and compound sentence types.
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Color by Code - Comma Practice Worksheet Pack (2-4)
Practice identifying correct and incorrect comma use with a color-by-code Comma Practice Worksheet Pack.
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Color by Letter Worksheet Pack
Help students with their recognition of the letters – s,a,t,p,i,n and c,k,e,h,r with this color by letter worksheet pack.
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Following Directions Worksheets - Reading a Clock Review
Practice telling time to the half-hour, quarter-hour, and five-minute mark with a pack of printable Following Directions worksheets.
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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Color By Code Worksheet
Guide your students to differentiate between examples of weathering, erosion and deposition with this color-by-number science worksheet.
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Subtraction within 20 - Color by Number Worksheet
Reveal the mystery picture by solving the subtraction problems with a color-by-number worksheet.
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Football Multiplication Mystery Picture
Use the color-coded multiplication guide to complete the grid and reveal a mystery picture.
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Football Mystery Grid Worksheet - Parts of Speech
Follow the color-coded parts of speech guide to fill in the word grid and reveal a Football-themed mystery image.
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Adding and Subtracting Decimals – Differentiated Mystery Image Worksheets
Have students practice adding and subtracting decimals with this mystery image worksheet.
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Multiplication Mystery Picture (Pencil)
Use the color-coded multiplication guide to complete the grid and reveal a mystery picture.
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Multiplication Mystery Picture (Ice Cream)
Use the color-coded multiplication guide to complete the grid and reveal a mystery picture.
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Grammar Grid Mystery Picture Worksheet-Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives
Follow the color-coded parts of speech guide to fill in the word grid and reveal a mystery image.
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Color by Number – Multiplication Fact Practice (Mixed)
Practice multiplication facts through 12 with this fun color by number worksheet.
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Color by Number - Multiplication Facts of 10
An engaging activity to consolidate your students' understanding of multiplication facts.
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Color by Number - Multiplication Facts of 9
Practicing multiplication facts of 9 doesn't have to be boring when you use this color-by-number worksheet.
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Color by Number - Multiplication Facts of 8
Throw out your boring fact practice and replace it with this color by number worksheet!
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Color by 2-D Shape – Activity Sheets
A detailed set of color by shape activities.
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Color by 2-D Shape Worksheets
A set of five color by shape worksheets.
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Crazy Boxes – Multiplication Facts of 5
Create a color pattern using multiplication facts of 5 with this color by number worksheet.
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Color by Sight Words - 4 Words - Butterfly
A fun coloring activity to use when working with sight words.
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Color by Sight Words - 4 Words - Ladybug
A fun coloring activity to use when working with sight words.