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!
- Free Plan
Grammar Grid - Parts of Speech Mystery Picture (Crab)
Follow the color-coded parts of speech guide to fill in the word grid and reveal a mystery image.
- Free Plan
Color by Parts of Speech Chameleon Worksheet (Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, Conjunctions and Pronouns)
Practice identifying different parts of speech with this fun color-by-code worksheet.
- Free Plan
Color by Number – Multiplication Fact Practice (Mixed)
Practice multiplication facts through 12 with this fun color by number worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Telling Time to 5 Minutes- Color By Number PDF
Tell time to the nearest five minutes and have fun with a Telling Time Math Coloring Page.
- Free Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Area Model Multiplication – Color by Number Worksheet Pack
Download this color-by-number worksheet pack for your students to practice using the area model when multiplying multi-digit numbers.
- Free Plan
Color by Number – Repeated Addition and Multiplication
Guide your students to connect repeated addition with multiplication by completing this color-by-code multiplication worksheet.
- Free Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Unit Fraction Coloring Sheet
Crack the color code and practice unit fractions all while coloring some fun images.
- Plus Plan
Color by Missing Angles – 4th Grade Math Worksheets
Get students to find the size of missing angles on right angles, straight angles and angles at a point with this 4th grade math worksheet with a difference!
- Free Plan
Synonyms and Antonyms Worksheet - Color By Code
Help Gran choose her next quilt design with a Synonyms and Antonyms Color-by-Code Worksheet.
- Free Plan
Subitize and Color – Worksheet
Practice subitizing to five with this color-by-number worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Homophone Mandala Flower Worksheets
Have your students create a colorful mandala flower while simultaneously demonstrating their understanding of common homophones.
- Free Plan
What is the Syllable Type? - Color By Syllables Worksheet
Practice identifying the six syllable types in common words with this color-coding activity.
- Plus Plan
Adding and Subtracting Decimals – Differentiated Mystery Image Worksheets
Have students practice adding and subtracting decimals with this mystery image worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Continents and Oceans Roll and Color Game
Learn to identify the continents and oceans of the world with a Continents and Oceans Roll and Color Game.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Color by Sight Words - 4 Words - Cat
A fun coloring activity to use when working with sight words.
- Plus Plan
Color by Sight Words - 4 Words - Ladybug
A fun coloring activity to use when working with sight words.
- Plus Plan
Telling Time - 1st Grade Math Coloring Sheet
Practice telling time to the hour and half hour with a fun Telling Time Color By Code worksheet!
- Plus Plan
Color By Code Worksheet- Telling Time to 5 Minutes
Practice telling time to the nearest five minutes with a fun Color By Code worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Thanksgiving Color By Number Worksheet - 2nd Grade Place Value
Have some Thanksgiving Math fun with a printable Thanksgiving Color By Number worksheet to practice standard, expanded, word, and base ten forms.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Subtraction within 20 - Color by Number Worksheet
Reveal the mystery picture by solving the subtraction problems with a color-by-number worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Equivalent Fractions – Mystery Picture Worksheet
Determine equivalent fractions while using the color guide to reveal a mystery image.
- Plus Plan
100 Grid Color by Number — 100th Day of School Activities Pack
Follow the color-coded number guides to fill in the hundreds chart square and reveal 3 special 100th Day of School mystery pictures.
- Plus Plan
Color by Sight Words - 5 Words - Dog
A fun coloring activity to use when working with sight words.
- Plus Plan
Color by Number - Numbers 10–20
A color by number activity for students to practice recognizing teen numbers.
- Free Plan
Color by Number - Numbers 0–9
A color by number activity for students to practice number recognition.
- Free Plan
Color by Letter (c, k, e, h, r) - Dog
Use this free printable color by letter activity with students when practicing letter recognition for the letters c, k, e, h, and r.
- Plus Plan
Frog in a Pond - Color by Numbers
Color by numbers is a fun and easy way to help students recognize digits 1-6.
- Plus Plan
Dinosaur Math - Addition and Subtraction (Version 2)
Solve the addition and subtraction number sentences to color the dinosaur.