Toddler Coloring: Tips for 2-Year-Old Skill and Fun

Elba colouring the Spring Themed book

As a mom to a 2-year-old who absolutely loves to color, I’ve spent a lot of time watching my daughter, Elba, scribble, create, and explore with her crayons. Her passion for coloring inspired me to design my own toddler coloring books, tailored to what actually works for little hands and curious minds. Through trial and error, I’ve learned what enhances not only her coloring skills but also her joy in the process.

Here’s what I’ve discovered about setting toddlers up for coloring success in a way that’s fun, engaging, and fosters independence.

Keep It Simple: Limit Images on the Page

One of the first things I noticed was that too many images on a page can overwhelm a toddler. Elba focuses best when there’s just one large image or a few big, bold ones per spread. This reduces distractions and lets her dive into the activity without feeling scattered.

This also applies to the spread in terms of having only one page per spread with an image on rather than both pages having images on. You may think that two pages will be nicer for coloring together, but I've found when Elba wants company with coloring it is better to use two different books rather than two pages on the same book.

Check out my Spring Themed Coloring book here

Set Up for Success: Choose Doable Images

Toddlers have small hands and use chunky crayons, so the images in their coloring books need to match their abilities. Tiny, intricate designs or overly detailed pictures can be discouraging because coloring in the lines feels impossible. I design my coloring books with large, simple shapes that make it easier for Elba to stay within the lines if she wants to. This builds her confidence and makes the activity feel achievable, which in turn boosts her enjoyment.

Here is an example of a coloring book I purchased for Elba, and I noticed that she avoided the pages that had very detailed images like this on:

An example of something I would avoid in a coloring book for toddlers

Pick Tools That Promote Independence

One of the best decisions we made was investing in crayons that are easy for Elba to use independently. The crayons we use are washable (a lifesaver—they clean off practically everything!), don’t break easily, and have caps she can take on and off herself. She even twists them up on her own, which gives her a sense of control. Choosing tools that don’t require constant adult intervention means she can explore freely, making coloring a stress-free, independent activity. It also means that we can leave the coloring in things in her play space for her to use when she wants to rather than packing it like we do with paint and other items are not to be used independently at this stage.

The crayons we use (and have purchased multiples of) are Jar Melo Jumbo Crayons for Toddlers.

Create a Dedicated Coloring Space

We’ve set up specific areas for coloring to help our kiddo understand where crayons belong. She has an indoor table, an outdoor table, and a silicone mat that goes underneath her paper. This setup reinforces that crayons stay in the coloring zone and aren’t carried around or used on walls. It took just a few gentle reminders for her to catch on, and now she knows coloring happens in her special spot. This structure helps her focus and keeps the activity contained.

Let Them Lead: Don’t Instruct

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to step back and let Elba figure out coloring on her own terms. The love of learning and creating should always come before perfecting a skill. We simply provide the coloring books and crayons, and when she asks, we join her for a bit. But we avoid giving instructions—it’s her time to explore. Whether she scribbles wildly or carefully colors a corner, it’s all about her process. This approach keeps her excited and invested.

Offer Free Drawing Options

Sometimes Elba wants to go rogue and free-draw, so we swap the coloring book for blank paper. I also included some images in my coloring books, like a boot, that invite free drawing within the design. This flexibility lets her switch between structured coloring and open-ended creativity.

Use Recognizable, Realistic Images

Toddlers connect best with images they recognize from their world. In my coloring books, I stick to everyday objects and real-looking animals—no cartoonish characters or imaginary creatures. As an example, I once bought a coloring book where a caterpillar looked so cartoonish that Elba called it a “rabbit” because the feelers (antennae) resembled bunny ears. Realistic images, like an apple, or a tree, help her make connections to what she sees every day. While we do have some creative, artistic books the majority are grounded in reality, which feels right for her age. As she gets older, we’ll introduce more imaginative themes, but for now, recognizable is best.

Check out my Perfect for Toddlers Coloring in book

Make the Book Toddler-Friendly

The size of the coloring book matters. I designed mine to be slightly smaller than standard paper, making it easy for toddlers to carry, open, and flip pages. A book that’s too big or unwieldy can frustrate a toddler, so keep it manageable for those little hands.

P.S. Frustration is not a bad thing, but unnecessary frustration that distracts from the main activity is well ... unnecessary.

Time It Right

Coloring is a calm, sit-down activity. We don't typically prompt Elba to do any activity. We have created a space for her with specifically chosen items in and she decides what she wants to do when. That usually means that when she chooses to color in, she is in the mood to sit calmly and color. She is not likely to pick that activity when she wants to run around and move her body more.

Now that being said she may want to sit and color with friends and ask them to participate when they are in the mood for running around and playing differently. In times where coloring is likely to result in crayons all over the place or potential damage to them or things in our home - we may temporarily remove them from the environment.

We also minimize distractions in our home in general. We have no screens (except for occasional video calls on a tablet only - not on a phone - with family and friends who live far away). We also don't play loud music and limit background music in general.

I believe it enriches our children's live is we provide an environment that allows their ability to concentrate to develop and allows them space to focus on one task at a time.

Balance Togetherness and Independence

Our kiddo sometimes wants me to color with her, and I’ll join for a bit to connect with her. But I also encourage solo play to build her independence. It’s a balance—never saying no when she needs that connection, but also gently nudging her to try it on her own (in the same room). This mix keeps coloring fun and empowers her to create without always needing me by her side.

This can be a little bit difficult to explain because we value connection and giving our child "attention" when she needs that. We don't in any way push independence in terms of things like meeting her basic needs. We do, however, do life with our child and we are not her source of entertainment. There are several conscious choices we've made that aids in her ability (and desire) to play independently. As an example, we have explicit times and activities during every day where she receives a lot of 1:1 time and connection. We do not expect her to be separate from me (her primary parent) and have made choices to ensure that she feels secure and attached to us and connected such that she wants to play independently sometimes, and she wants to explore without us.

So as a last note - I would never do things to try to get my child to play independently without a very strong foundation of quality and quantity of time and connection.

I hope these ideas are of value to you or spark ideas for you that you think will work best for your family. As always, I share what we do and why, but I don't presume to know what is best for you or your family. Please take what serves you and leave what doesn't.

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