Thomas the Tank Engine has been a firm favorite with toddlers and preschoolers for generations, and our 53 Thomas the Train coloring pages give little fans a chance to color their favorite blue engine and all his friends. Every page is a free printable available as a PDF in US Letter or A4 format - just download and print, no account needed.
This collection is designed specifically for young children. Toddlers from age 2 upward will find pages simple enough to tackle with chunky crayons - big bold shapes, thick outlines, and lots of open space to fill in. The full crew is here too, from Percy and James to Gordon, Henry, Toby, Emily, Harold, and Bertie.
🖍 Coloring Tip:Thomas is always bright blue - use a bold cobalt or sky blue for his body, then switch to black for his wheels and undercarriage to match his classic look.
🖍 Coloring Tip:Percy is the smallest engine and always green - try a fresh grass green for his body with a darker forest green on the wheels and cab details to help him stand out from the page.
🖍 Coloring Tip:James is the proud red engine - use a rich fire-engine red for his boiler and coaches, then add bright gold or yellow for any trim details on his cab to give him that extra bit of importance he'd definitely want.
🖍 Coloring Tip:Gordon is the biggest engine and a deeper navy blue than Thomas - use a dark midnight blue for his long boiler and try a pale silver gray for the wheel rims to show off how large and impressive he is.
🖍 Coloring Tip:For the seasonal pages like the Christmas bunting scene, color each triangular flag a different bright color - red, yellow, green, and orange alternating along the string - to make the festive decorations really pop.
3 fun things to do with Thomas the Train coloring pages
These ideas all use basic supplies you'll find at home and are designed to work for toddlers and preschoolers with a little help from a grown-up. They're low-mess, low-cost, and genuinely fun to make.
Thomas and Friends Matching Game
This one works brilliantly with the individual character portrait pages - the front-facing close-ups of Thomas, Percy, James, Gordon, and the others. Print two copies of each portrait page, color them both the same way, then cut each one down to a small square card. You end up with a set of matching pairs that kids can lay face-down and flip over to find the matching engine.
It's a surprisingly good memory game for toddlers, and they love seeing their favorite characters on the cards. Laminating the cards makes them much more durable.
You'll need:
Two printed copies each of 4-5 character portrait pages
Scissors
Crayons or markers
Optional: laminator or sticky-back plastic
Optional: card stock to back each card
How to do it:
Print two copies of each character portrait page you want to include
Color both copies of each character the same colors
Cut each page down to a uniform square or rectangle showing just the engine face
Back each card with card stock if you want them sturdier
Laminate or cover with sticky-back plastic for durability
Lay all cards face-down and take turns flipping two at a time to find matching pairs
Start with just four pairs for very young toddlers and add more as they get the hang of it.
Thomas's Engine Shed Puppet Theater
The five engines at Tidmouth Sheds page is the one to use here - the lineup of Thomas, James, Gordon, Percy, and Emily all facing forward inside the shed. Color each engine, then cut them out individually and glue each one to a wide lollipop stick or a folded strip of card stock to make a simple hand puppet. Use a large cardboard box on its side as the engine shed theater, cutting five arched holes in the front for the engines to peek through.
Little ones can act out simple stories, move the engines in and out of their arches, and make train sounds to their hearts' content.
You'll need:
Printed and colored five engines page
Scissors
Lollipop sticks or strips of card stock
Glue stick
Large cardboard box
Craft knife or scissors for cutting the box arches (adult job)
How to do it:
Color the five engines page and cut out each engine individually
Glue each engine to a lollipop stick or folded card strip to make a handle
Turn a large cardboard box on its side
Cut five arched openings across the front of the box, one per engine
Decorate the outside of the box with crayon to look like a shed
Push each engine puppet through its arch to play
This one keeps toddlers entertained for much longer than you'd expect.
Thomas's Seasons Wall Display
The four seasonal pages from the collection make a lovely little wall set. Use the autumn leaves page, the Christmas bunting page, the snow and snowplow page, and the rainbow page. Color each one in the appropriate season's colors, then mount them in a row on a strip of card stock with a simple hand-written label under each one - Fall, Winter, Spring, and a Summer page of your child's choice from the rest of the collection. It becomes a simple learning display that also shows off their coloring.
It's a gentle way to talk through the seasons with toddlers while they color, and the finished display looks great in a bedroom or playroom.
You'll need:
Autumn leaves, Christmas bunting, snowplow, and rainbow Thomas pages printed and colored
One additional page of your choice for summer
A long strip of card stock or poster board
Glue stick
Marker for labels
Optional: wall adhesive strips for hanging
How to do it:
Color each seasonal page - warm oranges and reds for autumn, blue and white for winter, bright rainbow colors for spring
Trim each page to the same size
Glue them evenly spaced along the strip of card stock
Write a season label under each one in bold marker
Hang on the wall at child height using adhesive strips
Kids love pointing out their own coloring on the wall - it's a great confidence boost.
Thomas the Tank Engine was created by a British vicar called the Reverend Wilbert Awdry, who invented the character to tell stories to his son Christopher when he was sick in bed in 1943. The first Thomas book was published in 1945, and the TV series that made Thomas famous worldwide first aired in 1984 - meaning Thomas has been making children happy for over 80 years.
There's plenty more for little train fans in our full trains coloring pages collection - with steam engines, bullet trains, and lots more to discover.
Coloring Pages FAQ
Are these printables for personal use only?
Yes - personal and educational use only, with no commercial use, resale, or reuploading.
Is there a fee to print Crafty Josh coloring pages?
No - printing is free for personal use once you download the page.
Can I share the finished coloring pages on social media?
Yes - sharing finished artwork is encouraged, and you’re welcome to tag us if you’d like.
Do you post new coloring pages and categories over time?
Yes - Crafty Josh is updated with new pages and categories on a regular basis.
What should I choose - 100% scale or Fit to Page?
If the preview looks perfect, 100% is fine; if anything looks cut off, “Fit to Page” is usually the better choice.
