A few months ago, my job hosted a focus group for caregivers, and we provided childcare while the adults met. Most of the caregivers and children were Black. One of my coworkers printed coloring sheets for the kids, Disney princesses like Jasmine and Tiana, along with a few animals.
As soon as we passed them out, a group of boys looked at the pages and asked, “Where are the boys’ coloring sheets?” One of my coworkers responded, “Coloring sheets aren’t gender specific. Kids don’t attach gender to coloring pages.”
These were little boys, maybe five to nine years old, and they weren’t talking about gender identity or whether something was gender neutral. They were responding to what they had learned from their homes, their friends, and the world around them. They wanted something that reflected who they were and what they connected with. That moment made me think about something I had never considered before.
Are coloring sheets a form of literacy?
Literacy doesn’t begin with chapter books. It starts long before a child learns to read. It begins with pictures, symbols, and the stories children recognize. It’s the first time they see something and think, “That looks like me,” or “I know that.” To me, that’s also where cultural identity lives. As a Black woman, I can recognize a hot comb, barrettes, Blue Magic grease. Those images tell a story because they’re part of my lived experience. I connect that with my childhood and even haircare. Someone who didn’t grow up that way might not immediately recognize them, and that’s okay. That’s how culture shapes the way we understand images and stories. For help builds the relationship with reading.
So I went back to Google and printed a new stack of coloring sheets. Sonic. Spider-Man. Dragon Ball Z. A young Black boy.
This time, those same boys grabbed the pages, sat down, and immediately started coloring. They talked about Sonic being fast, how they watch Dragon Ball Z, and even pointed out the Black boy’s haircut and shoes. The coloring pages became conversation starters. They became stories.
Could those boys have colored the princess pages? Absolutely.
Representation matters in early literacy. Before children ever read their first sentence, they’re already reading pictures. They’re deciding what feels familiar, what sparks their curiosity, and whether they see themselves in the story. Representation is where early literacy begins. Children learn letter sounds or understand how letters come together to make words, they first learn through images. They look at a picture, connect it to something they already know, and begin making meaning. Those pictures eventually become letters, and those letters become words. Which turns into a story. That’s why coloring sheets are more than just an activity to keep children busy. They are an early connection to reading and books. Just like picture books, coloring sheets help children build vocabulary, make connections, and develop their imagination. The images they color become the foundation for the stories they will one day read on their own.
When children connect with what they see, they’re more likely to engage. And that engagement is what helps build confident, proficient readers over time. Children need to see something that felt familiar. Something that reflected their interests, their culture, and their imagination. It doesn’t build children to learn how to read but to find the joy in reading.
So yes, coloring sheets are a form of early literacy.