Free printable

Coloring pages

Free printable chess coloring pages for toddlers and preschoolers — one character per page, with a line to talk about while they colour.

Rook“This one is a castle. It lives in the corner.”

Knight“The knight is a horse. What sound does a horse make?”

Bishop“The bishop has a pointy hat. Point to the pointy hat.”

Queen“The queen stands on her own colour.”

King“The king lives right beside the queen.”

Pawn“There are eight of them and they all share one name.”

Why colouring helps here

Colouring a shape means looking at it closely for several minutes — far longer than a child looks at a piece on a board. It's the cheapest way to turn recognition into recall, and it gives you time to repeat the name without it feeling like a lesson.

Colour the two rooks the same, then the two knights, then the two bishops. Noticing that the pieces come in pairs is half of setup already.

Pair these with the piece silhouettes and the names of all the chess pieces, explained for kids.