Escape Into These 11 Free Forest Coloring Pages
Johann Gottfried Galle, famed German astronomer and discoverer of Neptune, once reportedly said, “My roots are in the depths of the woods.” Do you feel that? We do. Along those lines, there’s a Japanese practice called “forest bathing,” inspired by the notion that spending time in nature (most notably the forest) can restore one’s mental, emotional, and physical health. It helps you get out of a slump. Having a rough week? Go for a walk through that wooded park. Need to disconnect? Go camping. Need a fun DIY activity you can do with your kiddos outdoors or indoors when the weather doesn’t cooperate? What you need is our freshly curated collection of forest coloring pages.
Even before we knew the science behind fresh air and the sun’s benefits, we knew that being outdoors could solve many things. It’s why Jane Austen’s women often head to the beach when they’re sick or feeling down. It wasn’t just an oddly Austen concept but something that many people who lived inland and had the means would do. We still do it when we opt to take vacations at our National Parks or head to Florida to “waste away” our PTO. Being outside of the house in nature — and perhaps most distinctively, in the forest — heals our soul.
We can’t exactly heal your soul or drag you back to your roots within the woods. But we can do our best to help you connect with nature, even if it’s just via some nature coloring pages (or nature jokes) on a rainy day. Looking for more ways to connect with nature when you can’t leave your home? We have tree jokes and flower puns. We even have flower coloring pages and pages dedicated to woodland creatures, like fox coloring pages and snake coloring pages. None of these can truly replace the benefits of taking a walk in the woods, but you can think of them as a solid substitute when that walk isn’t available.
Bonus? We planted famous quotes about the forest and the woods throughout these forest coloring pages. Hopefully, they’ll inspire you to pick up your backpack and head out. As American Naturalist John Muir wrote, “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
Free Printable Forest Coloring Pages
Forest No. 1
“A grove of giant redwoods or sequoias should be kept just as we keep a great or beautiful cathedral.” — Theodore Roosevelt
Fun facts: Deers can jump about 10 feet high and are excellent swimmers!
Forest No. 2
“The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.” — John Muir
Did you know evergreens aren’t just pines trees? Holy, juniper, and even palm trees are considered part of the evergreen family because they keep their leaves all year round.
Forest No. 3
“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” — Khalil Gibran
And do you see that tree in the corner losing its leaves? Can you guess what the largest tree in the world is? It’s a sequoia tree and is about 275 feet tall!
Forest No. 4
“Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.” — Hermann Hesse
Forest No. 5
“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt
Forest No. 6
“There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations.” — Washington Irving
Forest No. 7
“It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.” — Robert Louis Stevenson
Forest No. 8
“In some mysterious way, woods have never seemed to me to be static things. In physical terms, I move through them; yet in metaphysical ones, they seem to move through me.” — John Fowles
Like Fowles said, the forest is a big and deep space that carries a lot of life. Did you know about 80 percent of the world’s animals and plants live in the forest?
Forest No. 9
“Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise.” — George Washington Carver
The forest is worth protecting, so much so that even Californian inmates help fight forest fires during the blaze season. This service reduces their sentence and pays more than other prison jobs.
Forest No. 10
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” — Henry David Thoreau
Fun fact: While filming Star Wars, Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca had to wear a brightly colored vest while filming in the forest to avoid being mistaken for bigfoot and possibly shot by nearby hunters.
Forest No. 11
“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” — Alice Walker
These animals sure look cozy and like a chaotic bunch. Despite being different species, these fuzzy forest animals look peaceful and perfectly happy.
Click here to print all of the forest coloring pages at once!
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