Humble hearts, solemn reflection, and the quiet reverence of faith come together in these 35 Ash Wednesday coloring pages, free for you to download and print. This collection beautifully captures the spiritual significance of this sacred day, marking the start of a profound Lenten journey!
These pages bring the solemnity of Ash Wednesday right to your fingertips, from images of crosses and ashes on foreheads to scenes of prayerful reflection, Lenten symbols, and more!
To begin coloring, just click on any image or link below to view the free PDF. Once open, feel free to download and print to your heart's content.
All pages are designed for US Letter paper but scale flawlessly to A4. Happy coloring!
10 Craft Ideas to do With Ash Wednesday Coloring Pages
Once those finished Ash Wednesday coloring pages start piling up, put them to good use with these easy, affordable crafts!
1. Lenten Reflection Wheel
Cut out a significant image like a cross or praying hands from your colored page and glue it to the center of a paper plate. Divide the plate into sections, labeling each with a different Lenten focus like “Pray,” “Fast,” or “Give.” Use a brad to attach a smaller arrow made from cardstock to spin and choose a daily reflection during Lent.
2. “Dust to Dust” Fingerprint Tree
Glue a finished coloring page featuring a simple landscape or sky onto a larger sheet of construction paper. Draw a tree trunk and branches without leaves. Have children use gray or brown ink pads to add “fingerprint leaves,” representing the “dust to dust” theme, or small cut-out leaf shapes from other coloring pages with Lenten actions written on them.
3. Ash Cross Bookmark
Carefully cut out a cross or a reflective symbol from your Ash Wednesday coloring page. Glue it onto a sturdy piece of cardstock. Punch a hole at the top and thread a purple or gray ribbon through it, making a meaningful bookmark for your Lenten reading.
4. Lenten Sacrifice Jar
Decorate an empty jar or shoebox by gluing cut-out crosses, hands, or other relevant images from your coloring pages to the outside. Throughout Lent, children can write down a good deed they've done or a small sacrifice they've made on slips of paper and place them inside, reflecting on their journey.
5. Prayer Cube
Print a cube template onto cardstock and cut it out. Glue different Ash Wednesday-themed cutouts from your coloring pages onto each face of the cube (e.g., a cross, praying hands, the word “Repent”). Assemble the cube, then roll it each day of Lent to focus on a particular prayer or reflection for the day.
6. Journey to Easter Chain
Cut your finished coloring pages into long strips. On each strip, write a simple prayer prompt, a Lenten promise, or a good deed idea. Form them into a paper chain by gluing or stapling the ends together. Remove one link each day of Lent as a visual countdown to Easter.
7. Ash Wednesday Door Hanger
Cut a door hanger shape from heavy cardstock. Glue a prominent cross or an image of ashes from your colored page onto the main body of the hanger. Write a reflective message like “Remember You Are Dust” or “Prepare for Lent” to hang on a doorknob as a gentle reminder.
8. Reflective Scene Diorama
Use an empty shoebox turned on its side as the base for a diorama. Glue various cut-out elements from your colored pages (figures praying, crosses, solemn backgrounds) inside the box to create a quiet, reflective Ash Wednesday scene. Use construction paper for additional backgrounds or ground cover.
9. Lenten Promise Mobile
Cross two popsicle sticks or pipe cleaners and secure them in the middle to form a hanger. Cut out various shapes like small crosses, hearts, or praying hands from your finished coloring pages. Attach a string to each shape, writing a Lenten promise or virtue on the back, and tie them to the popsicle stick frame to create a reflective mobile.
10. Ash Wednesday Story Puppets
Cut out characters or symbols from your coloring pages that represent aspects of Ash Wednesday (e.g., a priest, people receiving ashes, a cross). Glue each cut-out onto a craft stick, paper bag, or even your finger. Use these simple puppets to retell the meaning of Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.