Big yawners, mud waders, and tiny calves nuzzling their moms - these hippo coloring pages bring the whole hippopotamus family onto the page. The collection includes realistic river scenes for older kids and adults, as well as cartoon hippos that are big enough for toddlers and preschoolers.
Every sheet downloads as a high-resolution PDF, ready for US Letter and A4 paper - great for a classroom animal unit, a zoo-trip souvenir, or a quiet afternoon at the kitchen table. Pick a page, grab your grays, browns, and a little pink for the muzzle, and dive in.
Showing 24 of 24 printables ·
Medium
8
A beaming baby hippo splashes through the water, surrounded by four dragonflies and small heart shapes floating in the air. Color the hippo in warm gray-purple, with soft greens for the reeds and deep pink for the water lily blossoms. The water ripples around its feet look great in layered pale blues.
Medium
3
A stocky hippo wades through shallow water with a relaxed smile, tall cattail reeds packed in behind it and lily pads in front. Try cool blue-gray for the body and dark green for the reeds. The oval back markings look great in a shade or two lighter than the main body.
Easy
2
A hippo in a dress stands in sunny grass cradling a big heart, a daisy on her head. Try soft pink for the heart and dress, warm gray for the hippo, and yellow for the daisy. The three small hearts inside the big one reward a careful hand.
Medium
2
A cheerful hippo stands in shallow river water, dotted with small spots, with cattail reeds on both sides and lily pads floating nearby. Use warm gray or dusty violet for the body and deep green for the cattail stalks. Pale pink lily blossoms pop nicely against the blue water.
Medium
2
A smiling baby hippo stands in a lily pond, paws clasped, with dragonflies buzzing nearby and lily pads floating all around. Try soft gray-purple for the body and dusty rose for the muzzle. The lily blossoms look great in pale lavender with warm yellow centers.
Easy
2
A round, happy hippo sits in a small puddle with a full rainbow arching between two fluffy clouds above. Color the hippo in soft gray or dusty purple, the puddle in pale blue, and fill each rainbow band with its own bright color. This one is fast and satisfying for the youngest colorists.
Easy
1
A round hippo lifts one leg and raises her arm in a joyful dance move, wearing a wreath of flowers on her head. Color her body soft gray, her flower crown in cheerful yellows and whites, and the leaves a fresh green. The simple shapes and bold outlines make this one great for younger kids.
Easy
1
A sturdy hippo sits on a sunny day, staring straight ahead with a calm, serious expression and a small tuft of hair on his head. Color his body in warm gray, the sun in bright yellow, and the ground in sandy tan. His furrowed brow makes him the funniest hippo in the batch.
Easy
1
A round kawaii hippo sits facing forward with a large flower on its head and a heart beside it. Use soft lavender for the body and sunny yellow for the flower petals. Bold outlines and big open shapes make this a great pick for young colorists.
Easy
1
A round baby hippo stands on the grass with arms thrown wide and mouth open in a full-throttle smile, two clouds floating behind it. Color the body in soft lilac, the tummy lighter, and the grass in fresh green.
Easy
1
A sturdy cartoon hippo stands in a clean side profile, smiling and completely at ease. Color the wide body in warm taupe, the muzzle in pale pink, and the toes in a darker accent shade.
Easy
A cheerful hippo fills the page with its big round face, peeking up from a ring of water and grinning broadly. Color the head in medium gray, the muzzle in pink-gray, and the water in sky blue or teal.
Easy
A round hippo sits facing forward with a big daisy near his ear, two small teeth peeking out in a calm expression. Color his body in soft blue-gray, the daisy petals in bright white or pale yellow, and the flower center in warm gold. Chunky shapes and bold lines make it ideal for young colorists.
Medium
A round hippo dances on a little stage, shaking maracas and grinning while music notes float all around her. Color her body soft gray, her headband in warm purples and pinks, and the maracas in orange and red. Try yellow for the sparkle stars scattered between the notes.
Easy
A cartoon hippo throws its mouth wide open, eyes fixed on a chubby striped bee hovering just beyond its teeth. Color the hippo purple-gray, the bee in alternating yellow and black, and the bush tufts in two shades of green. Leave the bee's wings white for a light, airy look.
Easy
A hippo stands in a dress with a scalloped collar, holding a wide sun hat decorated with a bow and flowers, with puffy clouds above. Color the dress turquoise or yellow, the hat brim warm tan, and the ribbon coral pink. The two round buttons are worth picking out in a contrasting shade.
Medium
A hippo rests in calm water with just her head above the surface, water rippling gently around her broad body. Color her skin in warm gray-browns, the water in soft blue-greens, and the cattail reeds in earthy tan and olive green. Two fluffy clouds overhead finish off the sunny outdoor scene.
Medium
A hippo stands side-on with its enormous mouth gaping open, both rows of rounded teeth on full display and the tongue filling the lower jaw. Tufts of grass surround its feet and two birds fly above. Use medium gray for the body, pale pink for the tongue, and creamy white for the teeth.
Easy
A chubby cartoon hippo sits squarely in a muddy puddle, calm and contented with grass tufts on either side. Color the body in warm gray, the puddle in muddy brown or cool blue, and the grass in bright green.
Easy
A grinning hippo sprints forward with one fist pumped up, its tail flying and legs in full mid-run stride. Color the body in warm gray, the belly in pale lavender, and the snout in dusty rose.
Medium
A kawaii baby hippo stands in a flower-ringed pond with swirling ripples, floating hearts, and clouds above. Color the hippo in pale lilac, the pond in sky blue, and the flowers in pinks and sunny yellow.
Easy
A chibi baby hippo faces you head-on with an oversized round head and enormous dark eyes. Color the body in pale gray, the muzzle in blush cream, and add rosy pink cheek circles for a classic kawaii glow.
Easy
A mama hippo stands over her little calf as both look up with bright cartoon smiles, a small heart hanging in the air and a puddle nearby. Color the hippo bodies in dusty gray or soft lavender, with warm pink inside the rounded ears and across the muzzle.
Easy
A pygmy hippo stands on a small muddy patch, grinning at the viewer with its oversized round eyes and wide smile. Try a warm gray-brown for the body, a slightly lighter shade for the belly, and soft greens for the leaf and grass beside it.
Build a riverbank diorama
Cut out a colored hippo and stand it inside a shoebox lined with blue paper for water and green strips for reeds. Add small stones, a paper crocodile peeking from the bank, and a few floating leaves to recreate an East African river scene.
Craft a yawning-mouth hippo
Color an open-mouth hippo, cut carefully along the upper and lower jaw, and tape a paper hinge behind the head so the mouth opens and shuts when you press the cheeks. Feed it paper watermelons or grass tufts you've drawn on the side.
Make hippo fact trading cards
Print on thick paper, color each hippo, and write real facts about it on the back. For example, it can weigh up to 3,000 pounds, can hold its breath for five minutes, and is born underwater. Give pygmy hippos their own card with facts about the rainforest instead of the river.
Fold a mom-and-baby greeting card
Draw a picture of a mommy hippo and her baby. When you're done, fold the paper in half so that the baby hippo is tucked against the mommy hippo's belly. Then, write a short note inside the paper. It's perfect for Mother's Day, as a gift for a teacher, or as a note to show you're thinking of a grandparent.
Write the hippo's dream
Color a hippo that is sleeping or relaxing. Draw a big thought bubble above its head. In the thought bubble, write what the hippo is dreaming about. The dreams could be about a sea of watermelons, a swim race with crocodiles, or a vacation in a kiddie pool. Here's a simple creative writing prompt that doesn't require much preparation.
Set up an animal-size lineup
Print a hippo, an elephant, and a rhino. Then, have kids label real heights and weights at scale on a long strip of butcher paper. It is a great hands-on activity for preschool or first-grade students to compare African megafauna.
Compare pygmy and river hippos
Color a river hippo and a pygmy hippo. Tape them side by side on one poster. Label which one lives in West African rainforests, which one lives in rivers and lakes, and note that pygmy hippos weigh about ten times less than their river cousins.
Cut a hippo corner bookmark
Trim a small hippo head and glue it onto a triangular paper corner that slides over a book page. Put one in an animal encyclopedia, a nature guide, or whatever your kid is reading next. The hippo will peek out from the top corner every time they open the book.