Detective Fun & Kindness Coloring Pages

Coloring page story

"It's gone!" cried Eva, pointing at the empty spot on the log. "The perfect, biggest, most open-est pinecone in the whole farm!"

"And the one I found by the stone wall is gone, too!" added her brother, Sam. They were collecting pinecones to make glittery ornaments, but their prized specimens kept vanishing.

"This is a case for the Sibling Detectives," Sam declared, pulling his hat down low.

"I'll look for clues!" Eva said, dropping to her knees. They looked closely at the snow. Next to the log, they saw tiny, frantic tracks. Not big boot prints. Not bird tracks.

"They're small," whispered Eva. "And they lead... into that big pine tree!"

The detectives followed the trail. It led them to the base of a huge, bushy tree. They looked up. And there, on a high branch, was a very chubby squirrel with cheeks full of something lumpy. He was sitting on a huge pile of the most perfect pinecones they had ever seen. Their pinecones!

The squirrel chattered at them, as if to say, "Finders keepers!"

Eva felt cross. "He's a pinecone thief!"

But Sam looked at the squirrel's cozy nest and the growing pile. "Maybe he's not a thief," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe he's just getting ready for winter. He needs to eat, too."

Eva looked from the squirrel back to their half-empty basket. Sam was right. An idea popped into her head. She took the bag of walnuts their mom had packed for a snack and poured a few at the base of the tree.

"A trade, Mr. Squirrel!" she called out.

The squirrel's nose twitched. He scurried down the trunk, grabbed a walnut, and scurried back up. A moment later, a perfect pinecone rolled off his stash and landed softly in the snow below. Plop. It was a deal! They left the rest of the nuts and took five perfect pinecones, leaving the squirrel with his treasure. They had solved the mystery not with anger, but with kindness, and their glittery ornaments felt even more special.

Coloring page Age Appropriateness

The composition is excellent for ages 6-8, balancing a story with multiple characters and fun details. The animals and children are drawn in a friendly cartoon style. The concept of 'trading' and kindness is a positive social lesson easily understood by this age group. The details like the pinecones and walnuts are distinct and not too small.

Coloring Page Coloring Instructions

Hello, Sibling Detectives! It's time to color your adventure. Eva and Sam are being so kind to the squirrel. Let's give them colorful winter hats and coats. The big pine tree needs its green needles, and the trunk can be a nice, strong brown. How many pinecones can you count in the squirrel's pile? You can color them all shades of brown. And don't forget the chubby squirrel! What color will you make his fur? This picture shows that kindness is the best way to solve a mystery!

Coloring Page Printing Tips

This page has a lovely balance of characters and background. Print it on standard paper with your printer's 'normal' or 'best' quality setting. After coloring, you could even glue a real pine needle or a small piece of brown paper onto the page for a fun, multi-media craft!

Recommended Tools

This is a great page for colored pencils, which allow for coloring the individual pinecones and the details on the children's clothes. Washable markers would make the scene bright and cheerful. Crayons are perfect for the tree and snow. Encourage your child to try making patterns on the kids' winter hats!