Colouring NestPhases of the Moon Coloring Page
- Ages 6–12
- Easy
- 1 page
- Coloring page
- PDF: Letter & A4
- Updated
Tip: tap a colour, then tap any shape to fill it (or use the arrow keys and Enter). Your colouring is saved on this device automatically. To colour on paper, download the Letter or A4 PDF and print it at 100%.
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The eight phases of the Moon in order, each one named: new Moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full Moon, waning gibbous, third quarter and waning crescent. Color the lit part of each Moon yellow and the dark part grey. The whole cycle takes about 29 and a half days. The pictures show the Moon as it looks from the northern hemisphere.
Also try: Planets in Order: Cut and Paste · Planet Facts Worksheet · Solar System Coloring Page
Why the Moon has phases
The Sun always lights half of the Moon. As the Moon goes around Earth, we see different amounts of that lit half. Waxing means the lit part is growing; waning means it is shrinking. Gibbous means more than half is lit.
- New Moon: the lit side faces away from us
- Waxing Crescent: a thin sliver lit on the right
- First Quarter: half lit, on the right
- Waxing Gibbous: mostly lit, dark on the left
- Full Moon: the whole face is lit
- Waning Gibbous: mostly lit, dark on the right
- Third Quarter: half lit, on the left
- Waning Crescent: a thin sliver lit on the left
In the southern hemisphere (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) the Moon looks flipped: a waxing Moon is lit on the left. See all solar system coloring pages.
For teachers and parents
- What it practises
- The eight planets and their order from the Sun, planet features and facts, phases of the Moon
- How to use it
- Color a planet page and talk about its features, then check what stuck with a worksheet. Answer keys are on page 2 of the worksheet PDFs.
- Time
- About 10–20 minutes
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More solar system coloring pages
See all solar system coloring pages →
Collections: Free Homeschool Printables
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Printing tips
- Print at 100% for the cleanest lines.
- Use the planet’s real colors, or invent your own.
- Learn the order with “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos”.
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