Printable coloring story · Ages 2–5
The Gingerbread Man
A classic chase from a warm oven to a clever fox at the river.
An old woman and old man bake a gingerbread man. He leaps from the oven, outruns every chaser, and meets a fox at the river in this gentle retelling of the familiar folk story.
A 10-page story to read, color, and keep
Read, color, learn
Ten little scenes to read and color.
Read one short sentence, color the scene, then pause for the little fact and question. The pages follow the story in order.
- 01Page 1
Page 1
Baking a Gingerbread Man
An old woman and an old man bake a gingerbread man in their warm oven.
Little factHeat changes soft dough into a firm cookie.
Talk together: Can you find the gingerbread shape?
- 02Page 2
Page 2
Out of the Oven
Before the bakers can catch him, the gingerbread man jumps from the oven and runs away.
Little factA warm oven needs careful grown-up handling.
Talk together: Which way is he running?
- 03Page 3
Page 3
Run, Run, as Fast as You Can!
The old woman and old man chase him down the lane, but he runs faster.
Little factRunning uses our leg muscles and makes our hearts beat faster.
Talk together: Can you point to the two bakers?
- 04Page 4
Page 4
Past the Cow
He runs past a cow and calls, “I ran away from the old woman and old man, and I can run away from you!”
Little factCows chew grass and use strong legs to walk.
Talk together: Can you find the cow's horns?
- 05Page 5
Page 5
Past the Horse and Pig
He runs past a horse and a pig, repeating, “Run, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me!”
Little factHorses and pigs are farm animals with different bodies and sounds.
Talk together: Can you find the horse and the pig?
- 06Page 6
Page 6
You Can't Catch Me!
The farm dog and the other chasers follow, but the gingerbread man stays ahead and sings his boast again.
Little factDogs can use their noses to follow a scent trail.
Talk together: Who is following the path?
- 07Page 7
Page 7
At the River
At the river, a fox is waiting. The gingerbread man stops because he cannot swim across.
Little factA river has water, a current, and banks; children need a grown-up near water.
Talk together: Can you find the fox?
- 08Page 8
Page 8
The Fox Offers a Ride
The fox says he will carry him over the water, so the gingerbread man climbs onto the fox's tail.
Little factFoxes use quick feet and sharp senses to explore.
Talk together: Where is the gingerbread man?
- 09Page 9
Page 9
On the Fox's Nose
The fox moves closer to the far bank. “Climb to my back, then my nose,” he says, and the gingerbread man listens.
Little factA fox's nose helps it notice scents.
Talk together: Can you find the fox's nose?
- 10Page 10
Page 10
The Chase Ends
With one quick trick, the fox catches the gingerbread man, and the long chase ends quietly by the river. There is no scary scene to show.
Little factRivers flow between banks and can slowly change the land around them.
Talk together: Can you find the quiet riverbank?
Free story book
Print the whole story for a coloring afternoon.
Download all 10 uncolored pages, then read each tiny fact as your child colors from beginning to end.
10 pages · free PDF
A little more room to create
Bring the coloring moment into Magical Colors.
Pick a picture, color with forgiving tools, hear the object name, and keep progress on the device.