Hiragana "Ko" Coloring Pages

"Ko" in "Koma"

The hiragana "Ko" is the last letter in the "Ka-Ki-Ku-Ke-Ko" row.
In the first coloring page, as "Ko" in "Koma" (top), you will see one wooden top and a wrapped string.
It has a handle stem at the top and a sharp point at the bottom.
The top has a spiral pattern on it, so it looks pretty when you spin it!

2 Coloring Pages

This page has 2 Hiragana "Ko" coloring pages.
The first coloring page has a wooden top and string on the left. On the top right, there is a big outlined "Ko" and the word "Koma". On the bottom right, you will find tracing boxes for "Ko".
The second coloring page has a big "Ko" in the middle with lots of pictures of things that start with "Ko" around it.
You can see a carp streamer, a carp, a bat, a gold coin, and more! Each picture has its name written under it.
Try saying each name out loud as you color!
On both coloring pages, the big "Ko" is outlined, so you can color inside it.
When you color while looking at the pictures and words together, it helps you connect letters with words so you can remember them easily!

"Ko" Came from "己"

Hiragana letters were born from writing kanji characters in a smooth, cursive way.
The original kanji for "Ko" is "己".
As people wrote "己" quickly and smoothly, it turned into two lines, one on top and one on the bottom.
The katakana "Ko" (コ) was also made from the top part of the same kanji, "己"!

Tips for Writing "Ko"

You write "Ko" with 2 strokes.
For the 1st stroke, draw a line across at the top, and make a tiny hook pointing down to the left at the end.
For the 2nd stroke, draw a slightly longer line at the bottom, curving gently from left to right.
If you make the bottom line a little longer than the top line, your "Ko" will look nice and sturdy!
If you add "dots" (dakuten) to "Ko", it becomes "Go".

Let's Find Words That Start with "Ko"

Some words that start with "Ko" are kome (rice), koi (carp), koara (koala), koori (ice), and kouen (park).
The word "Koinobori" (carp streamer) in the second coloring page is made by joining "koi" (carp) and "nobori" (streamer)!
Let's look for other words that have hidden words inside them!

Color the big Hiragana "Ko" with your favorite colors

Try using different colors for the top and bottom lines of the big outlined Hiragana "Ko".
If you use red for the top and blue for the bottom, it will look cheerful like a carp streamer!

Color each part of the spinning top's spiral

Try changing colors as you fill in the top's spiral pattern, like red, yellow, and green.
It is fun to imagine how the colors will mix together when it spins!
Color the stem and the pointy tip light brown like wood, and try white or red for the string.

Make the carp streamer the star of the second page

For the carp streamers, color the top one black, the middle one red, and the bottom one blue to make them look like the ones you usually see!
It also looks pretty if you change how dark you color each scale.
Make the oval gold coin shiny with gold or yellow.

Trace the letters one by one with a pencil

There are 8 light gray Hiragana "Ko" lined up in the bottom right boxes.
Hold your pencil the right way and trace over the gray lines slowly.
The dashed lines going up, down, and across the box show you where the center of the letter is.
Don't forget to trace the small upward flick at the end of the first stroke!
It is fine to go slow at first, so write each one with care.
When you finish tracing, check if you wrote inside the gray lines without going outside.
It is a great idea to draw a big flower mark next to the one you wrote the best!

Spinning tops don't fall over when they spin

When a spinning top stops, it falls right over. But while it is spinning fast, it stays standing straight up on its pin!
When it spins slower, it starts to wobble and falls over.
Try it out to see how long you can keep it spinning!

A New Year's game

Top spinning is a traditional New Year's game, just like kite flying and Hanetsuki badminton.
People say that because tops spin so smoothly, it brings good luck so that everything goes well for you!

Carp streamers are for Children's Day

The carp streamers on the second coloring page are set up around Children's Day on May 5th.
Just like a carp swimming up a waterfall, people wish for children to grow up strong and healthy.

Bats are mammals that fly in the sky

The bat on the second coloring page flies in the sky, but it is not a bird. It is a mammal!
Its wings are made of thin skin stretched between its long fingers.
Most bats come out at night. They make sounds and listen to the echoes to see what is around them.