Hiragana "Ga" Coloring Pages

"Ga" as in "Gakkou" (School) in Hiragana "Ga"

The character on this coloring page is the Hiragana "Ga".
The word is "Gakkou" (school). The picture on the left of the first page shows the front of an elementary school building.
There is a round clock at the top in the middle, lots of windows in a row, and an entrance at the bottom.
The word "Gakkou" also has a small "tsu" in it. Try clapping your hands and saying "ga - k - ko - u."

Hiragana "Ga" was born from "Ka"

Hiragana "Ga" is the letter "Ka" with tenten (dakuten dots) added to it.
Long ago, people wrote the kanji character 「加」 in a quick, relaxed way, and it slowly turned into the "Ka" we use today.
When you add the tenten, the clear "Ka" sound turns into the heavier "Ga" sound.
Put your hand on your throat and say "Ka" and "Ga" out loud to compare them. Can you feel your throat vibrate when you say Hiragana "Ga"?

Tips for writing Hiragana "Ga"

The original "Ka" is written in 3 strokes.
For the 1st stroke, write across, bend down, and finish with a hook to the left.
For the 2nd stroke, sweep diagonally down to the left from the top.
For the 3rd stroke, write a short line on the right side.
Finally, add two small dots at the top right, writing the left one first and then the right one. The key is to write them a little higher so they don't touch the 3rd stroke!

The second page is full of words that start with Hiragana "Ga"

In the second coloring page, pictures of words that start with "ga" are placed around the big "Ga" in the middle.
You will find a goose with a long neck, a thumbtack to hold paper, a clasp purse that snaps shut, and musical instruments like a guitar and a drum.
At the top right, there is also a school, just like in the first page.
There are also words usually written in Katakana, like "glass" and "gerbera."

Let's play with words that start with Hiragana "Ga"!

Other words that start with Hiragana "Ga" include gayoshi (drawing paper), gake (cliff), and gaman (patience).
Hiragana "Ga" is also used a lot to connect words, like in "neko ga naku" (a cat meows) or "ame ga kuru" (it rains).
Try making sentences like "something ga does something" with someone in your family and see how many you can create!

How to enjoy the 2 coloring pages

In the 1st coloring page, you can color the school and a big "が", and practice writing "が" by tracing it.
The 2nd coloring page lets you color at your own pace while finding lots of words that start with "が".
Try coloring it while thinking about the school you go to, or the school you will go to soon!

Color the Big Hiragana "Ga" in Your Favorite Colors

Try coloring inside the lines of the big Hiragana "Ga" at the top right with any color you like.
Follow the stroke order and change colors for each stroke! Use red for stroke 1, orange for stroke 2, and yellow for stroke 3. This makes it super easy to remember the stroke order.
If you color the dots in a different color to make them stand out, you can easily see how it is different from "Ka."

Use Bright Colors for the School

It is great to color the walls of the school building in cream, light orange, or light gray.
If you use dark brown or reddish brown for the roof and around the entrance, the building will look sharp and cool.
Color the window glass in light blue, and leave a line of white light in the corner. That will make the windows look shiny!
Leave the clock white, and color the border and hands in black or dark blue.
If you color the sky around it in light blue, you will have a school on a sunny day.

Think About the Real Colors for the 2nd Page

For the goose on the second page, keep its body white, and color its beak and feet orange.
Color the clasp purse in red or pink. Make the metal frame yellow to look like gold, and you will have a cute coin purse!
Color the guitar, which is a musical instrument, in brown. Color the drum in red and white.

Trace Each Letter Carefully One by One

In the boxes at the bottom right, there are 8 light gray Hiragana "Ga".
Hold your pencil correctly. Trace slowly over the gray lines so you do not go outside them.
Use the vertical and horizontal lines in the center of the boxes as clues. This helps you balance your letters well.
Write the dots at the very end, after you finish writing the main letter.
Every time you write one, compare it with the big Hiragana "Ga" example.

How Elementary School Started

In Japan, the government decided to build elementary schools across the country in 1872, at the start of the Meiji period.
Back then, there were still many children who could not go to school.
Now, all children in Japan go to elementary school for 6 years.

The School Year Starts in April

In Japan, the new school year starts in April.
You have an entrance ceremony around the time cherry blossoms bloom.
In many other countries, the new school year starts in September.

School Clocks

Many schools have a big clock right in the middle of the school building.
Even when you play in the schoolyard, you can look at the clock and know the time right away.
Try practicing how to read the time by looking at the long hand and the short hand, too!

Geese Have Loud Voices

The goose on the second page is a bird that people tamed over a long time from wild geese.
Geese make a very loud sound when they cry out.
They call out to let people know when a stranger comes, so people used to keep them as guard dogs.
If you see one at a zoo or farm, listen to its loud voice!