Plant Cell Coloring Worksheet

Kids and plants have one thing in common: they both like dirt! Let’s explore plant cells with this fantastic plant cell coloring worksheet. Learn all about plant cells and their parts up close in detail on this worksheet. And as you color the different parts, you can guide your student in matching up plant cell part with function.

>> See more plant activities for kids

This plant cell coloring worksheet is the perfect introduction to learning all about plants. You can use it as a fun starting point for your study on plants

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All cells have similar structures

There’s the cell walls, nuclei, cytoplasm, and mitochondria. These four parts offer the basic structure of a cell, whether plant, animal or microbial.

Cell Wall

A cell wall is an obvious structure that surrounds the cell. It performs the same functions for the cell that your skin does for your cell. It protects the cell from outside toxins while offering openings (vacuole) to let in nutrients and let out wastes.

Plant cell walls have “cellulose” that helps them keep that rectangular structure. And that’s why plant parts tend to be stiffer in general, rather than flexible like our skin. On the plant cell coloring worksheet, your child should color the cell wall brown, and the vacuole pink.

Nucleus

Nuclei are the control centers for every cell — the “brain”. A nucleus (singular of nuclei), contains the DNA ( deoxyribonucleic acid — try saying that 5 times fast!), the “code” that tells the cell what to make when to make it and how to make it.

On the plant cell coloring worksheet, color the nucleus red. And maybe encourage your student to trace out the DNA inside the nucleus.

Cytoplasm

Cytoplasm is the goopy stuff in the middle of the cell that all the other organelles float around in. It’s made up of water, salt, minerals, cell wastes, proteins and a whole host of other stuff (but mostly salt and water). Learn more about cytoplasm here. You can color it blue on the plant cell coloring worksheet.

Mitochondria

Mitochondria are the mini power plants of the cell. It’s in the mitochondria that food gets turned into usable energy for cells. It actually has it’s own form of DNA, and scientists aren’t quite sure how the chemistry works inside the mitochondria yet.

For more details, check out this video on mitochondrial functions. You can color the mitochondria purple on the plant cell coloring worksheet too.

Example of the complete elementary plant cell coloring worksheet

Plant specific organelles

Unlike animal cells, plant cells have chloroplasts. They should be green on your plant cell coloring worksheet because they really are green. Inside a chloroplast is the chlorophyll that gives most plant parts their characteristic green color.

Chlorophyll is the chemical that captures the sun’s energy and combines it with carbon (from carbon dioxide) and hydrogen (from water) to make sugar, in the process known as photosynthesis. This process is unique to plants, and it’s part of what makes plants so special.

Recommended Plant Books for Kids

There are tons more to learn about plants and plant cells, so check out these books!

Christina Examines Plant Cells and Animal Cells (Science Alliance) From Seed to Plant DK Eyewitness Books: Plant: Discover the Fascinating World of Plants from Flowers and Fruit to Plants That Sting Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt Plant the Tiny Seed The Tiny Seed (The World of Eric Carle)

Example of the plant cell coloring worksheet with labelling options.

Recommended Plant Growing Kits

And now that you know all about how plant cells work, try growing your own plants. You can grab some seeds from your local garden shop and find yourself a plot of dirt. Or maybe one of these fun kits will spark your child’s green thumb.

Mr. Sprout Sunflower Starter Kit – Plant Growing Kit for Kids, Adults Or Gift Idea – Flower Seed Starter Kit Includes Peat Pots, Nutrient Rich Soil Pellets, and Plant Tags Dan&Darci Paint & Plant Flower Growing Kit – Grow Cosmos, Zinnia, Marigold Flowers – Includes Everything Needed to Paint and Grow – Great Gift for Children STEM Sproutbrite Wildflower Seed Starter Kit – Sunflowers Daises & More – Grow Your Own Mini Flower Garden – Gardening Gift Kit for Growing Indoors or Outdoors Thames & Kosmos Kids First Botany – Experimental Greenhouse Kit TickleMe Plant Deluxe Greenhouse Kit with 6 Color Paint Set for Kids with 10 Fun Activities. Grow The House Plant That Closes its Leaves & Lowers it Branches When Tickled! Great Science Activity Toysmith Deluxe Root Viewer (Packaging May Vary)