A free printable coloring page of dondo-yaki, the mid-January bonfire at which Japanese households burn the New Year decorations they put up a fortnight earlier. A child in a knitted hat holds a long stick of dumplings over the flames, while a daruma doll and a straw rope sit in the fire. The outlines are thick and the shapes are large, so it suits young children as well as classroom and care-home groups. No registration is needed: download the PDF and print it.
🗣 Conversation Starters — for care activities and family time
What’s your favorite color to use when coloring?
Do you enjoy drawing or coloring?
Did you used to draw or do handicrafts in the past?
Would you like to show someone your finished coloring page?
What is shown on this Dondo-yaki coloring page?
A straw bonfire with a daruma doll and a shimenawa rope in the flames, and a child holding a stick with three dumplings on it. Dondo-yaki (called sagicho in some regions) is usually held around 14–15 January at shrines or in open fields: the previous year’s decorations and lucky charms are burned, and people toast dango or mochi over the embers, which is said to keep them healthy for the year ahead. When coloring, the fire is the only large warm shape on the page — leave the smoke and the paper around it white and the flames will look hot.
Does coloring help prevent dementia or serve as brain training?
Coloring engages several skills at once: (1) the judgment involved in choosing colors, (2) fine motor control, and (3) focus and attention. Many people enjoy it as a relaxing pastime, and it is a popular recreational activity in care settings — though evidence on preventing dementia remains limited.
What tips make coloring easier for seniors?
It helps to start with designs that have thick outlines, large areas to fill, and simple patterns. Choose materials that are easy to handle — colored pencils, markers, or watercolors — and remember that enjoying the process matters more than getting it ‘right.’
