On this page
Rain is falling on the pond, and one small bird came ready. This baby duck coloring page stars a fuzzy duckling standing on a large lily pad, holding the stem of a giant leaf over its head. Webbed feet spread wide on the pad, and a round orange bill turns up in a happy grin. Tall cattails stand along the bank, and rings ripple out across the water wherever the drops land.
It is easy and funny, which is a good mix for ages 3 to 8. Very young children can focus on the duckling and leaf, while older ones can tackle the rings and the rain. Plan on 15 to 20 minutes.
Baby duck coloring page color ideas
Yellow is the star here. Use a lemon yellow for the body, then add a touch of gold under the chin and along the belly. Orange fits the bill and feet nicely.
The leaf is the second biggest shape on the sheet. Go with a fresh green, or use two greens split along the center vein so that one half looks lighter. For the pond, a medium blue sets off the green lily pad.
Mix things up with these ideas:
- Stormy day: gray sky, dark blue water and white rain
- Sunny shower: pale sky with a rainbow drawn behind the cattails
- Fall pond: an orange and red leaf over a brown duckling
Tips for the fuzz and the leaf
Real ducklings look soft, so skip the hard pressing. Tip the crayon over on the head and body, and let a bit of the paper show through. The spiky outline will do the rest.
Color the leaf in sections. The side veins divide it into smaller spaces, and each one can be done on its own. This is handy for a child who gets tired by big shapes, because every finished section feels like a small win.
The rain drops are outlined, and you can leave them white or fill them with pale blue. A drop of white space looks wet and shiny. Inside the ripple rings, try one shade lighter than the rest of the pond.
Cattails are simple and satisfying. Color the fat tops brown and the stems a dark green, and they will frame the duckling on both sides. The small lily pad on the left holds a pink flower, which is a sweet spot for your brightest crayon. Keep the petals separate by using two shades.
Duckling facts worth sharing
Mallards are the ducks most kids see at the park. Audubon says a mallard hen lays 7 to 13 eggs in a nest lined with down, and she sits on them alone for 23 to 30 days. Within a day after hatching, she leads her young away.
The little ones grow up fast. Their mother tends them, but they feed themselves from the start. They take their first flight at about 52 to 60 days old. That means a fuzzy duckling can go from hatching to flying in about two months.
Rainy day activities
Count the drops in the sky and write the number at the top of the page. Then ask your child to draw a few more until the total reaches 20. Younger kids can simply point and count out loud.
Next, try a little science. Rub a crayon all over a scrap of paper, drop some water on it and watch the beads roll away. Talk about what it means to stay dry. You can add a story, too. Why does the duckling want to keep dry? Maybe it just got a new haircut.
To make a rain picture, glue short strips of blue yarn across the sky on your finished page.
More little birds to color
The duck coloring page has a full grown duck for older kids. You can also print the baby chick coloring page, where a fluffy chick has just hatched out of its egg.
Questions
Why does a duck need an umbrella?
It does not, really. That is the joke of the page. Ducks are fine in the rain, and kids tend to giggle when they work that out.
How soon do ducklings leave the nest?
Very soon. Audubon says a mallard hen leads her young within a day after hatching, and they feed themselves while she tends them.
Is this page good for a rainy day?
Yes. It is a fun indoor activity when the weather keeps you at home, and the drops give kids a simple shape to count.
