Leaf Pile Coloring Page

The whole point of raking is the jump, and this leaf pile coloring page catches that exact moment. A boy flies through the air with his arms up and his feet tucked. His friend in a pom pom hat is already in the pile, throwing leaves over her head. A happy puppy pokes out on the left, and the rake leans abandoned against the fence.

Kids from 5 to 12 will like this one. The two children are fairly simple, but the pile has dozens of overlapping leaves. It takes 30 to 45 minutes to finish, so it is a good choice for a rainy weekend.

How the picture is put together

Your eye starts at the boy, then drops down into the heap. The top half stays open, with only a sun, a small cloud and a few drifting leaves, so the jump feels high. A picket fence and one round tree sit behind the action.

The pile is where the real fun lives. It mixes four leaf shapes: spiky maples, wavy oaks, fan shaped ginkgos and plain ovals. They are stacked at every angle, just like a real heap in a yard.

Leaf pile coloring page color ideas

Think of the pile as a mosaic. Pick four or five fall colors and spread them evenly, so no two neighbors match. Red, orange, gold and brown make a warm mix. A leaf or two in leftover green suggests that the tree is still turning.

Here is an easy system for younger kids. Choose one color and fill every fifth leaf. Then pick the next color and do the same. Soon the whole pile is full, and it looks carefully planned.

• Boy: blue and white striped shirt, brown pants
• Girl: purple sweater, red hat with a yellow band
• Puppy: golden fur, brown ears, pink tongue

For the sky, stay with a clear pale blue. A bright sky makes all the warm leaves look even stronger.

Tips for tackling all those leaves

Finish the people first, while your hands are fresh. Then color the pile from the top of the heap down to the bottom. Working in one direction helps you keep track of which leaves are done.

Colored pencils are the best tool here, since the leaves have thin veins. Crayons will still work if they are sharp. A fine tip marker is handy for the small gaps between leaves, and a dark brown works well for those.

Take a break halfway through. There is no prize for finishing in one sitting, and a fresh start often makes the colors more careful.

Why leaves change color

Your child may ask where all that color comes from. Leaves are green in summer because of chlorophyll. As the days get shorter and cooler, the green breaks down. Yellow and orange pigments were in the leaf the whole time, hidden under the green. Reds are different, since many trees make them fresh near the end of summer. Autumn leaf color is often at its brightest after sunny days and chilly nights that stay above freezing.

Take it outside

Go for a walk and collect real leaves. Lay them on the table and match them to the shapes on the page. Which one looks most like the maple? Do you have any oaks in your street?

You can also make leaf rubbings. Place a leaf under thin paper, then rub over it with the side of a crayon. The veins show up like magic. Cut out the best ones and glue them around the edge of the coloring page as a frame.

More leafy pages

For a calmer leaf page, print the fall leaves coloring page. If your child wants to study the shapes, the leaf mandala coloring page arranges them in a neat circle.

Questions