Dragonfly Mandala Coloring Page

This dragonfly mandala coloring page lays four dragonflies across a round wheel of petals, so their bodies form a big X. Tails point in to a flower at the center, and heads point out toward the corners. Each insect has four long wings cut into stained glass cells, a segmented tail with diamonds, a round thorax and two huge eyes. Behind them, you can see rings of leaf shaped petals, a band of small blocks, a beaded ring and a scalloped edge. Water lilies on lily pads sit in the corners, and more pads and blooms float at the top and bottom of the sheet.

It is a detailed page for ages 10 and up. An hour is a fair guess, though you could spend longer on the wings.

Layout notes

Most of our mandalas are built in rings, but the eye reads this one as a cross on a wheel. It has four matching parts, so one quarter turn of the paper lands every dragonfly on the next. That gives you a useful way to work. Finish one dragonfly, then copy your choices on the other three. You will not have to make a new plan for each one.

Colors for a dragonfly mandala coloring page

Wings should feel light. Our sample keeps them pale blue and white, with teal bodies, yellow tail bands and pink lilies. The background ring is made of soft greens and aqua, so the insects stand out.

For a jewel look, make each dragonfly its own color: ruby, emerald, sapphire and amber. Keep the wings a very pale tint of that same color, and leave the wheel in light gray.

A pond at dusk is also lovely. Color the wheel in deep purple and navy, the wings in pale lilac, and the lily pads in a dark green. The bright blooms will look like they are lit from within.

Wing and body tips

• Color the darkest parts of the body first, then work out to the wings.
• Skip around the wing cells. Fill every third cell to start, so the pattern stays even.
• Let a little of the ring color show in some cells to suggest clear wings.
• Use two greens on the eyes, with a pale dot left in each one.
• Add a thin line of dark color along the front edge of each wing.

Dragonfly facts

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has a neat kids' page on these insects. Dragonflies have three life stages: egg, nymph and adult. The nymph lives in ponds, lakes, marshes and streams, which is why this sheet has lily pads. An adult has two pairs of wings, six legs and very large compound eyes. It holds its wings flat when at rest. The wings flap alternately, so it can hover and even fly backward. Normal flight speed is about 25 miles per hour, and it can reach 75 in short bursts. Read the full Illinois DNR dragonfly feature.

Pond study activity

If there is a pond near you, take this page along on a warm day. Sit and watch for ten minutes, and count how many dragonflies you see. Can you spot one hovering? Note whether its wings stay flat when it lands.

Indoors, kids can compare the drawing with a photo. Count the wings, find the eyes and trace the tail segments. Teachers can then ask how the design uses four matching parts, and what angle lies between one dragonfly and the next. The answer is 90 degrees.

The finished circle also makes a good front for a nature journal. Glue it to the cover and add a clear layer of tape for strength.

Other winged designs

After this dragonfly mandala coloring page, the butterfly mandala coloring page is a close cousin. For another pond plant, try the lotus mandala coloring page.

Questions