Tree of Life Mandala Coloring Page

This tree of life mandala coloring page shows one great tree inside a braided ring. Above the center, the branches fork again and again and end in clusters of leaves. Below it, the roots copy those same forks, ending in round pebbles. The tree is drawn so the top and bottom match when you turn the sheet. A small rosette marks the middle of the trunk, right on the line where the sky meets the earth. Two small birds sit on the sky side, and stones rest below ground. A woven band and a ring of leaves wrap around it all. Each corner shows a season.

It is best for ages 10 and up. Plan on an hour or more, since the fine branches and tight leaves need a steady hand.

Two halves, one tree

The fun of this design is the mirror between sky and soil. What grows up also grows down. Try making that clear with your colors. Paint the upper half in cool, airy tones and the lower half in warm, earthy ones. The trunk and the rosette tie them together.

Some people like to go the other way and treat the sheet as one big piece of stained glass. Pick five colors and spread them through both halves. The tree then becomes more of a pattern than a picture.

Color ideas for a tree of life mandala coloring page

The natural set is two greens for leaves, two browns for bark, a pale sky and a sandy earth. Our sample uses this mix, and it prints a clean, calm look.

Seasons offer another path. Let the left side of the crown turn red and gold like fall, and let the right side stay spring green. That matches the corners of the page.

A night tree can be striking as well. Color the sky deep blue, the tree nearly black and the leaves silver or pale gold. Use a gel pen to add stars behind the branches.

Working tips

• Do the leaves before the branches, because the bark pencil tends to smudge.
• Rotate the page as you work. It is easier to pull strokes toward you.
• Use a fine tip for the braid, and follow one ribbon all the way around.
• Darken the leaves deep in the crown and keep the outer ones bright.
• Give the pebbles at the root tips one shared color, so they read as a set.

Trees in old stories

Great trees that link the sky and the ground appear in many old tales. One of the best known comes from Norse myth. Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree held up by three roots, and a well or spring lies at each one. In the stories, an eagle sits high in its branches, while a squirrel named Ratatoskr runs up and down the trunk carrying messages. You can read the full tale in this Wikipedia article on Yggdrasil.

Our tree is a plain nature drawing that takes its layout from this kind of idea. It carries no special meaning, so you are free to make it your own.

Activities to try

Make it a family tree. Write a name on each large branch, with older relatives down in the roots and the youngest on the top leaves. It makes a warm gift for a grandparent.

Science teachers can use the sheet to talk about what roots and leaves each do. Have students label the crown, the trunk and the roots. Then ask them to draw arrows for how water moves up and how sunlight reaches the leaves.

Students could also write one line about each of the four corners. Which season do they like best, and how would the tree change in it?

More natural patterns

For a smaller project after this one, try the leaf mandala coloring page. The autumn tree coloring page is a nice choice for a cool fall day.

Questions