On this page
A sweet panda face sits at the center of this panda mandala coloring page, ringed by flower petals, beads and eight smaller cubs. The cubs face outward like the points on a compass, and a long bamboo leaf rises between each pair. Four big blooms fill the corners, with smaller flowers at the top and bottom of the sheet.
It suits older kids, teens and adults, roughly age 10 and up. There are many small spaces, but none are as fine as a full zentangle, so it makes a nice first step into detailed coloring. Set aside 45 minutes to an hour. Many people like to split it into two sittings.
Working from the middle out
Mandalas are easiest when you start at the center and move outward ring by ring. Color the big panda first. Next come the small yellow leaves, the wide petals, the ring of cubs, and last of all the scalloped edge. Your hand then rests on bare paper instead of on fresh color.
Stick to one rule for each ring. All sixteen inner petals get the same color, and so do all eight long leaves. Repeating colors is what makes the page feel calm and even, while random colors can look busy. If you make a mistake in one spot, you can turn it into a pattern by doing the same thing all the way around.
Panda mandala coloring page color plans
Before you start, pick three or four colors and test them on scrap paper. Here are some plans that work:
- Bamboo garden with mint, deep green, gold and soft pink
- Night sky with navy, teal, silver gray and pale yellow
- Sunset with coral, peach, plum and a touch of gold
- Black and white only, using just gray pencils at three strengths
That last idea is a nice nod to the animal. Every cub has dark ears, dark eye patches and a white face, so your gray scale will look right at home in the rings.
Tips for small spaces
Keep your pencil sharp. The cub faces are tiny, and a dull point will run over the lines. Fine tip markers also do well here, though you should slide a blank sheet underneath to catch any bleed.
The 54 beads around the outer ring are small but fast. Fill them in one color, or switch back and forth between two. Turn the paper as you work so your hand stays in a comfortable spot. To add depth, darken the inner end of each petal and fade it out toward the tip.
Why panda faces look the way they do
Those markings are not just cute. A study in the journal Behavioral Ecology, shared in 2017 by UC Davis, looked at why these bears are black and white. Scientists think the dark eye patches may help pandas recognize each other. They may also signal aggression toward rivals.
The dark ears may send a message too, as a warning to predators. So the face at the center of your mandala may work a bit like a name tag and a warning sign rolled into one.
Ways to use the finished page
Finished mandalas look lovely on heavier paper. Print on card stock, trim the square of the design, and frame it for a bedroom wall. You can also cut out the round center and hang it from a window with thread.
Some people use coloring as a quiet break. Put on soft music, leave your phone in another room and color only one ring. Come back to the next ring on another day.
More patterns to try
Want another animal in a circle? Try the elephant mandala coloring page, with five elephants walking in a ring. For a harder panda, the zentangle panda coloring page is packed with tiny shapes.
Questions
Where should I start on a mandala?
Start at the center and work outward ring by ring. That way your hand rests on clean paper and not on fresh color.
How long will this page take?
Most people need 45 minutes to an hour. It is easy to color a few rings, stop and come back later.
Can kids color this one?
Kids around 10 and up usually do well, especially with sharp colored pencils. The tiny cub faces are the hardest part.
