On this page
This snowman mandala coloring page turns a winter friend into a slow, calming pattern. A snowman face in a top hat sits at the very center. Around him is a ring of 16 petals, then a checked band, then a wide circle with eight small snowmen that stand in a ring with their hats pointing outward. Eight snowflakes and eight leaves sit in the gaps between them.
The outer rings have blocks and small diamonds, with a border of dots. Four large snowflakes fill the corners of the page, and circles and diamonds run along the edges.
Who should try this one
It is a detailed page, best for ages 8 to 16 and for adults who like to color. Plan on an hour or more. It is a nice project for a snowy afternoon, and you can leave it on the table and add a ring whenever you pass by. Because the pattern repeats, there are not many decisions to make, and that is why so many people find a mandala calming.
Snowman mandala coloring page color ideas
Limit yourself to four or five colors for the whole wheel. That keeps it looking planned, not messy. Our sample uses red, yellow, mint and teal, on a light blue background. Each color comes back in more than one ring, which ties the whole design together.
The other way to go is cool colors only. Use navy, sky blue, lilac and white for an icy look, with one small touch of orange on the noses. That single warm spot draws the eye in a very pleasing way.
Repeat your choices around the circle. If the first mini snowman has a red scarf, all eight should have one. This repeating is what makes a mandala look like a mandala.
Tips for neat rings
- Work from the middle out. Rest your hand on the blank paper, and you will not smudge the finished part.
- Rotate the sheet as you go. It is much easier to color each snowman when it is upright.
- Color all of one shape in one color before you switch. If you do all the petals together, they will match.
- Test your colors side by side on a scrap of paper first.
What the word mandala means
The word comes from Sanskrit, and it means circle. Wikipedia's mandala article explains that mandalas began in Indian religions, and tantric Buddhists use them as an aid to meditation. Some monks build them out of colored sand, then sweep them away to show that nothing lasts forever. In a way, that sounds a lot like a snowman! The Swiss thinker Carl Jung also drew circle pictures and saw them in the work of his patients. He adopted the Sanskrit word for those drawings.
Ways to use the finished page
Try a quiet coloring break in class. Set a timer for ten minutes and play soft music. Nobody talks, and everyone colors only one ring. A calm routine like this can help after a loud recess, and it needs no setup beyond a printed sheet.
For a math link, count the parts. How many snowmen are there? How many snowflakes? Ask an older student how many degrees apart two snowmen are. Since there are eight in a full circle of 360 degrees, the answer is 45.
Trim around the outer circle when you finish, then tape the page to a window. Light from behind shows off the colors, and it looks a bit like stained glass. You can also punch a hole at the top and add a ribbon for a large winter decoration.
Other mandalas to try
If this one feels like too much, the easy mandala coloring page has bigger shapes. For another winter shape that repeats around a center, color the snowflake coloring page.
Questions
Which part should I color first?
Start at the center with the snowman face and work outward, ring by ring. That way your hand stays clear of the parts you have finished.
What tools work best for a mandala?
Fine tip markers or sharp colored pencils are best, since many of the parts are small. Crayons are fine for the outer background.
Is this page for adults too?
Yes. Teens and adults often like the slow, repeating rings. Younger kids can try our easy mandala instead.
