Woodland Friends Around an Oak Tree

A wide-eyed owl perches beside a hollow in a large oak tree, while a squirrel clings to the trunk holding an acorn. Below them, a striped chipmunk sits on a root with its bushy tail curling forward. Oak leaves and acorns frame the upper branches, and spotted mushrooms, leafy plants and tufts of grass fill the forest floor.

This medium-detail drawing gives kids ages 6–10 a mix of roomy shapes and smaller patterns to explore. The owl’s feathers, crosshatched acorn caps and mushroom spots offer plenty of variety. Try warm browns and grays for the animals, with different greens for the surrounding plants. Colored pencils work well for the narrow leaf shapes and tree bark lines, while crayons can fill the larger areas of the trunk and tails.