Duck in the Pond

Picture a calm afternoon at the water's edge. A duck glides across a pond ringed with tall cattails and reeds, a few lily pads and a flower floating on the surface, gentle ripples spreading out behind it, and a couple of soft clouds drifting overhead. This is a fuller scene with a duck, plants, water, and sky, so there is a satisfying variety of areas to color and a natural chance to talk about pond habitats. Cattails grow in marshy water and their fluffy brown heads release thousands of fluffy seeds. Lily pads float because they trap air, giving frogs and insects a place to rest. Younger artists can keep the water one shade of blue, while older ones can layer greens in the reeds and add reflections. Print it on US Letter or A4 for a relaxing nature page.