How to Teach Kids to Draw: Easy Step-by-Step Ideas

Many children (and grown-ups) say "I can't draw." But drawing is a skill, and like any skill, it improves with practice and a few simple techniques. Here's how to help children learn to draw step by step, with games and exercises for every age.

Drawing develops in stages

• Ages 1–3: scribbling. Children explore marks and movement.
• Ages 3–4: shapes. Circles, lines and the first "tadpole" people (a head with legs).
• Ages 4–6: symbols. Simple houses, suns, trees and people with more details.
• Ages 6–9: more realism. Children want drawings to look "right," which can lead to frustration.
• Ages 9+: more detail, perspective and personal style.

Every stage is important. Don't rush them.

Start with shapes

Almost everything can be drawn using basic shapes:

• A cat: a circle head, an oval body, triangle ears.
• A house: a square and a triangle.
• A car: rectangles and circles.
• A fish: an oval and a triangle.

Practise drawing shapes and then combining them. Our shapes coloring pages help younger children recognise them.

10 drawing techniques for kids

1. Directed drawing. Draw step by step together: "First draw a big circle. Now add two triangles on top."
2. Grid drawing. Copy a picture one square at a time. Our grid drawing pages are perfect.
3. Finish the picture. Complete half-drawn pictures. Try our finish the picture pages.
4. Trace and color. Tracing builds control and confidence. See trace and color pages.
5. Observational drawing. Draw a real object, like a toy, a fruit or a flower. Look closely for shapes and details.
6. Mirror drawing. Draw half a picture and copy it on the other side (symmetry).
7. Continuous line drawing. Draw without lifting the pencil.
8. Blind contour drawing. Draw an object without looking at the paper. It's funny and helps observation.
9. Drawing from imagination. Monsters, dream houses and aliens.
10. Doodle prompts. Start with a squiggle and turn it into something.

Drawing games

• Squiggle game. One person draws a squiggle; the other turns it into a picture.
• Draw it together. Take turns adding one part to a drawing.
• Pictionary. Draw and guess.
• Roll and draw. Roll a dice; each number means a different body part for a monster.
• Copy cat. One person draws, the other copies.

Supplies

• Pencils (an HB for sketching and a softer 2B for shading)
• An eraser
• Crayons, colored pencils and markers
• A sketchbook so drawings stay together and progress is visible
• Plenty of scrap paper for practice

Encouraging young artists

• Focus on fun. Drawing should be enjoyable.
• Praise effort and ideas, not just how realistic it looks.
• Avoid correcting every drawing.
• Display their work.
• Draw alongside them. Your wobbly drawings show it's okay to try.
• Keep old drawings and compare them to show progress.

See encouraging creativity in kids.

When children get frustrated

Around age 7–9, children often get frustrated that their drawings don't look "real." Help by:

• Teaching techniques like grid drawing and directed drawing.
• Encouraging them to look closely at real objects.
• Reminding them that artists practise for years.
• Showing them famous artists with very different styles: not all art is realistic.

Common mistakes to avoid

• "That doesn't look like a dog." Ask them to tell you about it instead.
• Only coloring pages. Mix in free drawing.
• Expecting realism too early. It develops over time.

Frequently asked questions

At what age can kids learn to draw?

Children can start scribbling around age 1, and simple step-by-step drawing works from about age 4.

How do I help a child who says they can't draw?

Use step-by-step drawing, grid drawing and shapes. Praise effort and keep it fun.

Is tracing bad for learning to draw?

No. Tracing builds control and confidence. Balance it with free drawing and observational drawing.

A 10-day drawing challenge

Draw for ten minutes a day:

1. Day 1: draw your favorite animal from shapes.
2. Day 2: draw a fruit from real life, looking closely.
3. Day 3: finish a half-drawn picture.
4. Day 4: copy a simple picture with a grid.
5. Day 5: draw your hand without looking at the paper.
6. Day 6: draw a house from your imagination, with any details you like.
7. Day 7: turn a squiggle into a creature.
8. Day 8: draw a member of your family.
9. Day 9: draw the view from a window.
10. Day 10: draw your favorite animal again and compare it with Day 1.

The final comparison is often the most exciting part. It shows how much practice helps.

Do children need drawing lessons?

Not necessarily. Most children improve through regular practice, encouragement and a few simple techniques. Lessons can help children who are especially keen.

How long should drawing practice last?

Ten to twenty minutes a day is plenty. Short, regular practice builds skill faster than occasional long sessions.