Drawing ideas · For kids
Drawing ideas for kids
Kids rarely run out of imagination — they run out of starting points. A good prompt gives them just enough to begin and leaves the rest open, so a giraffe can end up with a scarf and a dragon can go to school.
These ideas are grouped roughly by age, from simple shape drawings for little ones to imagination prompts for older kids. Each group has a short tip for parents and teachers.
40 things for kids to draw
40 ideas
First drawings (ages 4–6)
Tip · Name the shapes out loud together: “a big circle, two little circles”. Kids follow shapes far more easily than objects.
- A sun with a happy face
- A caterpillar made of circles
- A house with a door and two windows
- A fish with big lips
- A rainbow with clouds at each end
- A ladybug with as many dots as your age
- Balloons in your favorite colors
- A flower with a face
- A star with arms and legs
Animals kids love
Tip · Let kids choose the colors — a purple elephant is a great elephant. Creativity matters more than realism at this age.
- A puppy with floppy ears
- A cat playing with a ball of yarn
- An elephant having a bath
- A lion with a giant mane
- A turtle with a patterned shell
- An octopus with eight different socks
- A giraffe with a very long scarf
- A penguin family on the ice
- A friendly dinosaur
Imagination prompts (ages 6–10)
Tip · Ask a question instead of giving a subject: “What would your dream treehouse have?” Kids invent more when they are asked.
- Your dream treehouse
- A robot that does your chores
- A monster that lives under the bed (a nice one)
- Yourself as a superhero
- A rocket going to a candy planet
- A castle with a secret passage
- A pet dragon at school
- An underwater city
- The biggest ice cream in the world
Family & everyday life
Tip · Drawings of family and daily life make great keepsakes. Write the date and the child’s age on the back.
- Your family as animals
- Your favorite dinner
- Your classroom
- The park on a sunny day
- Your next birthday cake
- Your favorite toy going on an adventure
- The bus or car ride to school
Seasonal fun
Tip · Tie drawing to the calendar — a pumpkin in October, a snowman in December — so kids always have a fresh idea.
- A pumpkin with a funny face
- A snowman family
- A chick hatching from an egg
- A sandcastle at the beach
- A hedgehog under autumn leaves
- A Christmas tree with homemade decorations
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Play Draw Now →Frequently asked questions
What are easy things for kids to draw?
A smiling sun, a caterpillar made of circles, a house with two windows, a fish or a ladybug. They are all built from simple shapes that young children already know.
How can I encourage my child to draw more?
Ask open questions instead of giving instructions, let them choose colors freely, and display their drawings. Drawing a little every day together works better than long sessions.
What should a 5-year-old draw?
Shapes-based subjects like suns, flowers, houses and simple animals. Name the shapes out loud — “a big circle for the body” — and let them add their own details.
Is The Midnight Gallery suitable for kids?
The Midnight Gallery is a public community app, so it is best used by teens and adults, or by younger kids with a parent. For a quick, account-free activity, try Draw Now in the browser: spin a prompt and sketch it in 60 seconds.
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