Learn How to Draw with 20 Easy Drawing Ideas

These easy drawing ideas are fun for teaching kids how to draw and as inspiration when you don’t know what to draw.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more.

Teach your child how to draw – or practice yourself. You’re never too young or old to try these easy drawing ideas. The best way to learn how to draw is to practice.

Start with a few of these fun doodles. They can all be created in just 3 or 4 steps. Once you’ve drawn them a few times, you may want to add more details or create your own little scene.

You can draw with just about any pencil and paper combo. We used Ticonderoga pencils and a Stratchmore sketch paper notebook.

Beginner drawing tips

Teaching kids of all ages how to draw is easier when you start with these simple ideas.

• Start with basic shapes. Try simple drawings that begin with a circle, square, or triangle.
• Focus on holding the pencil. Teach your child to hold a pencil correctly and use even pressure.
• Try other materials. Although a pencil is pretty standard, try drawing with a crayon, marker, or chalk.
• Remember there’s no right way. Don’t worry about making drawings look realistic. Details like 3-dimensional shapes, shadows, and texture are advanced skills.
• Doodle! Start with one of the simple drawing ideas below, then doodle other things that might go with it in a scene.
• Grab a clipboard and go outside. Sitting at a desk is fine, but you can draw anywhere. Lay on the floor, sit under a tree, or get cozy anywhere.

20 easy drawing ideas

House

Draw a house in 4 steps using squares, triangles, and rectangles. You can easily change it up by making your square a rectangle that’s long or tall to add space for extra windows.

1. Draw a square.
2. Add a triangle on top of the house.
3. Draw a small rectangle door and square window.
4. Finish the house with details like a doorknob, window grid, or chimney. For a bonus, add lines to the roof to look like shingles.

Cat

Draw a cute sitting cat, then color it any color. You can also add strips, spots, or other marks.

1. Start by a long half-circle for the body.
2. Make a circle for the head.
3. Add 2 triangle ears, then eyes and a nose with a mouth.
4. Finish the cat drawing with whiskers, a tail, and front leg details.

Tree

Draw a simple tree in 4 steps, or use this as a starting point to make a bigger tree with more branches.

1. Start by drawing 2 parallel lines for the tree trunk.
2. Add lines to make a Y-shaped fork in the branches.
3. Draw connected C shapes, kind of like clouds, to make small leaf clusters on the branch ends.
4. Finish the tree by drawing a big circle of C shapes around the top of the tree. Add extra curves for more shape.

Boat

You can draw this simple sailboat in 4 steps. Make the sails a square instead of triangles to look more like a pirate ship!

1. Draw connected curvy lies to look like ocean water.
2. Draw 2 curved lines, then connect them by a straight line for the body of the boat.
3. Add a line for the mast.
4. Finally, make 2 triangles in different sizes to be the sails.

Duck

Although we drew this as a duck, it could be any bird by drawing the feet as a straight line instead of a triangle.

1. Start with a half circle.
2. Draw a second half circle inside the first one.
3. Make a circle for the head and use 2 lines to connect it to the body. Draw another 2 lines for legs.
4. Finish with triangles for feet, a circle eye, and a sideways M for a beak.

Ice cream

Ice cream is easy to draw and you can use colors to make it any flavor.

1. Start with a circle.
2. Draw a second circle under the first one, as if it is slightly behind it.
3. Add a curvy line to the bottom scoop.
4. Make a triangle for the cone.

Watermelon

A slice of watermelon takes just 3 steps to draw.

1. Start by drawing a half circle.
2. Add a line inside the curved edge.
3. Draw 3 teardrop shapes for watermelon seeds.

Sun

Add a sun to any outdoor drawing in 3 steps.

1. Start by drawing a circle.
2. Draw a pair of triangles across from each other, then another pair.
3. Add a triangle between each of the ones from step 2 for 8 total.

Rainbow

The easiest way to draw a rainbow is by making it go between clouds.

1. Draw 2 lines for the bottom of the clouds.
2. Add connected C lines to make the clouds cute and fluffy.
3. Draw curved lines across the clouds – as many as you like – for rainbow stripes.

Flower

Once you learn how to draw a flower, you can make a whole variety of them. Change the shape of the step, add more flower petals and leaves, or change the petal shape altogether.

1. Start by drawing a small circle with a long line below it.
2. Draw C shapes around the circle for flower petals.
3. Add 2 teardrop-shaped leaves to the stem.

Stick person

With just a bit more time, you can draw a stick person with more details.

1. First, draw a long teardrop-shaped body.
2. Add a circle for the head.
3. Draw lines for arms and legs. Add circle hands and teardrop feet.
4. Finish the stick person with face details. For a bonus, try some of these hairstyles or even a hat.

Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are cute, and really easy to draw in 4 steps.

1. Start with a horizontal line.
2. On one end, draw a triangle with a curved side. Add 2 pairs of feet.
3. Draw jagged zig-zags across the back of the hedgehog.
4. Add face details and some extra spikes on the body.

Butterfly

Once you learn to draw a butterfly, you can add different patterns for decoration.

1. Start by drawing a long, skinny oval.
2. Add a B shape for the wings on the right. Then draw a mirror image for the left wing.
3. Draw a pair of lines and circles for antennas. Add circles, stripes, or another pattern to the wings.

Bee

Bees are fun to draw along with hexagons to look like honeycombs.

1. Start by drawing a wide oval.
2. Add stripes to part of the oval.
3. Draw a triangle stinger on one end and a B for the wings on the top.
4. Finish the bee with antennas, eyes and mouth, and L-shaped legs.

Candle

You can draw a candle with or without the candleholder. Make them tall, short, or any size.

1. First, draw a teardrop for the candle’s flame.
2. Draw a wide oval around the flame.
3. Add 2 parallel lines for the candle taper. Connect them at the bottom with a curved line that matches the oval.
4. Draw a second wide oval around the candle base. Add a curly line for a handle.

Car

In just 4 steps, you can draw a simple car.

1. Start by drawing a pair of circles, connected by a straight line.
2. Draw a curved line at the front of the car and a squared one at the back.
3. Add a curve over the top of the car. Add windows and a headlinght.
4. For extra detail, draw a door by following the outline of the window and wheel.

Umbrella

Draw an umbrella in 4 steps.

1. Begin drawing an umbrella with 4 connected C curves.
2. Draw a larger curve over the top to connect the ends.
3. To make the handle, draw a large J with a small J inside, then connect the ends.
4. Finish the umbrella with a little circle on top and draw lines from the circle to each of the umbrella points.

Island

Draw a tropical island that looks like the emoji – or draw a whole forest of trees and make it bigger.

1. Start with the palm tree leaves. Draw 4 curved lines in a starburst.
2. Draw connected C lines along the underside of each curved line.
3. Add a few circles for coconuts, then 2 long lines for the tree trunk.
4. Finish the island with curves for the water and land. Add stripes to the palm tree.

Mountain

Mountains are simple to draw using triangles and make a fun background for drawings.

1. First, draw 2 lines to make the top of a triangle.
2. Add a second larger one behind the first one.
3. Add a third triangle shape, then finish each mountain with a squiggly line of snow.

Rocket

Draw a cute and simple rocket to go to space. Doodle extras like stars and planets for more detail.

1. Draw 2 long curved lines for the body of the rocket.
2. Add a small triangle for a rocket leg, then connect the ends of the body with straight lines.
3. Continue with a pair of triangles on the sides for more legs.
4. Finish the drawing with a circle window, stripes, or other decorations.

Did you have fun learning how to draw? Save these easy drawing ideas for the next time your child says they are bored. If you want to see more ideas, leave a comment and let us know what you want to create next!

More fun ideas from Backyard Summer Camp:

• Colorful Salt Art Watercolor Painting for Kids
• Art Activities for Kids to Learn About Famous Artists
• Creative Pencil Shaving Art for Kids