Kids and preschool printables · Ink and Index
Print, cut and put the cards in a basket. A child picks a card and copies the six small pictures on a blank sheet.
$3.99 on Etsy · instant download · sold by Ink and Index
The drawings were built from simple shapes with code and checked by Ink and Index.
Directed Drawing Task Cards are 40 printable animal cards for classroom art centers, homeschool art time and quiet-time bins. Each card shows a finished animal and six small steps, with a bonus idea for what to add next. Each of the 4 PDFs has 14 pages: a cover, teacher notes, 10 card pages of four cards, a page of blank cards and a drawing passport. The files come in color and ink-saver, in US Letter and A4.
- 40 animal cards, four to a page, with dashed cut lines
- A bonus idea on every card and four blank cards for children to invent their own
- One printed set serves a small group, so no copy per child
- 40
- animal cards
- 14
- pages in each PDF
- 4
- blank cards
- 6
- steps on every card
Why an Art Center Needs Cards, Not Worksheets
A worksheet is used once. A card goes back in the basket, and the next child picks it up.
- A worksheet per child uses a lot of paper and printer ink.
- Children finish early and ask what to do next.
- A substitute teacher has no drawing lesson to hand.
- Without a model, half the class says 'I can't draw'.
- Cards that tear in a week are not worth the cutting.
How the Task Cards Work
Pick a feature to see it. Cut the cards once, laminate them if you like, and reuse them all year.
Feature 1 of 6 · the card
Finished picture, six steps
- A small colored picture of the finished animal
- Six numbered steps, each adding a few new lines
- A bonus idea: what to add next
Feature 2 of 6 · the set
40 animals, ready to cut
- Farm, pets, wild, ocean, forest and bugs
- Four cards on every page with dashed cut lines
- Ten card pages
Feature 3 of 6 · cards, paper, pencils
A ready-made art center
- Put the cards, blank paper and pencils in a basket
- Cards on card stock last longest
- Laminate or use sleeves to reuse them
Feature 4 of 6 · both in the download
Color or ink-saver
- A color version
- An ink-saver version in black and gray
- US Letter and A4
Feature 5 of 6 · setup, extensions, reuse
Teacher notes included
- How to set up the center
- Extension ideas and reuse tips
- The list of the 40 animals
Feature 6 of 6 · four cards a page
Cut on the dashed lines
- Print at 100 percent
- Cut along the dashed lines
- A page of blank cards for children to invent their own
$3.99 on Etsy · instant download · sold by Ink and Index
Look at the pages first
1 / 6
How to Set Up an Art Center in Five Steps
Setup takes a few minutes. A printed set can serve a small group.
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Print at 100 percent
Card stock lasts longest. Print the PDF at 100 percent ('actual size') on plain paper. The files come in US Letter and A4.
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Cut along the dashed lines
Four cards on each page. Laminate or use sleeves to reuse the cards.
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Fill a basket
Put the cards, blank paper and pencils at an art center.
-
A child picks a card
They copy the six small pictures on a blank sheet, one step at a time. Pencil first, then trace over with a marker or crayon.
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Add the bonus idea
Each card suggests what to add next, and four blank cards let children make their own.
What Is Inside the Task Cards
- 40 animal cards
- Four to a page with dashed cut lines, from Chick and Duck to Penguin, Parrot and Spider.
- A bonus idea on every card
- What to add next, plus a small colored picture of the finished animal.
- Teacher notes
- Setup, extension ideas and reuse tips on page 2.
- Blank cards
- A page of blank cards so children can make their own.
- A drawing passport
- A tick list for all 40 animals.
- Four PDFs and a read-me
- Color and ink-saver, in US Letter and A4, plus a short read-me with cutting tips and terms.
Task cards or worksheets?
| Compare | Task Cards | How to Draw Animals Worksheets |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Cards, four per page | Worksheets, one per page |
| Animals | 40 | 50 |
| Best for | Classroom art centers | Home and quiet time |
| Page | You are here | Draw Animals Worksheets |
Where to buy, and what each store sells
| Store | Price | Includes | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy | $3.99 | 4 PDFs in color and ink-saver, US Letter and A4, plus a read-me guide | Buy on Etsy |
Prices checked 23 October 2026. Each store shows its own refund terms at checkout.
One Set, a Whole Group
Cards are made to be shared. One printed set can serve a small group, so you do not need a copy per child, and a laminated card lasts a year of art centers.
The cards use the same drawings as the How to Draw Animals worksheet book, re-cut as cards, so you may not need both. There is no single correct way for a drawing to look, and there are no answer keys.
The drawings were built from simple shapes with code and checked by Ink and Index. Some of the text and the read-me page were drafted with an AI assistant and edited. Personal use for your own family, or use with one classroom or tutoring group you teach. Please do not resell, share, upload or give away the PDF files, and do not sell the printed pages.
What You Download
Five files: four PDFs of 14 pages each (color and ink-saver, in US Letter and A4) and a short read-me PDF with printing and cutting tips and terms.
- 5
- files
- 40
- animal cards
- 4
- cards per page
Printed copies, pencils, paper and laminating sheets are not included. Nothing ships.
Directed Drawing Task Cards: Frequently Asked Questions
What are directed drawing task cards?
Cards that show an animal in six small steps. A child picks a card and copies the steps on a blank sheet, one at a time, without a teacher drawing beside them.
How many cards are there?
40 animal cards, four to a page, plus four blank cards for children to make their own.
How do I use them in a classroom?
Print on card stock, cut along the dashed lines, laminate or use sleeves, and put the cards, blank paper and pencils at an art center. One printed set can serve a small group.
What are the color and ink-saver versions?
Each book comes in a color version and an ink-saver version (black and gray, light on ink), in US Letter and A4. That is 4 PDFs, plus a short read-me PDF.
How do I print them?
Print the PDF at 100 percent ('actual size') on plain paper. The files come in US Letter and A4. Card stock lasts longest.
Is it a physical product?
No. It is a digital download and nothing ships. After payment, Etsy gives you the files on the Purchases page. You need a PDF reader and a printer.
What do I get when I buy it?
Five files: 4 PDFs of 14 pages each and a short read-me PDF.
How much does it cost, and where can I buy it?
As of 23 October 2026 it costs $3.99 on Etsy. The table above shows what the store sells.
More questions
Are the drawings the same as the worksheets?
Yes. They are the same drawings as the How to Draw Animals worksheet book, re-cut as cards, so you may not need both.
Can more than one teacher use it?
The license covers your own family, or one classroom or tutoring group you teach. Please do not share or resell the files.
Are there answer keys?
No. There is no single correct way for a drawing to look.
Was AI used to make it?
The drawings were built from simple shapes with code and checked by Ink and Index. Some of the text and the read-me page were drafted with an AI assistant and edited.
Is it good for a substitute teacher?
Yes. The cards, paper and pencils are a ready-made art lesson that needs no preparation beyond setup.
What if a file will not open?
Email the address on the contact page. If a file will not open or is not what the listing describes, it gets fixed or replaced.
Set Up an Art Center This Week
Print, cut and fill a basket. The cards are an instant download. For a drawing book instead, see How to Draw Animals.
$3.99 on Etsy · instant download · sold by Ink and Index
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