Kids and preschool printables · Ink and Index
Look at six small pictures, draw one step at a time, then draw the animal again alone in the big practice box.
$4.99 on Etsy · instant download · sold by Ink and Index
The drawings were built from simple shapes with code and checked by Ink and Index.
How to Draw Animals is a set of 50 printable step-by-step drawing worksheets for kids. Each worksheet shows an animal in six small pictures, each step adding a few new lines, with a big practice box to draw it again alone, a small colored picture of the finished animal and a short animal fact. Each of the 4 PDFs has 55 pages, in color and ink-saver, in US Letter and A4, with a cover, a how-to page, an Animal Passport, a page to draw your own animal and a certificate.
- Six steps for each of 50 animals, with a practice box on every sheet
- A finished colored picture and a short animal fact on every worksheet
- Color and ink-saver versions in US Letter and A4
- 50
- animals, six steps each
- 55
- pages in each PDF
- 4
- PDFs: color and ink-saver, Letter and A4
- 6
- steps on every worksheet
Why Children Give Up When You Say Draw a Cat
A blank page and the words 'draw a dog' stop most children. Directed drawing breaks the picture into steps small enough to copy.
- The tutorial videos move faster than a six-year-old's pencil.
- You cannot sit and draw beside every child.
- The finished animal in a book is too hard to copy in one go.
- Color drawings eat printer ink.
- One drawing and done leaves nothing to practice on.
How One Worksheet Works
Pick a feature to see it. Every worksheet follows the same layout, so a child learns the routine once.
Feature 1 of 6 · the worksheet
Six steps, one big practice box
- Six small pictures, one step at a time
- Draw the whole animal again in the big box
- A small colored picture of the finished animal
Feature 2 of 6 · the whole book
50 animals to draw
- Every animal has six steps
- Pick any subject and start anywhere
- Easier animals are drawn as friendly faces
Feature 3 of 6 · new lines in color
Each step adds a little more
- New lines are in color, old lines in gray
- A child can follow along without a teacher drawing beside them
- Pencil first, then trace over it with a marker or crayon
Feature 4 of 6 · you get both
Color or ink-saver
- A color version
- An ink-saver version in black and gray
- Both are in the download
Feature 5 of 6 · five groups
From farm to ocean to bugs
- Farm, pets, wild, ocean, and forest and bugs
- Chick, Cat, Lion, Whale, Owl and 45 more
- Larger animals are friendly faces or head-and-shoulders portraits
Feature 6 of 6 · the routine
Look. Draw. Practice.
- Look at the six small pictures
- Draw one step at a time
- Practice alone in the big box
$4.99 on Etsy · instant download · sold by Ink and Index
Look at the pages first
1 / 6
How to Use the Drawing Worksheets in Five Steps
Print the pages you want. A few worksheets at a time is plenty.
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Print at 100 percent
Print the PDF at 100 percent ('actual size') on plain paper. The files come in US Letter and A4.
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Pick a worksheet
Choose any animal. The easier ones come early, but there is no required order.
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Draw step 1 to step 6
Look at the small picture, draw it, and add the new lines for the next step.
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Draw it again alone
Cover the steps and draw the whole animal in the big practice box.
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Tick the Animal Passport
Mark each animal on page 53 as you finish it, and add your own on the page to draw your own animal.
What Is Inside How to Draw Animals
- 50 animals, six steps each
- Farm, pets, wild, ocean, and forest and bugs, with a practice box on every sheet.
- A finished picture and an animal fact
- A small colored picture of the finished animal and a short animal fact on every worksheet.
- 55 pages in each PDF
- A cover, a how-to and contents page, 50 worksheets, an Animal Passport, a page to draw your own animal and a certificate.
- Color and ink-saver
- Four PDFs: color and ink-saver in US Letter and A4.
- Friendly faces
- Many of the larger animals are drawn as friendly faces or head-and-shoulders portraits so they stay easy for small hands.
- A read-me PDF
- A short page with printing tips and terms.
Worksheets or task cards?
| Compare | How to Draw Animals | Directed Drawing Task Cards |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Worksheets, one animal per page | Cards, four per page, cut and stored |
| Animals | 50 | 40 |
| Best for | Home and quiet time | Classroom art centers |
| Page | You are here | Task Cards |
Where to buy, and what each store sells
| Store | Price | Includes | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy | $4.99 | 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.
Why Six Steps Work for Small Hands
Each step adds only a few new lines, so a child never faces a whole animal at once. New lines are in color and old lines in gray, which shows exactly what to add next. There is no single correct way for a drawing to look, and the worksheets have no answer keys.
Young children may need a grown-up to read the short instructions with them. The pages make no promises about any child's skills or school results. Some of the larger animals are drawn as friendly faces to keep them manageable.
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 55 pages each (color and ink-saver, in US Letter and A4) and a short read-me PDF with printing tips and terms.
- 5
- files
- 55
- pages per PDF
- 50
- animals
Printed copies, pencils and paper are not included. Nothing ships.
How to Draw Animals Worksheets: Frequently Asked Questions
What is in How to Draw Animals?
50 step-by-step drawing worksheets with six steps and a practice box for each animal, a finished colored picture and an animal fact on every sheet, an Animal Passport, a page to draw your own animal and a certificate.
What age is it for?
It suits children who like to draw, including preschool and primary-school ages. Young children may need a grown-up to read the short instructions with them.
How do I print it?
Print the PDF at 100 percent ('actual size') on plain paper. The files come in US Letter and A4.
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.
Which animals are included?
Farm (Chick, Duck, Pig, Cow and more), pets (Cat, Dog, Rabbit and more), wild (Lion, Elephant, Giraffe and more), ocean (Whale, Dolphin, Octopus and more), and forest and bugs (Owl, Fox, Bear, Butterfly and more).
Is it a physical book?
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 55 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 $4.99 on Etsy. The table above shows what the store sells.
More questions
Can I use it in a classroom?
Yes, with one classroom or tutoring group you teach. Please do not resell, share or upload the files.
How is it different from the task cards?
The task cards use the same drawings re-cut as 40 cards for an art center, so you may not need both.
Is there an answer key?
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.
Can I sell the printed pages?
No. Please do not sell the printed pages or share the PDF files.
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.
Print One Worksheet and Start Drawing
Pick an animal, print the page and draw step one. The pack is an instant download. For a Christmas set, see How to Draw Christmas.
$4.99 on Etsy · instant download · sold by Ink and Index
Want the animals as cut-out cards? Directed Drawing Task Cards have 40 animals.