Doodle Turtle

How to Draw a Caterpillar

9 easy strokes · ages 4+ · free printable worksheet

To draw a caterpillar with a 3-5 year old, break it into 9 simple strokes: a round head, a round body, another one, one more — wiggle, a bendy antenna, another antenna, one eye and a few finishing touches. Doodle Turtle draws one line at a time and then pauses, so little hands have time to catch up before the next line appears. Doodle Turtle is free, runs in any browser, has no ads and needs no sign-up.

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Step by step: 9 easy strokes

  1. STEP 1
    A round head
  2. STEP 2
    A round body
  3. STEP 3
    Another one
  4. STEP 4
    One more — wiggle!
  5. STEP 5
    A bendy antenna
  6. STEP 6
    Another antenna!
  7. STEP 7
    One eye
  8. STEP 8
    Two eyes!
  9. STEP 9
    A little smile

Free printable tracing worksheet

Prefer paper? Print a caterpillar as a faint tracing outline — your child draws straight over the lines, then colours it in.

Tips for grown-ups

  • Watch first, then draw. The first pass is just for looking — no pressure to keep up.
  • Let the pause do the work. If your child is still drawing when the next stroke starts, tap to pause. Slower is the point.
  • Big paper, fat crayons. At 4 the wrist is still learning; large movements are easier than small ones.
  • Praise the trying, not the likeness. A wobbly caterpillar that they drew themselves beats a neat one you fixed.

More things to draw

AirplaneAntAxolotlBackpackBatBearBeeBirthday Cake

Draw a Caterpillar

Trace the lines, then colour it in — draw with me, slow and happy