How to Draw a Hippo
9 easy strokes · ages 4+ · free printable worksheet
To draw a hippo with a 3-5 year old, break it into 9 simple strokes: a big round head, a great big snout, one little ear, two little ears, one eye, two eyes, a nostril 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.
Step by step: 9 easy strokes
- STEP 1A big round head
- STEP 2A great big snout
- STEP 3One little ear
- STEP 4Two little ears!
- STEP 5One eye
- STEP 6Two eyes!
- STEP 7A nostril
- STEP 8Two nostrils!
- STEP 9A big happy smile
Free printable tracing worksheet
Prefer paper? Print a hippo 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 hippo that they drew themselves beats a neat one you fixed.