How to Draw an Octopus
8 easy strokes · ages 3+ · free printable worksheet
To draw an octopus with a 3-5 year old, break it into 8 simple strokes: a big round head, a wiggly leg, another wiggly leg, one more, four wiggly legs, one big eye, two big eyes 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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Waits for your child
Step by step: 8 easy strokes
- STEP 1A big round head
- STEP 2A wiggly leg
- STEP 3Another wiggly leg
- STEP 4One more!
- STEP 5Four wiggly legs!
- STEP 6One big eye
- STEP 7Two big eyes!
- STEP 8A bubbly smile
Free printable tracing worksheet
Prefer paper? Print an octopus 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 3 the wrist is still learning; large movements are easier than small ones.
- Praise the trying, not the likeness. A wobbly octopus that they drew themselves beats a neat one you fixed.