How to Draw a Pencil
8 easy strokes · ages 3+ · free printable worksheet
To draw a pencil with a 3-5 year old, break it into 8 simple strokes: a tall line going down, another tall line, just like it, a round bump on top. that's the eraser, a line straight across, down to a point, and back up. what a sharp tip, one little eye, two little 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 tall line going down
- STEP 2Another tall line, just like it!
- STEP 3A round bump on top. That's the eraser!
- STEP 4A line straight across
- STEP 5Down to a point, and back up. What a sharp tip!
- STEP 6One little eye
- STEP 7Two little eyes!
- STEP 8And a happy smile!
Free printable tracing worksheet
Prefer paper? Print a pencil 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 pencil that they drew themselves beats a neat one you fixed.