Animals • Easy drawing • Ages 4–8

How to Draw a Whale for Kids

Learn how to draw a happy whale in four easy visual steps. One big curve, a notched tail and a little spout make this a soothing, screen-free activity for beginner artists ages 4–8.

Difficulty: Easy Age guide: 4–8 Time: 4–8 minutes 4 visual steps
Finished whale drawing
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Everything here grows from one wide arch, so the very first line already looks like a whale’s back. Nothing about this drawing is fiddly, which makes it a reassuring choice for a child who is just starting out. Read the four steps together and enjoy adding the spray at the end.

Make it your own

Surround your whale with rolling waves and a few fish, add a seagull perched on the spout, or draw a starry night sky above the water so the whale is spouting under the moon.

Draw a whale in four steps

Step 1: Draw one wide arch across your paper, like a smooth hill. This curve is the whale’s rounded back.
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Step 1

Draw one wide arch across your paper, like a smooth hill. This curve is the whale’s rounded back.

Step 2: Close the shape into a plump body and add a tail at the right with two curved points like a notched leaf.
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Step 2

Close the shape into a plump body and add a tail at the right with two curved points like a notched leaf.

Step 3: Draw a small spout of water shooting up from the top of the head, with two little droplets flicking out sideways.
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Step 3

Draw a small spout of water shooting up from the top of the head, with two little droplets flicking out sideways.

Step 4: Add one round eye, a long smiling mouth curving under it, and a small flipper on the whale’s side.
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Step 4

Add one round eye, a long smiling mouth curving under it, and a small flipper on the whale’s side.

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