How to Draw a Caterpillar (Easy Step by Step)
A caterpillar is a great first drawing because it is mostly circles in a row. With a big round head, a chain of body circles, two curved feelers and a smiling face, you can draw a friendly little bug in just a few minutes.
- Easy
- 10 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a caterpillar step by step
How to Draw a Caterpillar · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch these 3 ovals. They only show where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase them at the end.
Step 2: The round head
Draw a big circle for the head, up near the top right of your page. Make it nice and round, because the head leads the way.
Step 3: Face and wavy line
Put two small dots in the middle of the face for eyes, then add a little curved smile below them. Next, draw a wavy zigzag line that starts at the bottom left of the head and wiggles across to the left.
Step 4: First body circles
Draw a medium circle that starts just below the head on the left, so it overlaps the head a little. Add another circle of the same size below and to the left of it, touching the first one.
Step 5: Middle body circles
Keep going to the left with a higher circle, then a lower one. Let each circle touch the one before it so the body looks joined together.
Step 6: The tail circles
Finish the body with one more high circle, then a last low circle at the very end of the tail. Let them overlap their neighbors a tiny bit.
Step 7: Two feelers
Draw two curved lines that start at the top of the head and bend outward like bunny ears. Finish each one with a tiny circle at the tip.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your caterpillar? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a toucan or how to draw a rooster next.
Tips for drawing a caterpillar
- Draw the body circles lightly and let each one touch or overlap the one before it, so the caterpillar looks joined together instead of like separate balls.
- Make the circles hop up and down: high, low, high, low. That zigzag rhythm makes the body look like it is wiggling along.
- Keep the feelers thin and curved, and start them at the top of the head. Draw the tiny circle at each tip last, so you can place it neatly.
Free caterpillar coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this caterpillar coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your caterpillar drawing
Try green for the head and alternating green and yellow for the body circles. For a creative twist, give every circle its own rainbow color or draw a leaf for your caterpillar to munch.
Caterpillar fun fact for kids
A caterpillar is the baby form of a butterfly or moth. It spends its days eating leaves and grows so fast that it sheds its skin several times before it changes into a winged adult.
Questions about drawing a caterpillar
What shapes do I need to draw a caterpillar?
Circles are almost all you need. Draw one big circle for the head and a row of smaller circles for the body, then add two curved lines for the feelers and two dots and a curve for the face.
How do I make my caterpillar look cuter?
Make the head big and round, and give it a wide smile. Curved feelers with round tips also add a lot of charm.
How do I make the body look like it is moving?
Alternate high and low circles so the body zigzags like a wave. Overlapping the circles a little also makes it look like one long wiggly bug.
