How to Draw a Baby Elephant (Easy Step by Step)
This baby elephant is built almost entirely from circles and ovals, so it is a great first animal for new artists. The giant round ears and the little curled trunk give it a sweet, cuddly look. If you can draw a circle, you can draw this elephant.
- Easy
- 15 minutes
- 9 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a baby elephant step by step
How to Draw a Baby Elephant · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: The head
Start with a big circle near the top of your page. This round head is the biggest part of your elephant.
Step 3: The big ears
Draw a large circle on each side of the head so it overlaps the head a little. Then draw a smaller circle inside each one.
Step 4: Top of the body
Under the head, draw a wide curved line like a small hill for the top of the tummy. Let it start on one side below the chin and arch over to the other side.
Step 5: The trunk
Draw a tall box with rounded corners in the middle of the lower face. Then keep the line going down from the box and curl it into a little hook, like the letter J.
Step 6: Arms
Draw a tall, skinny oval on each side of the body, leaning a little outward at the bottom.
Step 7: Feet
At the bottom, draw a flat oval for each foot, one on the left and one on the right.
Step 8: Eyes and trunk wrinkle
Add two small dots for eyes above the trunk, one on each side. Then draw a gentle curved line across the trunk to make a wrinkle.
Step 9: Tuft, toes and legs
Draw a tiny bump of hair on top of the head. Then add a wiggly line on each foot for toes, and short lines to join the arms to the feet, with a little curve between the feet.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your baby elephant? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a baby penguin or how to draw a baby seal next.
Tips for drawing a baby elephant
- Draw the head circle first and keep it light. The ears and trunk all line up with it, so a good head makes everything else easier.
- The curled trunk is the trickiest part. Draw the tall box first, then let the line keep going down and swing slowly into a hook.
- Draw the ears so they overlap the head a little. Make both ears about the same size by checking one against the other.
Free baby elephant coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this baby elephant 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 baby elephant drawing
Soft gray or blue-gray works well for the body, with pink inside the ears. For a creative twist, make a rainbow elephant with a different color on each ear.
Baby elephant fun fact for kids
A baby elephant is called a calf, and it can stand up and walk within an hour or two after it is born. Calves also use their trunks like a hand, but it takes them months to learn to control them.
Questions about drawing a baby elephant
What shapes do I need to draw a baby elephant?
You need circles for the head and ears, a curved line for the top of the body, long ovals for the arms, flat ovals for the feet, and a rounded box for the trunk.
How do I make my elephant look cuter?
Make the head big and the ears even bigger, and keep the eyes small and far apart. A tiny tuft of hair on top adds extra charm.
How do I draw an elephant trunk?
Start with a tall rounded box, then keep the line going down from it and curl it into a hook. Draw a curved wrinkle line across the box to make it look like a trunk.
