How to Draw a Firefly (Easy Step by Step)
A firefly is a happy little bug that lights up the night, and it is easy to draw because it is built from circles, ovals, and leaf shapes. You will make a round head, a long oval body, and a glowing tail circle with shining lines around it. Add a curly antenna and a couple of sparkles and your firefly is ready to fly.
- Easy
- 10 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 firefly step by step
How to Draw a Firefly · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch these 2 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 on the left side of your paper. Leave a small gap on its right side, where the body will tuck in.
Step 3: The oval body
Draw a wide oval that starts at the right side of the head and stretches to the right. Let it tuck in behind the head circle.
Step 4: Two leaf wings
On top of the body, draw one tall pointy leaf shape standing up. Then draw a second leaf shape beside it, leaning to the right.
Step 5: The glowing tail
At the right end of the body, draw a smaller circle that overlaps the end of the oval. This is the part that lights up.
Step 6: A curly antenna
Start at the top of the head and draw one curved line that bends up and over, then ends in a little curl pointing right.
Step 7: Eye and smile
Fill in a round dot for the eye on the head. Under it, draw a small curved smile.
Step 8: Tail stripes and glow
Inside the tail circle, draw two curved lines like bent parentheses. Then add short straight lines around the right side and bottom of the tail to show the light shining out.
Step 9: Legs and sparkles
Under the body, draw three short straight lines for legs. Down below, add two tiny sparkles: a small dot and a small diamond shape.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your firefly? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a mountain or how to draw a shooting star next.
Tips for drawing a firefly
- Leave a small gap on the head circle where the body will tuck in. This makes the head look like it is attached.
- Draw the tail circle small enough to tuck against the end of the body, so the light has room to shine out on the right.
- For the curly antenna, draw a gentle curve up from the head and finish with a small curl. If it wobbles, that is fine, because curls look best when they are a little loose.
Free firefly coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this firefly 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 firefly drawing
Color the tail bright yellow with a yellow-orange glow, and make the sky behind it dark blue so the light stands out. For a creative twist, color the sparkles and glow lines in rainbow colors.
Firefly fun fact for kids
Fireflies are really beetles, not flies. They make their own light inside their bodies, and each kind of firefly blinks in its own pattern so others can find them.
Questions about drawing a firefly
What shapes do I need to draw a firefly?
You need two circles for the head and tail, one oval for the body, and two leaf shapes for the wings. Short lines make the legs and the glow, and a tiny dot and diamond make the sparkles.
How do I make my firefly look like it is glowing?
Draw short straight lines around the tail, like rays from the sun. Then color the tail yellow and the background dark so the light seems to shine.
How do I make my firefly look cuter?
Make the head a little bigger than the tail, and put the smile right under the eye. A curly antenna and a few sparkles add extra charm.
