How to Draw The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Easy Step by Step)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a happy, wiggly friend built from a round head and a row of puffy body bumps that curve like a smile. You add little feet, two feelers and a friendly face to finish. It is a great first drawing because every part is a simple curve.
- 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 The Very Hungry Caterpillar step by step
- Tips for drawing The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Free Very Hungry Caterpillar coloring page
- How to color your Very Hungry Caterpillar drawing
- Very Hungry Caterpillar fun fact for kids
- Questions about drawing The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- More easy character drawings
How to draw The Very Hungry Caterpillar step by step
How to Draw The Very Hungry Caterpillar · 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 big round head
Start with a big circle on the right side of your paper. This is the caterpillar's head, so make it nice and round.
Step 3: First body curve
Start at the lower left of the head and draw a curved line that swoops down and around to the lower right of the head. It looks like a little bowl hugging the bottom of the head.
Step 4: Middle body bumps
Going left from the first body curve, draw three curved arches in a row, each one touching the one before. Let each arch curve down at its left end to make a puffy bump.
Step 5: The tail end
Keep going left with three bigger curved arches stacked on top of each other, so the last one makes a big round tail. They curve down at the left end to finish the body.
Step 6: Little feet
Draw small rounded blobs along the bottom of the body, one under each bump. Make them like little jelly beans and color them in.
Step 7: Two feelers
Draw two short straight lines poking up from the top of the head. Leave a little space between them.
Step 8: Feeler tips
Put a solid round dot at the top of each feeler. Color them in so they look like little balls.
Step 9: Eyes and smile
Draw two small oval eyes on the face and color them in. Then add a little curved smile between and below them.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your Very Hungry Caterpillar? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw SpongeBob SquarePants or how to draw Cinderella next.

Tips for drawing The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Draw the head circle first on the right side and leave room on the left, so the long body has space to fit on the page.
- Make each body bump a little different in size, and let each one touch the one before. This makes the body look soft and wiggly.
- Keep the feelers short and straight so they do not wobble, then put a round dot on top of each one.
Free Very Hungry Caterpillar coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this Very Hungry 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 Very Hungry Caterpillar drawing
Color the head and body in bright green for the classic storybook look, or make every body bump a different color of the rainbow. You can color the feet and feeler tips a darker shade, or draw tiny fruit snacks on the page around your caterpillar.
Very Hungry Caterpillar fun fact for kids
A caterpillar has three pairs of true legs near its head, plus several stubby extra legs called prolegs along its belly. Those little feet help it grip leaves while it munches.
Questions about drawing The Very Hungry Caterpillar
What shapes do I need to draw a caterpillar?
You need one big circle for the head, a row of curved arches for the body, small ovals for the eyes, and little blobs for the feet. A short curved line makes the smile.
How do I make my caterpillar look cuter?
Make the head big and round, and keep the eyes small and the smile gentle. Round dots on the feelers make it extra friendly.
How do I make the body look curvy?
Draw the bumps along a gentle curve instead of a straight line, like a rainbow lying on its side. Let each bump touch the one before so they look connected.
More easy character drawings
How to Draw SpongeBob SquarePants
How to Draw Cinderella
How to Draw Harry Potter
How to Draw Grogu (Baby Yoda) From The Mandalorian
How to Draw a Caterpillar
How to Draw a Glass Slipper
See all easy character drawings or browse every easy drawing guide for kids.
This is an unofficial fan-art drawing guide. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and related names are trademarks of Eric Carle LLC. Tiny Hands Create is not affiliated with or endorsed by Eric Carle LLC.
