Teaching Kids to Draw Faces and Expressions
Teach kids to draw faces and expressions with simple shapes and funny features. Step-by-step tips plus games for drawing emotions.
To teach kids to draw faces, start with a simple head shape, place the eyes about halfway down, then add a nose, mouth, ears and hair. Practising different expressions, by changing eyebrows, eyes and mouths, makes faces come alive.
Faces are one of kids' favorite things to draw, and one of the most rewarding to learn.
Basic face steps
1. Draw an oval or circle for the head.
2. Draw a light line halfway down for the eyes.
3. Add eyes on that line.
4. Add a nose below the eyes.
5. Add a mouth below the nose.
6. Add ears at eye level.
7. Add hair.
Expressions
- Happy: curved-up mouth, relaxed eyebrows.
- Sad: curved-down mouth, eyebrows tilted up in the middle.
- Angry: eyebrows slanted down toward the nose.
- Surprised: open mouth, raised eyebrows, wide eyes.
Goofy faces for practice
How to Draw: Goofy Faces is made for kids who love funny expressions and want to draw people. The goofy faces are forgiving and fun, and they teach how features combine.
Face games
- Emotion wheel. Draw a face for each emotion.
- Mirror drawing. Draw your own expressions.
- Mix and match. Combine eyes, noses and mouths.
See drawing faces teaches empathy.
Questions parents ask
How do kids learn to draw faces?
Start with a head shape, place the eyes halfway down, add features in order and practise expressions.
Where do eyes go on a face?
Usually about halfway down the head, which surprises many beginners.
How do I teach kids to draw expressions?
Show how eyebrows, eyes and mouths change for different emotions, and practise with mirrors and emotion wheels.
More in ways to learn to draw, or browse all 217 posts on the blog.
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