93 Creative Drawing Prompts for Kids of All Ages

Drawing prompts for kids are one of the best ways to express their thoughts, unleash their creativity, and have a bit of fun. Whether they’re just starting to explore art in kindergarten, developing their style in elementary school, or honing their skills in high school, drawing prompts can spark their imagination.

We’ve created three downloadable prompt lists for kids based on their skill level, from simple beginner challenges to creative and complex concepts for advanced young artists. These lists are meant to help art teachers with their classes and provide creative parents with some quality family time ideas.

So let’s dive into some drawing ideas to get kids (and teens) inspired!

Easy drawing prompts for kindergarten

These easy prompts are designed for younger children, perfect for kindergarteners or elementary students. They keep things simple but still encourage kids to explore fun and silly ideas, helping them build confidence in their artistic skills.

1. Draw yourself wearing a superhero cape.
2. Imagine a magical animal with wings—what does it look like?
3. Create a rainbow-colored fish with a funny face.
4. Draw a tall ice cream cone with unusual flavors.
5. Imagine your house could fly—what would it look like?
6. Picture a cat wearing a fancy suit and tie and draw it.
7. Draw a tree with candy growing on it.
8. Create a monster with friendly eyes and a silly smile.
9. Draw your family as different kinds of animals.
10. Imagine a world made entirely of candy and draw a scene.
11. Draw a beach scene with animals playing volleyball.
12. Imagine you have a robot pet—what does it look like?
13. Draw a castle made of cupcakes.
14. Picture an alien with three eyes and draw them.
15. Create a dinosaur wearing roller skates.
16. Imagine a zoo with only imaginary animals.
17. Draw yourself as a cartoon character.
18. Create a big, colorful butterfly.
19. Draw a garden where flowers have smiling faces.
20. Imagine a flying car and draw it.
21. Draw a rainbow that stretches across a magical land.
22. Picture a cat and dog best friends and draw them playing.
23. Create a fairy who lives in a mushroom house.
24. Draw a spaceship exploring the stars.
25. Imagine a squirrel who loves to surf and draw it.
26. Draw your favorite food with a face and personality.
27. Create a jungle scene with animals dancing.
28. Draw a treehouse full of toys and fun stuff.
29. Imagine a snowman with sunglasses and a hat.
30. Draw an ocean full of colorful fish.
31. Picture yourself as a pirate on a treasure hunt and draw it.

Each of these prompts gives young kids a simple way to start drawing, helping them use their imagination without feeling overwhelmed.

Like the list and would like to use it in class? Click on the image and download the kid prompt list as a PDF:

Creative drawing prompts for kids in middle school

For older kids who love exploring new ideas, these prompts add a dash of creativity and curiosity to their drawings. These ideas are perfect for elementary and middle school kids who want to try new things, experiment with detail, and make art that feels personal to them.

1. Draw yourself as an animal and think about how you’d act.
2. Imagine your favorite book character and draw a scene with them.
3. Create a new planet and imagine what kind of creatures live there.
4. Design a time machine—where would you go, and what would it look like?
5. Draw a jungle where each plant is a unique color and shape.
6. Imagine you’re a superhero and draw a scene from your daily adventures.
7. Draw a magical garden filled with glowing flowers and animals.
8. Create a comic strip about a funny or exciting day you had.
9. Imagine a world under the sea—what would people, plants, and buildings look like?
10. Draw your dream bedroom with all your favorite things.
11. Create an animal that’s a mix of three different animals.
12. Imagine a day where everything you touch turns to candy and draw a scene.
13. Draw an ancient castle with dragons and knights.
14. Picture yourself as an explorer in a new world and draw a scene.
15. Design your own family crest or emblem.
16. Imagine a world where people travel on giant turtles—draw a scene.
17. Draw a “dream fair” with all the rides you wish existed.
18. Create a character from your favorite fairytale in modern clothes.
19. Picture a city floating in the clouds and draw what it looks like.
20. Imagine an animal that can talk and draw what their house looks like.
21. Draw yourself with superpowers—what kind of adventures would you go on?
22. Create a “wanted” poster for a funny, mischievous character.
23. Draw a time in history that you’d like to visit.
24. Imagine a festival for magical creatures and draw a scene.
25. Create a futuristic car and imagine where it could take you.
26. Picture an art studio with every material you could ever want.
27. Draw a magical world where everyone has a tail.
28. Imagine a family of aliens and draw a scene in their house.
29. Create a world where humans have wings and live among the trees.
30. Draw yourself exploring the deep sea with unusual sea creatures.
31. Picture an animal as a superhero and design their costume.

These prompts help kids get creative with their drawings and encourage them to think beyond what they see every day. Each prompt is a new chance to explore ideas, characters, and places they’ve never imagined before.

For more easy ideas, use a random object prompt generator and select one of (or even all) three parameters - action, emotion, and location. You’ll receive surprising suggestions that kids will really enjoy drawing.

Click on the image and download a printable PDF with these middle school art prompts:

Advanced Drawing Prompts for High School Students

For high school students looking to challenge themselves, these prompts offer more complex ideas that encourage detailed work and storytelling through art. They’re ideal for teens ready to expand their drawing skills and try new techniques.

1. Draw a self-portrait as a character from your favorite myth or story.
2. Create a cityscape set in the future—what has changed?
3. Imagine a dystopian world and draw a scene within it.
4. Draw a surrealist landscape that includes dreamlike elements.
5. Create a character sheet for a hero in a fantasy novel.
6. Draw an illustration inspired by a song you love.
7. Design a new species of animal with detailed features and a backstory.
8. Create a comic strip about a slice of life that holds personal meaning.
9. Imagine an ancient ruin that hasn’t been discovered yet and draw it.
10. Draw an elaborate still-life scene with objects that hold symbolic meaning.
11. Illustrate a story or legend from your culture with your unique twist.
12. Picture a moment from history and draw it in your own style.
13. Create a futuristic landscape where nature and technology coexist.
14. Draw a portrait of someone you admire with elements that reflect their personality.
15. Design an album cover for an imaginary band.
16. Draw an invented civilization and how its people live.
17. Create a portrait of yourself 20 years in the future.
18. Design a piece of street art or graffiti that you’d want to see in your city.
19. Draw a map of a fictional place that tells a story.
20. Picture a world in which everyone has a unique power—illustrate a scene.
21. Create a painting or sketch inspired by a dream you’ve had.
22. Draw a series of images that tell a story without words.
23. Imagine an ancient tree that holds memories and draw it.
24. Design a character with two contrasting personalities.
25. Draw yourself on a journey—what do you bring, and where are you headed?
26. Create an underwater kingdom with unique creatures and architecture.
27. Illustrate a day in the life of an insect.
28. Picture a parallel universe and what it might look like.
29. Create an image that uses color to express a specific emotion.
30. Draw a fantasy-inspired self-portrait.
31. Illustrate a scene that combines elements of two different genres (like fantasy and sci-fi).

For those who especially enjoy imagining and drawing fantasy characters, check out the character prompt generator. Select the “location” setting and you will receive a simple prompt, such as "vampire in a concert hall”.

These advanced prompts invite high school students to push their limits, explore themes, and make art that reflects their thoughts, feelings, and interests. With each drawing, they get a chance to refine their skills and express a bit more of who they are.

All these art prompts for older kids can be downloaded as a PDF here:

More silly kid drawing prompt ideas

Fun drawing prompts for kids don’t end with the lists above! Here are some additional ideas for fun kid drawing challenges:

• Grab our list of 100 silly drawing prompts and have fun drawing together
• Even the youngest ones would enjoy drawing challenges such as December Doodles or Huevember
• Easy Christmas drawing prompts will be a cozy family art activity during the cold months

Conclusion

Drawing prompts are more than just fun ideas—they’re a springboard for creativity and personal expression. For younger kids, easy prompts can make drawing fun and approachable. For middle schoolers, creative prompts can challenge their imagination and expand their skills. And for high school students, advanced prompts offer a way to explore deeper themes and refine their techniques.

Whether they’re laughing over a silly drawing, creating an imaginative scene, or working on a detailed sketch, each prompt is an opportunity to grow, explore, and enjoy the art-making process.