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How to Draw a Lion

A cute sitting lion in eight steps, with a big fluffy mane and a tuft on its tail. In each step the black lines are new and the gray lines are what you have already drawn. Every lion here comes with four free printables: the steps on one page, a lion to trace, a coloring page and a draw and write sheet.

Cute lion, colored in

Cute lion

Ages 4 to 8. A sitting lion with a round face and a fluffy mane. The black lines are new in each step; the gray lines are already drawn.

  1. Cute lion step 1: Draw a big circle for the head.Step 1Draw a big circle for the head.
  2. Cute lion step 2: Add two small round ears on top, with a smaller circle inside each one.Step 2Add two small round ears on top, with a smaller circle inside each one.
  3. Cute lion step 3: Draw the eyes, a little nose and a smile.Step 3Draw the eyes, a little nose and a smile.
  4. Cute lion step 4: Draw the mane: a big bumpy cloud shape all the way around the head.Step 4Draw the mane: a big bumpy cloud shape all the way around the head.
  5. Cute lion step 5: Draw two curved lines under the mane for the body.Step 5Draw two curved lines under the mane for the body.
  6. Cute lion step 6: Add the front legs: lines down the middle, with little lines for the toes.Step 6Add the front legs: lines down the middle, with little lines for the toes.
  7. Cute lion step 7: Draw the back paws sticking out on each side.Step 7Draw the back paws sticking out on each side.
  8. Cute lion step 8: Finish with a tail that ends in a fluffy tuft.Step 8Finish with a tail that ends in a fluffy tuft.
  9. The finished cute lion, colored inDone!Color it in. Ours is golden with an orange mane, but yours can be any color.

Free printables for the cute lion

Cute lion: Step by Step worksheet preview Steps

Cute lion: Step by Step

All 8 steps on one page, with a big box to draw your lion in.

Download PDF Cute lion: Trace and Draw worksheet preview Trace

Cute lion: Trace and Draw

Trace the gray lion first, then draw one on your own underneath.

Download PDF Cute lion: Coloring Page worksheet preview Coloring

Cute lion: Coloring Page

The finished lion, big and in black and white, ready to color.

Download PDF Cute lion: Draw and Write worksheet preview Draw and write

Cute lion: Draw and Write

Draw a lion in the box, then write about it on the lines.

Download PDF

Tips for drawing with kids

  1. Pencil firstDraw lightly with a pencil, then go over the lines you like with a marker or a dark crayon and erase the rest.
  2. Say it as you drawRead each step out loud, draw it, then look at the picture again before the next one.
  3. Fill the spaceYoung children draw small. Show where the first shape goes so the lion fills the box.
  4. Wobbly is fineEvery lion looks different, and a wobbly lion is still a lion. Praise the try, then color it in.

About this lion drawing

The lion is a circle face with a bumpy cloud around it. The mane is just a row of round bumps, which children find much easier than drawing hair. Once the head and mane are done, the body is the same sitting shape as the cat and the dog.

For more animals, see how to draw a cat and how to draw a dog.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you draw an easy lion?

Draw a circle for the face, two small round ears, eyes, nose and a smile, then a bumpy cloud shape around the head for the mane. Add a body, legs and a tail with a tuft at the end.

How do I draw a lion mane?

Draw a row of round bumps all the way around the head, like the edge of a cloud. Keep the bumps about the same size and leave a little space between the mane and the face.

What age is this for?

Ages 4 to 8.

How do I print the sheets?

Each card downloads a PDF. Print it on US Letter paper at 100 percent (actual size). The sheets are black and white, so they print well on any printer.