To learn how to draw a monkey, start with a big circle for the head and a round ear on each side. Draw the face shape with two bumps over the eyes and a wide snout, add eyes and a big smile, then an oval body with arms, feet and a long curly tail.
The face shape is what makes it look like a monkey, and it is just two circles and an oval joined together. Kids from about age 5 can follow along. The free PDF has the step sheet, a tracing page, a practice grid and a coloring page.
What’s in the free PDF
- Step-by-step sheet with 6 numbered steps; new lines are black, earlier lines are grey
- Tracing page with a large monkey in light grey to trace over
- Practice sheet with a small reference and two boxes with a light grid
- Coloring page with the finished monkey in bold outlines
How to draw a monkey step by step
- Head. Draw a big circle for the head near the top of the page.
- Ears. On each side of the head, draw a round ear that tucks behind the head line, with a smaller circle inside it.
- Face shape. Inside the head, draw two round bumps side by side for the eye area and a wide oval below them for the snout. Draw only the outside edge, so the three shapes join into one face.
- Eyes, nose and smile. Draw an oval eye with a dark pupil in each bump, two small dots for the nostrils and a big curved smile on the snout.
- Body. Under the head, draw an oval body with a smaller oval belly. Add two arms that curve around the belly with little round hands, and two oval feet at the bottom.
- Tail. From the side of the body, draw a long tail that curves up and ends in a curl.
If the face does not look like a monkey yet, check the face shape: the two bumps should be on top and the snout should be wider than both bumps together.
Easy monkey drawing: common mistakes and fixes
- The ears are too small. Monkey ears are big and round; make them about a third the size of the head.
- The face shape has inside lines. Draw only the outside edge of the two bumps and the snout.
- The smile is too small. A wide smile across the snout makes the monkey look happy and cute.
- The tail is straight. Curve it up and finish with a curl.
Trace, practice, then color
Trace it first
If drawing freehand feels hard, start with the tracing page. Go over the grey lines with a pencil, pressing lightly, and you learn the shapes and their order without worrying about mistakes. Then try again on the practice sheet.
Practice on the grid
The practice sheet has a small finished monkey for reference and two boxes with a faint grid. Count how many squares wide and tall the reference is, then draw your monkey the same way. The grid keeps the parts the right size next to each other.
Color the finished drawing
Color the head, ears, arms and tail brown, and the face shape, inner ears, belly, hands and feet light tan or peach. Add a yellow banana in the hands if you like.
Monkey drawing tips for kids
- Draw a banana in one hand to give your monkey something to hold.
- Hang your monkey from a branch by its tail.
- Make a baby monkey with a bigger head and a smaller body.
- Draw jungle leaves and vines in the background.
Download the pages one by one
Prefer a single page? Click a link to open the full-size image, then print it or save it. The PDF with all pages and a cover is in the download box.
- How to draw a monkey: step-by-step sheet (PNG)
- a Monkey tracing page (PNG)
- a Monkey practice sheet with grid (PNG)
- a Monkey coloring page (PNG)
More animals to draw: how to draw a lion, how to draw an elephant, how to draw a bear and 45 cute animal drawings. For coloring, see baby animal coloring pages.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to draw a monkey?
Start with a big circle for the head, add two round ears, then draw the face shape from two bumps and a wide oval snout. The body and tail come last.
How do you draw a cute monkey?
Give it a big round head, large eyes with dark pupils, a wide smile and a small body. Round shapes look friendly.
How do you draw a monkey face?
Inside the head, draw two round bumps for the eye area and a wide oval snout below, then add eyes, two nostril dots and a smile.
What age is this monkey drawing for?
Kids from about age 5 can follow the steps with the tracing page, and older kids can draw it freehand from the step sheet.
