How to Draw a Picnic: Easy Step-by-Step Guide for Kids

Bring a sunny day to life on paper! This tutorial is perfect for young artists ages 7+ who want to practice drawing people and outdoor scenes. You'll just need a pencil, an eraser, and your favorite coloring supplies to create this charming family picnic scene.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A colorful, finished illustration of a family enjoying a picnic on a sunny day.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Dad's Head

Line drawing of a cartoon man's head and shoulders, focusing on facial features and hair structure.

Start by drawing the dad's head using soft, curved lines for the face and hair. Tip: Keep the eyes simple with two small, shaded circles—this gives him a friendly, cartoonish expression.

Step 2: Adding the Sandwich

Cartoon man holding a sandwich, showing arm positioning and simple bread shapes.

Draw the dad's arms and t-shirt using smooth, rounded lines. In his hand, sketch a simple sandwich with two horizontal bread slices. Tip: Don't worry about perfect straight lines; a slightly wobbly line makes the bread look soft and realistic.

Step 3: Drawing the Mom

Drawing of a seated man and the outline of a woman wearing a sunhat.

Sketch the dad's legs in a sitting position, then move to the mom. Use a wide, curved line for her sunhat brim. Tip: Use light, quick strokes for the hat to give it a breezy, summer feel.

Step 4: The Picnic Bowl

Close up of the woman character holding a bowl with circular fruit shapes.

Complete the mom's hat with a half-circle crown and add her arms. In her hands, draw a small bowl filled with round fruit. Tip: Draw the bowl as a 'U' shape to make it look like it has depth.

Step 5: Adding the Picnic Basket

Detailed drawing of the picnic basket and the woman's seated posture.

Turn those round shapes into apples by adding tiny stems. Then, draw the mom's skirt and a rectangular picnic basket in front of her. Tip: Use straight, parallel lines on the basket to suggest a woven texture.

Step 6: The Picnic Blanket

The picnic blanket is added under the characters, with the boy's head outline started.

Draw a large square beneath the family to represent the blanket. Then, start sketching the boy's face nearby. Tip: Keep the blanket lines clean and sharp to contrast with the organic shapes of the people.

Step 7: Sketching the Boy

The boy character is sketched with arms raised in excitement.

Use curved lines to define the boy's head, hat, and torso. Give him upraised arms to show he's having fun. Tip: Make his arms slightly smaller than the adults' to show he is younger.

Step 8: Adding the Beach Ball

The boy is now holding a beach ball, completing his character design.

Finish the boy's outfit and draw a large circle for a beach ball. Add stripes to the ball. Tip: Use a circular object like a coin to trace the ball if you're having trouble getting a perfect circle.

Step 9: Setting the Scene

The background is completed with grass, a horizon line, and a sun.

Add a horizon line, some tufts of grass, and a sun in the sky. Tip: Use short, jagged lines for the grass to make it look textured and natural.

Step 10: Bringing it to Life with Color

The final colored version of the family picnic drawing.

Your outline is finished! Now, use bright, happy colors to fill in your picnic. Tip: Try using light blue for the sky and vibrant green for the grass to make the characters pop.