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Step by step · ages 3 to 8

How to draw an elf

Say hello to Pocket, who has pointy ears, a floppy hat and a very big smile.

Pocket is the elf of our 24 Doors advent calendar. In the harder version he's waving, with a letter in his other hand.

Watch it draw itselfThe stepsPrint the step sheet

Watch, then draw

Watch it draw itself

The red lines are the new ones. Draw them on your paper, then press Next step. Or press play and watch the whole thing first.

Step 1 of 5

Let's draw Pocket the elf! First, a floppy hat with a brim.

The video, with a voice for every step

0:33 long, the easy version. Pause it after each step while the pencils catch up.

How to draw an elf, step by step

Easy, ages 3 to 5 · 5 steps

  1. Step 1. Let's draw Pocket the elf! First, a floppy hat with a brim.

  2. Step 2. Now his face and two pointy ears, then dot eyes and a smile.

  3. Step 3. Now a pom pom on the hat, and a cozy scarf around his neck.

  4. Step 4. Now his tunic, and two arms with round mittens.

  5. Step 5. Last, two legs and two big boots. Hello, Pocket!

A bit harder, ages 6 to 8 · 8 steps

  1. Step 1. Let's draw Pocket the elf! First, a floppy hat with a pom pom.

  2. Step 2. Now his face and two pointy ears, with curly hair under the hat.

  3. Step 3. Now dot eyes, eyebrows, a little nose, and a big happy mouth.

  4. Step 4. Now a knitted scarf around his neck, with a stripy tail hanging down.

  5. Step 5. Now his sweater with a band at the bottom, and a snowflake on it.

  6. Step 6. Now one arm waving hello, with fingers, and the other arm down.

  7. Step 7. Now a letter in his hand, with a flap and a round seal.

  8. Step 8. Last, two legs and two big boots. Hello, Pocket!

Print · free, no sign-up

Two pages: every step with its words, then a frame to draw your own elf in. Black and white, US Letter or A4.

  • Easy, ages 3 to 5

    5 steps on page 1, a frame to draw in on page 2.

    PrintUS LetterA4

  • A bit harder, ages 6 to 8

    8 steps on page 1, a frame to draw in on page 2.

    PrintUS LetterA4

Free for home and classroom use. To pass them on, please share the link to this page and not the file.

Make it yours

  • Give him a job: a hammer for the toy workshop, a cookie for tasting, a broom.
  • Draw his elf friends, each with a different hat.
  • Give your elf a name and write it on his jumper.

Rather color one in? Elf coloring pages, free to print or color on a phone or tablet.

Our own book

The Christmas Secret

A Christmas Eve picture book with a read-along · ages 3 to 7 · out on October 20

There are no elves in our book. The presents of the secret Christmas circus are made by snowmen, who sing while they work.

Out on October 20See inside the book

Questions

Grown-ups ask

How do you draw elf ears?

Draw an ear shape that comes to a point at the top, like a leaf, on each side of the head, a little higher than the eyes.

Which level should my child try?

Start with easy, whatever their age. Easy is a handful of big shapes, and a bit harder adds the small details. If easy is done in a minute, switch.

What do we need?

Paper and a pencil, and crayons or markers to color it in afterwards. A thick marker is easier for little hands than a pencil, and an eraser saves a lot of tears.

Can I print the steps?

Yes, free, in US Letter or A4, one for each level. Print at 100% so the steps come out big enough to copy. All 16 drawings in one file come by email, from the box on this page.

More Christmas drawings

More Christmas

Or see all of them on one page, from the weeks before Christmas to the night itself.