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Step by step · ages 3 to 8

How to draw a gingerbread man

The gingerbread man is the best first drawing of December, because he's one smooth shape with a smile and three buttons.

He's mostly one outline, so even the youngest can do him. The bow tie and the wavy icing come later, for the 6 to 8 crowd.

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 a gingerbread man! First, a big round head.

The video, with a voice for every step

0:29 long, the easy version. Pause it after each step while the pencils catch up.

How to draw a gingerbread man, step by step

Easy, ages 3 to 5 · 5 steps

  1. Step 1. Let's draw a gingerbread man! First, a big round head.

  2. Step 2. Now two round eyes and a big happy smile.

  3. Step 3. Now his body, with two arms out and two legs, all in one line.

  4. Step 4. Now three round buttons down his tummy.

  5. Step 5. Last, zigzag icing on his hands and feet. Yummy!

A bit harder, ages 6 to 8 · 6 steps

  1. Step 1. Let's draw a gingerbread man! One big line: round head, arms out, and legs.

  2. Step 2. Now two round eyes and a big smile, with a second line under it.

  3. Step 3. Now a bow tie under his chin, with a tiny knot in the middle.

  4. Step 4. Now three round buttons down his tummy.

  5. Step 5. Now two wavy icing lines on each hand.

  6. Step 6. Last, two wavy icing lines on each foot. Yummy!

Print · free, no sign-up

Two pages: every step with its words, then a frame to draw your own gingerbread man 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

    6 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 gingerbread friend, and a gingerbread dog.
  • Draw the icing in zigzags, waves or dots, a different pattern on every arm.
  • Draw him running away. Then draw who's chasing him.

Rather color one in? Gingerbread man 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

The girl in our book can't work out how she's chatting with a warm cookie with blue buttons. Neither can we.

Out on October 20See inside the book

Questions

Grown-ups ask

How do you draw a gingerbread man in one line?

Start at the top of his head and go round it, then out along one arm, down one side, between the legs, up the other side and out along the other arm. Practice with a finger in the air first.

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.