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Step by step · ages 3 to 8

How to draw Santa

Start with his hat, give him a cloud for a beard, and wave hello. Santa is easier than he looks.

This is the Santa of our picture book, with his round glasses and a square buckle on his belt. Small children skip the glasses. At 6 to 8, the glasses are the best part.

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 6

Let's draw Santa! First, his hat with a pom pom, and his face.

The video, with a voice for every step

0:36 long, the easy version. Pause it after each step while the pencils catch up.

How to draw Santa, step by step

Easy, ages 3 to 5 · 6 steps

  1. Step 1. Let's draw Santa! First, his hat with a pom pom, and his face.

  2. Step 2. Now his big fluffy beard, and a round nose in the middle.

  3. Step 3. Now his big round coat, nice and wide.

  4. Step 4. Now one arm down by his side, and one arm waving hello!

  5. Step 5. Now a belt across his tummy, with a square buckle.

  6. Step 6. Last, two legs and two big boots. Ho ho ho, hello Santa!

A bit harder, ages 6 to 8 · 8 steps

  1. Step 1. Let's draw Santa! First, his floppy hat, with a brim and a pom pom.

  2. Step 2. Now his face under the brim: happy eyes, round glasses, and an ear.

  3. Step 3. Now a big curly mustache, and his fluffy beard down each side.

  4. Step 4. Now his big round coat, with a furry opening and a furry hem.

  5. Step 5. Now one arm down with a mitten, and one arm waving with a mitten.

  6. Step 6. Now a belt across his tummy, with a square buckle.

  7. Step 7. Now two legs, with a furry cuff on each.

  8. Step 8. Last, two big boots with wrinkles and soles. Ho ho ho, Santa!

Print · free, no sign-up

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

  • Easy, ages 3 to 5

    6 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

  • Put something in his other hand: a present, a candy cane, a cup of cocoa.
  • Draw him a reindeer, or a hot air balloon to ride, like in our book.
  • Write a speech bubble. What is Santa saying?

Rather color one in? Santa 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

Santa doesn't land on a roof in our book. He kneels in the snow next to a girl and tells her a secret.

Out on October 20See inside the book

Questions

Grown-ups ask

How do you draw Santa's beard?

Draw it like a cloud: one bumpy line from cheek to cheek, going down and round under the chin. Leave a gap for the mouth and add the moustache on top in two curls.

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.