Which FirstArtBooks series is right for my child? Trace, step or grid

Choose Trace Then Color for ages 3 and up or for kids who need a confidence boost, How to Draw for ages 5 and up who are ready to draw on their own with guidance, and Draw by Grid for ages 5 and up (especially 7 to 12) who like puzzles and want impressive results. All three come in the same themes, so you can start with one and move up.

The three series at a glance

Trace Then Color (ages 3+)

Kids trace a dotted outline of a character, then color it in. No reading needed and a finished drawing every time.

Best for: preschool and pre-K, kids building pencil control, kids who get frustrated easily. See the tracing guide.

How to Draw (ages 5+)

Each character is drawn in a few simple steps. On every step, a light gray outline shows the whole finished drawing so kids can see where everything goes, and they draw the black lines of each step.

Best for: kindergarten to grade 5, kids who want to draw “by themselves,” kids who like cartoons. See how a How to Draw page works.

Draw by Grid (ages 5+, best from 7)

A picture is divided into squares; kids copy it one square at a time onto an empty grid.

Best for: puzzle lovers, focused kids, older kids who want realistic-looking results, classrooms teaching math and art together. See what is grid drawing?

A quick chooser

• My child is 3 or 4. Trace Then Color.
• My child is 5 or 6 and loves to draw. How to Draw.
• My child is 5 or 6 and gets frustrated. Trace Then Color first, then How to Draw.
• My child is 7 to 9. How to Draw or Draw by Grid, depending on whether they like freedom or puzzles.
• My child is 10 to 12. Draw by Grid, with How to Draw for building characters.
• I have kids of different ages. One theme in all three formats. See drawing with mixed ages.
• It’s for a classroom. All three. See the best drawing books for a classroom library.

Then choose a theme

The format matters, but the subject is what makes a child pick up the book. Dinosaurs, robots, monsters, cute animals, unicorns, faces, food monsters, Halloween, Christmas and more are available. Browse the shop or start from a theme hub like dinosaurs or robots.

Still unsure? Try a free page

Print a free trace-then-color, step-by-step or grid page of each type and see which one your child asks for again. That’s your answer. Comparing the two drawing formats directly? Read Draw by Grid vs How to Draw.

The book that helps

Not sure? Pick a theme your child loves and get the trio. Cartoon Dinosaurs comes as a tracing book, a step-by-step book and a grid book, so kids can grow through all three.

Trace Then Color: Cartoon DinosaursSee it on Amazon

How to Draw: Cartoon DinosaursSee it on Amazon

Draw by Grid: Cartoon DinosaursSee it on Amazon

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