How to Draw a Skeleton (Easy Video Lesson for Kids)
Draw this skeleton in 6 easy steps with a pencil and eraser. It takes about 15 minutes and works for ages 5 and up. Print the free step-by-step page below, or draw along with the video. The page comes from Kevin Coulston’s book How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween.
- Step-by-step drawing
- Ages 5+
- Grades K–2
- Easy
- About 15 min with the video
You’ll need
- Pencil and eraser
- Paper, or the printed page
- Crayons, markers or colored pencils
You’ll practice
- Breaking a drawing into simple shapes
- Following steps in order
- Adding your own details
How to Draw a Skeleton: Step-by-Step Fun from My Spooky Stuff for Halloween Book
If you or your kids are getting into the Halloween spirit, I’ve got a fun new free drawing page to share! This time, we’re learning how to draw a skeleton—one of the classic spooky characters featured in my book How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween. Whether you’re preparing for Halloween or just looking for a fun art activity, this free step-by-step drawing page is a great way to spend some creative time away from screens.
The skeleton in this free page is friendly, funny, and a little goofy—not scary! He’s the perfect kind of character for kids ages 5 and up to draw. Like all of my drawing pages, this one walks you through how to draw a skeleton in six easy-to-follow steps. By starting with simple shapes and building up the details, kids will quickly see their skeleton come to life right on the page.
Watch it being drawn
Watch the pencil draw it one step at a time, then grab a pencil and try it yourself.
About the Book: How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween
This book is part of my Art Books for Kids series and was made for creative kids who love all things spooky and silly. How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween is filled with friendly Halloween characters that are perfect for kids who want to learn how to draw a skeleton, a vampire, a werewolf, or even a candy monster.
Each character is broken down into six simple steps. The instructions are clear and visual—no long text blocks, just easy-to-follow examples that make drawing fun for artists of all skill levels.
Like all of my books, every character in How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween was hand-drawn by me, Kevin Coulston. None of the art in my books is AI-generated or copied from anywhere else. Every skeleton, witch, ghost, and pumpkin monster was drawn the old-fashioned way—with pencil, ink, and imagination.
Learn to Draw 50 Halloween Characters
If your kids love Halloween and you want to keep them creatively engaged, this book is a great choice. It’s fun, festive, and helps them build real drawing skills in a relaxed, encouraging way.
Available in Other Formats
If your child enjoys learning how to draw a skeleton, they might also like the other two books in the same spooky theme:
- Trace Then Color: Spooky Stuff for Halloween – where kids can trace and color their favorite Halloween characters.
- Draw by Grid: Spooky Stuff for Halloween – where kids can use a grid drawing method to recreate each character square by square.
Each format offers a different creative experience, but all three books feature the same original, hand-drawn Halloween characters. This gives kids multiple ways to enjoy drawing while practicing different skills.
About the Art Books for Kids Series
My Art Books for Kids series now includes over 80 books designed to help kids explore drawing in fun, accessible ways. The series includes How to Draw, Trace Then Color, and Draw by Grid formats covering tons of creative themes—dinosaurs, animals, monsters, robots, aliens, unicorns, and more.
All of the artwork across the series is hand-drawn by me, and every book follows the same simple idea: make drawing fun, easy, and screen-free. The books are made to help kids feel successful as they draw, trace, and color their way through dozens of original characters.
So whether your child wants to learn how to draw a skeleton, a candy monster, or a goofy witch, there’s an Art Books for Kids title that will inspire them to pick up a pencil and start creating.
A Free Page from How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween
This free drawing page comes straight from my book How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween, which includes 50 step-by-step drawing activities featuring all kinds of Halloween characters—skeletons, ghosts, witches, mummies, zombies, candy monsters, and more. The goal of this free page is to give kids (and parents, too) a chance to experience how fun and simple it can be to draw spooky characters in a lighthearted, cartoon style.
When you download and print this free page, you’ll see clear six-step instructions showing how to draw a skeleton from start to finish.
Each step is carefully designed to be approachable for kids, helping them develop drawing confidence and fine motor skills while having fun. And if your child enjoys this page, they’ll love the rest of the book, which includes dozens of other Halloween favorites to draw.
Free Activity Page (save and print):
Ready to Draw Your Own Skeleton?
You can download the free page and start learning how to draw a skeleton right now! Once you’ve finished, color it in and hang it up as Halloween decor—or add it to a collection of your child’s spooky drawings.
If you like this activity, you’ll find 50 more characters to draw inside How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween. It’s a fun, creative way to celebrate the Halloween season and develop artistic confidence at the same time.
Grab your pencils, crayons, and markers, and enjoy this festive drawing challenge. Have fun learning how to draw a skeleton, and check out the full book for even more spooky, kid-friendly art fun!
Draw it 3 ways
Every FirstArtBooks theme comes in three formats. Trace it, draw it step by step, or copy it square by square: the more ways kids draw a character, the better they know it.
- How to Draw
Draw it step by stepYou’re on this pageSee all How to Draw books - Trace Then Color
Trace Then Color This Witchy GirlSame theme · Ages 3+See all Trace Then Color books - Draw by GridDraw by Grid booksCopy it square by squareNo free page of this one yet. See the Draw by Grid books (ages 7+)
Finished? Draw the scene next
- Add a background: draw a trick-or-treat porch with a bowl of candy.
- Write one line under your picture to finish this story:
Instead of candy, the bowl had…
That’s a picture book page. Draw two more and you have a whole story.
Draw it, then write about it
Give your skeleton a name and a job. What makes it happy, and what makes it grumpy? Write two or three sentences.
Directed drawing and writing worksheets for this lesson: Skeleton Directed Drawing and Writing Worksheet, with a kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd–3rd grade writing page.
Print a draw-and-write sheet: a box for the drawing and lines for the story. Primary lines (K–2) · Regular lines (grades 2–5)
Want to make it a whole story? Try the comic story starter or fold a mini-book in Story Studio.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- It turned out too scary for a little sibling.
- Round shapes and big eyes keep it friendly. Add a smile or rosy cheeks.
- The outline gets lost when you color.
- Go over your final lines with a black marker before coloring, so the character stands out at night.
- The costume details are crowded.
- Draw the big shape first (the hat, the sheet, the pumpkin), then add stripes, bandages or stitches.
- Pressing hard from the very first step.
- Use light, sketchy lines first. You can erase them easily and go over the lines you keep at the end.
More in 10 common drawing mistakes kids make.
Talk about it
For the grown-up: ask one or two of these while your child draws. There are no wrong answers.
- Is this character spooky or friendly? What would make it less scary?
- What would this character dress up as for Halloween?
- What colors will you use, and why?
- What name fits this character?
More ideas in 25 questions to ask kids about their art.
Questions about this drawing lesson
What age is this skeleton drawing lesson for?
Ages 5 and up (about grades K to 2). Younger kids can follow along with a grown-up, one step at a time.
How long does it take?
About 15 minutes, including time to pause the video. Kids who add their own details or a background often keep going longer.
What supplies do you need?
Pencil and eraser; paper, or the printed page; crayons, markers or colored pencils.
What size does it print?
US Letter (8.5 by 11 inches). Use Print this page or Download PDF above. On A4 paper, choose “Fit to page” in the print settings.
Can kids draw the skeleton without printing the page?
Yes. Draw on any paper and copy one step at a time from the screen, or pause the video after each step. Classroom mode shows one step at a time, full screen.
For teachers: grade, timing and standards
Grades K–2, about 15 minutes. Step-by-step drawing, easy level. The video does the teaching: press play and let students draw along.
National Core Arts Standards (visual arts)
- VA:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work: students build drawing skills by following a sequence of steps.
- VA:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work: students add their own details, expressions and color to finish the character.
See every lesson by standard, plus the math in grid drawing, on the arts standards map.
Copies: print as many as your class needs. Use classroom mode above to show one step at a time on your board. More in the teacher resources, the Halloween hub and our no-prep sub plans.
Get the free Christmas Drawing Pack
10 printable Christmas pages to draw, trace, color and decorate, sent with your welcome email. After that, Kevin’s newsletter brings new free pages and book news.
Take the idea into a book
Want more characters to draw, trace or color? Explore these related books and see which approach fits your next creative session.
How to Draw: Spooky Stuff for Halloween
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →
How to Draw: Halloween
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →
Trace Then Color: Cartoon Halloween Characters
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →More like this: all 15 free Halloween drawing lessons and pages →
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