How to Draw a Hippo – Easy Step by Step Drawing for Kids

Download How to Draw PDF Worksheet

Want to learn how to draw a hippo? Check out Monkey Pen’s step-by-step guide for easy hippo drawing.

Step 1: Let’s start with the head first. Draw a big 'C’ in a slanting position.

Step 2: Add ears with inverted small U’s.

Step 3: Draw a wide C’ shape facing the top to complete the hippo’s head.

Step 4: Add details for its ears using tiny curves.

Step 5: Draw its mouth that looks like a rectangle, but with curved edges, and the bottom portion looks like a heart shape.

Step 6: Add eyebrows using tiny dashes, nostrils with tiny circles, teeth with tiny squares and a small curve below.

Step 7: Draw its front leg with an imperfect vertical line beneath the head and take it left with a few curves.

Step 8: Add its other front leg that looks like a wide, hollow cylinder with a curvy bottom.

Step 9: Draw its body using a big curve behind its head.

Step 10: Draw its back that looks like a ‘6’ with tiny curves.

Step 11: Add details using curved lines below the head, at the back and at the front leg.

Step 12: Create another back leg that looks like ‘D’ from one of the front legs.

Step 13: Include details for its front and back legs. Draw tiny parallel lines to show its fingers and toes.

Step 14: Draw its small tail that looks like a leaf with a twig.

Step 15: Give small circles for its eyes.

Step 16: Fill the eyes inside, leaving one corner of every eye blank.

Step 17: A cute, cartoon hippo drawing is ready.

Download How to Draw PDF Worksheet

How to Draw a Hippo (The Fun & Smart Way!)

If you are imagining how to draw a hippo, the secret is not creativity. It’s observation. Hippos may look massive and powerful, but their shapes are surprisingly easy. That’s why many parents look for how to draw a hippo easy or how to draw a hippo for kids.

Before you even start to draw, here are some interesting things you should know:
• A hippo can be more than 3,000 kg in body weight.
• It can run faster than a human.
• Its mouth can open around 150 degrees wide.

Now think about drawing that giant mouth. Interesting, right?

The “Big Shapes First” Secret

When learning how to draw hippo, imagine building blocks.

A hippo is nearly:

• One big oval (body)
• One rounded rectangle (head)
• Four short columns (legs)

That’s why people always search for how to draw a easy hippo or how to draw a simple hippo. The animal itself is made of soft, rounded forms. No sharp angles. No tricky details at the start.

Make lines smooth. Hippos are heavy, not skinny, just as you would when learning how to draw a kangaroo step-by-step and focusing on the animal’s basic shapes first.

The Face That Floats

Here is a cool fact:
Hippos can breathe while nearly covered with water.

That’s why when learning how to draw a hippo face, keep in mind:
• Eyes sit high on the head
• Nostrils sit on top of the snout
• Ears are rounded and small

These features keep them cool in rivers.

If you are experimenting with how to draw a hippo in water, you don’t even have to show the entire body. Just the ears, eyes, and nostrils peeking out makes it realistic.

Cartoon Hippo vs Real Hippo – What’s the Difference?

If you are wondering about how to draw a cartoon hippo, here is what changes:

Cartoon Hippo:

• Bigger eyes
• Smaller body details
• Friendly smile
• Softer curves

This is ideal if you are looking for how to draw cartoon hippo or how to draw a cartoon hippo easy.

Realistic Hippo:

• Smaller eyes
• Wrinkles around legs and neck
• Thick skin folds
• Natural grey or brown tones

If your aim is how to draw a hippo realistic, check out reference images. Observe how the skin is slightly textured and not completely smooth.

The “Cute Factor” Trick

Want to explore how to draw a cute hippo?

Make slight changes:

• Make the head a little bigger than the body
• Add shiny highlights inside the eyes
• Keep the cheeks more rounded.

Even little adjustments can turn your hippo into a friendlier and more playful personality.

Why Hippos Are Great for Kid Artists

Many children struggle with animals that have sharp shapes or thin legs. Hippos are different.

While trying how to draw a hippo for kids, kids promote:
• Hand control
• Shape recognition
• Understanding of proportion

Because hippos are made of large, smooth curves, they are less frustrating to draw.

Did you know?

Including facts while drawing makes it more interesting:

• Hippos spend up to 16 hours per day in water.
• They make a natural pink liquid that protects their skin from the sun.
• Despite their size, they float easily.

These details can encourage how you shade or color your drawing.

A Smart Tip Before You Start

Even if you search for how to draw a hippo step by step, understand that good drawings start with light sketching and simple forms. Don’t press too hard. Make it fun.

Drawing a hippo is not about making it wonderful. It is about understanding its large shapes, unique face placement, and playful personality.

And once you master how to draw a hippo, you will realize something surprising:
Big animals are always easier to draw than small ones.

At Monkey Pen, we have more easy-to-draw sketches for kids and beginners. Download and print them along with worksheets to keep your creativity flowing every day, and explore how to draw for kids for even more fun and simple drawing ideas.