How to Draw a Polar Bear (Easy Step-by-Step for Kids)

To draw a polar bear, start with a round head and two round ears. Add a big pear-shaped body under it, then a muzzle, a nose and two eyes. Finish with front legs, round back feet with paw pads and a smile.

Finished cartoon polar bear sitting with a white body, light blue shading, pink inner ears and gray paw pads
The finished polar bear
Steps
6 easy steps
You need
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Black marker
  • Gray, pink and light blue crayons

Updated

Teaching this to a class?

Show one step at a time on the board and wait for the class before the next. The directed drawing for kids page explains how to run it.

How to draw a polar bear step by step

  1. A round head with two round ears, each with a smaller circle inside

    Step 1 of 6: Draw a round head with two round ears, each with a small circle inside.

  2. A big pear-shaped body under the head, wider at the bottom

    Step 2 of 6: Add a big pear-shaped body under the head, wide at the bottom.

  3. An oval muzzle with a round black nose and two dot eyes above it

    Step 3 of 6: Draw an oval muzzle with a round nose, and two dot eyes above it.

  4. Two front legs drawn down the body with short toe lines at the bottom

    Step 4 of 6: Add two front legs down the middle of the body, with short toe lines.

  5. Two round back feet with paw pads on each side and a small smile under the nose

    Step 5 of 6: Draw two round back feet with paw pads and a small smile.

  6. The polar bear left white with light blue shading, pink inner ears and gray paw pads

    Step 6 of 6: Color the inner ears pink and the paw pads gray, with a little light blue shading.

Tips for little artists

  • Tip: Press lightly with the pencil first. Trace the lines you like with the marker, then erase the rest.

  • Tip: Leave the bear mostly white. A little light blue shading along the edges makes it look snowy.

  • Tip: Draw each paw pad as one big oval with three small ovals above it.

Make it yours

  • Polar bear in a scarf

    Wrap a striped scarf around the neck, with one end hanging over the body.

  • Polar bear on ice

    Draw a flat ice block under the bear and a few wavy water lines around it.

  • Mama and cub

    Draw a second, smaller bear sitting next to the first one, leaning in close.

Common mistakes and easy fixes

  • The bear looks like a snowman

    Make the body one pear shape, not stacked circles. The wide bottom makes the bear look like it is sitting.

  • The back feet are too small

    Draw the back feet almost as big as the muzzle. Big round feet make the bear look cuddly.

  • The face sits too high

    Put the muzzle in the lower half of the head. Then place the eyes just above it.

Fun facts about the polar bear

  • Polar bear fur looks white, but each guard hair is clear and hollow. (Source: PBS Nature)

  • Under their fur, polar bears have black skin. The black skin absorbs heat from the sun. (Source: PBS Nature)

  • Polar bears have fur on the bottoms of their paws. It keeps their feet warm and helps them grip the ice. (Source: PBS Nature)

Questions grown-ups ask

How do you draw a cute polar bear?

Give it a big round head, small dot eyes and an oval muzzle with a smile. Round feet with paw pads and pink inner ears finish the cute look.

How do you draw a polar bear easy?

Draw a round head, a pear-shaped body and a muzzle. Add two front legs and two round back feet. The 6 steps above follow that order.

How do you draw a polar bear step by step?

Start with the head and ears, then the body, the face, the front legs and the back feet. Color the paw pads gray and leave the fur white.

If your bear came out a little round, that's fine. Round bears look extra cuddly. More easy drawings for kids are on the home page.

Step 1 of 6

A round head with two round ears, each with a smaller circle inside
Draw a round head with two round ears, each with a small circle inside.