Understanding the basics of bird anatomy
To teach first graders how to draw a simple bird, it’s helpful to start by explaining the basic shapes and parts that make up a generic bird body. Birds have a round or oval-shaped body, two wings, a head, two feet, and a tail. When drawing a perched bird, the feet will be visible, but when a bird is flying often just the wings, head and tail are prominent.
Some key parts of bird anatomy to highlight for young students are:
- Head – Circle or oval shape on top of the body
- Body – Larger oval/egg-shape that makes up the bulk of the bird
- Wings – Two curvy lines extending from each side of the body
- Legs and feet – Lines extending down from the body, with feet made of three pointy lines
- Tail – Triangle or fan-shaped line extending from the back of the body
- Beak – Small triangle for the beak attached to the head
Emphasizing how simple shapes like circles, ovals and triangles can be combined to create a bird will make the drawing process less intimidating for first graders. Remind them that the shapes don’t need to be perfect.
Starting with the body
When teaching students to draw a bird step-by-step, it’s best to start with the largest part – the body:
- Lightly draw a large oval or egg shape for the bird’s body using a pencil. This will take up much of the space on the page.
- Go over the body shape with a dark pencil or marker to make the lines stand out.
The body provides a foundation onto which all other body parts will be added. Encourage students to fill up most of the page with their bird’s body as this will give them room to draw the head, wings, feet and tail.
Adding the head and beak
Once the body is drawn, the next step is to add the head and beak:
- Draw a small circle or oval shape above the body, overlapping the body slightly. This will be the bird’s head.
- Draw a small triangle coming off the bottom of the head – this will be the beak.
You can demonstrate how the beak shape resembles a triangle before students draw it themselves. Encourage them to keep the beak small in proportion to the head.
Drawing the wings
The wings come next in building the bird:
- On each side of the body, sketch two long, slightly curved lines that extend from the body to represent wings.
- Add shorter lines across the ends of the wings to form wing tips.
First graders may need help drawing wings that are proportional to the body size. The wings should reach from the top to nearly the bottom of the body. Drawing the wings coming out from the body, rather than attached right at the edges, looks more natural.
Finishing with legs, feet and tail
The last details to add are the legs, feet and tail:
- Draw two straight, parallel lines extending down from near the bottom of the body for the legs.
- At the bottom of each leg, draw three small lines pointing out for the bird’s feet.
- Finally, draw a triangle or fan shape on the end of the body for the tail.
Keep these final parts simple – short, straight lines for the legs and pointy v-shapes for feet are fine for first grade skill level. Encourage them to make the tail prominent.
Adding color and details
Once the main bird body parts are in place, it’s fun to add embellishments with color, patterns and textures:
- Go over the bird with colored pencils, crayons or markers. Use light pressure to layer colors.
- Add dots, stripes or patterns to the wings and tail feathers.
- Draw lines for details like feathers or scales on the feet.
- Color the beak and legs bright colors like orange or yellow.
Let students use their imagination to make each bird unique. Stick to bold, solid colors for the best results. Add textures like dots, stripes or jagged lines to represent plumage.
Creating different bird poses
Once students have mastered drawing a basic bird, encourage them to depict birds in different poses:
- Flying – Draw wings spread out, tail fanned, and legs tucked in.
- Perching – Have feet visible to show the bird sitting on something with wings folded.
- Swimming – Lengthen the neck, make the beak pointed for a duck or goose.
- Eating – Show the bird with its head tilted down and beak near the ground.
Letting the bird’s pose match its habitat or behavior will help students think about bird anatomy, movement and environments. Remind them to adjust the proportions and visible body parts accordingly.
Easy bird species for first graders
Here are some specific bird types that are easy for first graders to draw:
Owl
- Large round head with big eyes.
- Pointy ‘ear tufts’ on top of head.
- Triangle pointed beak.
- Large wings, short tail.
- Fanned tail feathers.
- Feet with sharp talons visible.
Penguin
- Large oval body shape.
- Black back, white belly.
- Small wings drawn with v-shapes.
- Pointed beak the same color as back.
- Feet placed far back on the body.
Hummingbird
- Tiny body with a long, pointed beak.
- Long narrow wings.
- Fan-shaped tail.
- Show hovering in air with wings blurred.
- Add red, green, blue and purple colors.
Chicken
- Oval body shape.
- Small head with comb and wattle.
- Short broad beak.
- Fanned tail that points up.
- Yellow feet and shanks.
- Add red comb and wattle on head.
Conclusion
Learning how to draw birds is a fun and engaging art lesson for first grade students. Break down birds into simple shapes like ovals, circles and triangles. Start with the body, then add the head, beak, wings, feet and tail. Use different colors and textures to bring the birds to life. Encourage poses that show birds in action. Tailor examples to easy species like owls, penguins, hummingbirds and chickens. With simple step-by-step guidance, 6-7 year olds can learn to draw charming birds of all kinds!