Try these easy monkey drawings with your kids!
Every species roaming the Earth right now is believed to have originated from primitive cells billions of years ago, but no other species is closer to us in the evolutionary tree than the monkeys.
Scroll through and encounter chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, gorillas, baboons, and even lemurs! So enough monkey business – let’s get down to brass tacks, shall we?
8 Simple Simians Sketches
Simian is an umbrella term for monkeys and apes. And yes, that includes humans. But you’ll find no humans in these eight simple monkey sketches.
1. Basic Monkey Drawing for Kids
Stick figures are no doubt popular among preschoolers. It’s the most basic, if not the first, drawing that any child will do of a human.
That’s what Drawing Tutorials 101‘s takes advantage of in their drawing guide.
Except this one is a level up to the usual stick figure because the body and head are distinguished by brown fur and big ears.
2. Draw a Monkey from “33”
I used to draw a pig figure using circular shapes and the number “6”. The process was simple, and above all, very easy to remember.
Here’s Tips Club’s channel sharing a monkey drawing guide that will not only develop your little one’s artistic skills but their memory skills, too.
Plus, the inclusion of numerical elements in drawings can’t hurt, right?
3. Waving Monkey Drawing
Since they’re closely related to us humans, monkeys are the typical participants of studies conducted by many anthropologists and primatologists.
Some scientists even form bonds with their test subjects, as shown by the hundreds of tear-jerkers found on the Internet.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this design by Mom Junction was inspired by one of those heartwarming (or heartbreaking) moments.
4. Basic Monkey
Learn how to draw a monkey in many different poses. Easy Drawings shares a typical monkey drawing, one that subtly stares into your soul.
Just kidding, of course! It’s probably just looking at the banana you’re holding. Or, is it?
5. Chimpanzee Drawing
In terms of evolution, chimpanzees and bonobos are our closest relatives; in fact, they’re so close that we share at least 98% of our DNA with them.
That’s the reason why the Planet of the Apes franchise, after many decades since its inception, retains its place as one of the most intriguing science fiction of all time.
Draw with Shapes for Kids’s channel shares this simple chimp balancing on a branch design.
6. Orangutan Drawing
Many people mistake the word orangutan for orange monkey, and that’s understandable. After all, this great ape does have orangish fur.
But the term orangutan is actually a Malay word that means “person of the forest.”
No other drawing conveys that meaning more accurately than Art for Kids Hub’s orangutan drawing.
7. Gorilla Drawing
Gorillas are a prime example that you don’t need to eat meat to get gains. The strongest of these brutes can lift 10 times their body weight.
Art Projects for Kids shares a guide on how to draw one.
8. Baboon Drawing
Have you ever seen a baboon cry? By that, I don’t mean the thing you do after watching a romance movie.
What I mean is a primal screeching enough to terrify any predator who dares approach it.
Thankfully, this baboon drawing by Hello Artsy is as calm as a cucumber.
4 Cute Monkey Drawings
Almost anything can have cute features. For proof, look no further than our list of dinosaur drawings.
These next monkeys are cuter than the typical monkey drawing.
9. Monkey with a Banana
Tell me what’s not adorable in this monkey drawing by Drawing Howtos.
From its body that’s as large as the banana it’s eating to its heart-shaped face, nothing about this little simian is uncute.
10. Chubby Monkey
Based on its squishy appearance, it seems like this monkey drawn by How To Draw For Kids has had a surplus of bananas in its habitat.
I’m all for body positivity—and I support this chubby monkey 100%.
11. Hanging Monkey Drawing
Just like humans, monkeys come from all walks of life. There are overweight monkeys like the previous one; there are monkeys of different colors; and, there are monkeys like this one shared by How To Art Club’s channel.
If it’s unclear, this monkey is showing off its skill in doing one-arm pull-ups. It even holds a banana for additional weight. What an impressive monkey.
12. How to Draw a Kawaii Monkey
There’s one thing that we humans have abandoned a long time ago. If you’re thinking “concern for the environment”, you’re not entirely wrong.
But I’m referring to our tails. Yes, as primates we used to have tails, but now we don’t.
It performed balancing functions, but natural selection had somehow delegated that to a small organ in our ear.
Now monkeys, such as this drawing found on Draw So Cute’s channel, are among the few that can hang on branches with their tails.
5 Monkeys from Pop Culture
13. How to Draw Curious George
Children might not recognize George today, and that’s why this is your chance to introduce your childhood nostalgia to your little ones.
How to Draw 4 Kids’s channel makes Curious George as simple as possible.
14. How to Draw Abu
We all have that wingman who acts like a monkey sometimes. For Aladdin, it’s a literal monkey, who at times is funnier and more entertaining than most wingmen.
Artimee’s channel shows us how to draw Abu. They use a permanent marker straight from the beginning, but use a pencil if you still need practice.
15. How to Draw Rafiki
If you were asked to name a popular monkey, that baboon in Lion King is probably one that first pops into your mind.
Even as an old baboon, Rafiki is as famous as ever. Check out Art For All’s video tutorial.
Check out more Lion King drawings.
16. How to Draw Donkey Kong
If you’re trying to find a reliable channel from which to get inspired, Cartooning Club How to Draw is the right one for you.
This time they’ve got a great Donkey Kong drawing tutorial coming your way.
17. How to Draw King Kong
To truly understand the power of the gorilla, look no further than King Kong, who can go toe to toe with Godzilla.
UCIDraw’s channel teaches us how to draw this giant beast.
2 Complex Monkeys
18. How to Draw a Capuchin
Let’s get on to drawing more complicated stuff—starting with How2DrawAnimals’s capuchin guide.
If the drawing looks complicated, it’s because it is. But don’t worry too much because the guide will hold your hand each step of the way.
So grab your capuchin-o or fr-ape, and relax.
19. Complex Monkey Drawing
Like the previous guide, Envato Tuts+ is up there with one of the best guides on complex drawings.
They provide other animal drawing guides that are on par with this complex monkey tutorial.
Go Bananas with the Drawings!
Chimps, gorillas, and baboons, they’re all right here on this list. All you need is to find the right time to follow these guides.
For more animal drawings, head on to our other guides: