31 days of drawing

31 October Drawing Prompts for Kids

Here is every drawing prompt for October, one for each day of the month. Each prompt has a level-up line for kids who want to push their drawing a little further. Use them for sketchbook warm-ups, early finishers, a quiet start to the morning or a rainy afternoon at home.

Every October drawing prompt

No fancy supplies needed. A pencil, some paper and a few minutes is plenty.

Oct 1
Draw a pumpkin patch at dusk with one pumpkin much bigger than the rest.
Level up: Add a twisty vine running through it.
Oct 2
Look at a fallen leaf and draw both sides of it.
Level up: Show every vein.
Oct 3
Invent a friendly monster who is scared of the dark.
Level up: Give it a nightlight it loves.
Oct 4
On World Animal Day, draw your favourite animal doing what it does best.
Level up: Show its habitat around it.
Oct 5
Design a spooky house that is secretly the friendliest home on the street.
Level up: Add a welcome mat and flower boxes.
Oct 6
Sketch a cluster of mushrooms growing on a log.
Level up: Show the gills underneath the caps.
Oct 7
Create a black cat silhouette against a big orange moon.
Level up: Add a pattern inside the moon.
Oct 8
Imagine a harvest table set for forest animals.
Level up: Draw a place card for each guest.
Oct 9
Grow a gratitude tree with leaves showing things you are thankful for.
Level up: Write one word on each leaf.
Oct 10
Look at an acorn or nut and draw it from four sides.
Level up: Add a small shadow under each one.
Oct 11
Invent a costume made entirely from recycled materials.
Level up: Label the materials you used.
Oct 12
Write and draw a short tale about a pumpkin who does not want to be carved.
Level up: Show what it decides to become instead.
Oct 13
Draw a spider weaving a web shaped like something unexpected.
Level up: Draw the web with one continuous line.
Oct 14
Picture a bat who is afraid of heights.
Level up: Show it trying to sleep upside down.
Oct 15
Create five friendly pumpkin faces using only geometric shapes.
Level up: Give each face a different feeling.
Oct 16
Design labels for a row of potion bottles in a friendly witch's kitchen.
Level up: Give each potion a funny name.
Oct 17
Sketch a crow perched on a fence post.
Level up: Use only black and greys.
Oct 18
Imagine trees that whisper and draw what they are saying.
Level up: Use speech bubbles shaped like leaves.
Oct 19
Look at an orange peel or apple core and draw it carefully.
Level up: Show the different textures.
Oct 20
Draw a little ghost who is learning to be invisible.
Level up: Make parts of it fade away.
Oct 21
Create a scarf pattern of falling leaves.
Level up: Repeat the pattern evenly across the scarf.
Oct 22
Invent a new vegetable by mashing up two from the harvest.
Level up: Give it a name.
Oct 23
Imagine a candy that escapes from the treat bowl.
Level up: Show where it hides.
Oct 24
Design a treat bag for trick-or-treating.
Level up: Add a secret pocket.
Oct 25
Draw a face from the front and side at once, inspired by Pablo Picasso, born on this day in 1881.
Level up: Use bold outlines and flat colours.
Oct 26
Sketch a broom, then turn it into a vehicle.
Level up: Add seats and a steering wheel.
Oct 27
Imagine an owl library that is only open at night.
Level up: Show what the owls are reading.
Oct 28
Look at a flashlight beam in a dark room and draw the light and shadows.
Level up: Colour the background dark so the light glows.
Oct 29
Create a friendly skeleton dance party.
Level up: Draw five different dance moves.
Oct 30
Show a cat and a pumpkin who swapped places for the night.
Level up: Show what each one gets up to.
Oct 31
On Halloween night, draw your neighbourhood full of friendly costumes and glowing pumpkins.
Level up: Use only black, orange and purple.