• 90 ideas

Birthday Drawing Ideas for Cards, Cakes, Kids and Adults

Three birthday subjects at a time, each with a way to start, sorted into easy, cute, cards, cakes, kids and adults.

Birthday Drawing Ideas for Cards, Cakes, Kids and Adults

Show all 90
  1. A confetti cake cut open, sprinkles through the spongeIn the US the birthday cake is often a white cake or a confetti cake. Dot the cut face with short coloured dashes.
  2. Bunting with one letter of their name on each flagA sagging line and a triangle per letter. Count the letters first so the name lands in the middle.
  3. A zodiac wheel with one candle at the topThe 60th birthday is a special celebration in parts of Asia that keep the zodiac calendar.

Next step More cakes, sweets and foods to drawMore easy subjects made from plain shapes

All 90 ideas

Easy 19

  • A balloon dog Sausage shapes pinched at the joints: nose, two ears, neck, four legs and a tail with a small bubble at the tip.
  • A calendar page with the day ringed in red A grid of squares with one ringed twice and doodled stars round it. Leave the month blank or letter theirs.
  • A card front that is one giant candle A tall striped rectangle from the bottom edge almost to the top, with a flame above. The card's height does the work.
  • A doughnut with a candle standing in the hole A ring with wavy icing and short sprinkle dashes. The candle rises from the middle, flame leaning slightly.
  • A gift box with the lid lifting and stars escaping A cube, a lid tilted above it, and a fan of stars and dashes between. Bigger stars nearer the top.
  • A jelly on a plate, wobbling A fluted dome with one highlight and wobble lines each side. Party food drawn in a single shape.
  • A mug of tea with a candle stuck in a biscuit A cylinder mug, steam curling up, and one round biscuit on the saucer with a candle standing in it.
  • A one-tier cake with drip icing and a single candle A wide cylinder, a wavy drip line a third of the way down and one candle. The plate is a flat ellipse underneath.
  • A paper chain garland across the page Interlocking ovals, every other one seen edge-on as a thin loop. Alternate two colours along the chain.
  • A paper crown with zigzag points A band that curves like a smile, a zigzag along the top edge and a dot on every point for a jewel.
  • A party bag tipped out: whistle, bubbles, sweets Draw the bag on its side and spread five small things in front of it, each one a simple shape.
  • A pot plant wearing a party hat A plain pot, five big leaves and a cone hat perched on the tallest one. Works for anyone who loves their plants.
  • A red envelope with a gold pattern In China hongbao, red envelopes of money, are the usual birthday gift to children from relatives.
  • A tiny cake in one corner, confetti drifting across Keep the cake no bigger than a stamp, bottom right. Scatter dots and dashes, thinning out towards the far corner.
  • A wrapped present with a tag A box tilted to show two sides, a ribbon cross, two loops and two tails. The tag hangs off one loop.
  • An ice cream cone with a candle in the scoop A criss-cross cone, one round scoop with a drip, and a candle pushed in at an angle.
  • Bunting with one letter of their name on each flag A sagging line and a triangle per letter. Count the letters first so the name lands in the middle.
  • Their age as two foil number balloons Puffy numerals with crease lines along the seams and a star of shine. Tie both strings to one small weight.
  • Three balloons tied to the back of a chair Three ovals at different heights, each with a tiny triangle knot. The strings meet at one point on the chair.

Cute 18

  • A bear in a paper crown holding one cupcake A pear-shaped body, round ears, crown slipping over one eye. Both paws hold the cupcake out to the viewer.
  • A bee delivering a tiny card An oval with two stripes and loop wings. The envelope hangs below on a thread, as big as the bee.
  • A bunny blowing up a balloon bigger than itself Cheeks puffed, ears blown straight back, feet just leaving the ground. The balloon fills half the page.
  • A cat ignoring the present and sitting in the box The gift lies unwrapped to one side. The cat fills the box completely, eyes shut, entirely satisfied.
  • A cupcake tower with one candle on the top cake Three shrinking plates on a centre pole. Draw the front cupcakes whole and only the tops of the ones behind.
  • A dinosaur in a party hat blowing out candles Short arms cannot reach the cake, so lean the whole body in. The hat's elastic goes under the chin.
  • A duckling in a paper crown, sitting in a teacup Just the head, chest and wing tips show above the rim. Let the crown slide down over one eye.
  • A frog on a present with a party blower out like a tongue A party blower unfurls when blown and snaps back. Draw it as a striped curl shooting from the frog's mouth.
  • A hedgehog holding a balloon very carefully Hold the balloon out at arm's length, well away from the spines. One worried eyebrow makes the card.
  • A mouse carrying a cupcake bigger than itself Put the cupcake overhead on two tiny arms, legs bent under the weight. Tail curled for balance.
  • A panda hugging a number balloon Arms and legs wrapped round the numeral like a tree trunk, face squashed against it. Choose the age you need.
  • A puppy asleep in torn wrapping paper A bean-shaped body curled in a nest of jagged paper scraps, ribbon looped round one ear.
  • A slice of cake with a face, saying make a wish A wedge with two dot eyes low down and a small smile. Put the words in a speech bubble, in capitals.
  • A sloth hanging from a string of bunting Two long arms hooked over the line, body drooping between flags. The line sags most where the sloth hangs.
  • A snail with a present on its shell, running late Tie the box on with ribbon round the spiral. Two motion lines behind it are the joke.
  • A tortoise in a party hat, still going A dome shell with a pattern of plates, four stumpy legs and a long neck stretched forward. Hat on a tilt.
  • An elephant holding a bunch of balloons in its trunk Curl the trunk tip round the strings. Draw the balloons as overlapping ovals, far bigger than the elephant's head.
  • Two cupcakes holding hands, one candle each Two cases side by side with stick arms joined in the middle. Lean the two flames towards each other.

For cards 19

  • A border of candles round a blank middle Alternate tall and short candles and lean a few. The empty centre is where the message goes.
  • A bouquet wrapped in paper, tag turned to the viewer A cone of paper with flower heads crowding the top and a bow at the waist. The tag is where the name goes.
  • A cake baked in the shape of their age Block the numeral out thick, like a road, then cover it with piped blobs and berries. No year needed, just the age.
  • A cake seen from above with the candles in a ring A circle inside a circle, flames pointing outwards. Pipe the shell border as a ring of fat commas.
  • A faceted gem in the colour of their birth month Jewellers adopted an official birthstone list in 1912: garnet for January, emerald for May, sapphire for September.
  • A garden bench with a wrapped present waiting on it A slatted bench seen straight on, one box at one end. Leave the other end empty for whoever is coming.
  • A number 15 made of flowers In some Hispanic countries and Brazil a quinceañera marks a girl's 15th birthday. Pack the numerals with blooms.
  • A number 16 in fairy lights In Canada and the US a girl's 16th is often marked with a sweet sixteen party. String the bulbs along both numerals.
  • A rocket towing a Happy Birthday banner Rocket top right, banner rippling behind on a rope. Fit the letters to the ripple, tallest on the crests.
  • A row of their shoes from baby size up to this year's Line the pairs up by size, smallest first, toes towards the viewer. Tie a bow on the newest pair.
  • A tall stack of presents, each wrapped differently Five boxes, widest at the bottom: stripes, spots, plain, checks, stars. One bow on the top box only.
  • A thank-you card showing the present in use For after the party. Draw the gift being used, a scarf worn or a book open, and letter the thanks underneath.
  • A treasure map where X marks the present A torn-edged map, a dotted trail past a palm tree and a rock, and a wrapped box drawn where the X should be.
  • An envelope with a balloon drawn over the flap Draw the balloon where the flap's point closes and run its string round to the front, ending at the address.
  • Candles grouped in fives like tally marks Four upright and one leaning across, repeated along the cake. A kind way to count any age over thirty.
  • Happy Birthday in balloon letters Draw each stroke as a fat sausage with rounded ends. One small highlight per letter, always on the same side.
  • Happy Birthday on a ribbon banner across the card Draw the wavy ribbon first, with folded ends, then fit the letters to its curve, tallest in the middle.
  • Their name in block letters, each with its own pattern Rule two guide lines, draw the letters thick, then fill each: stripes, dots, checks, confetti, waves.
  • Three balloons floating off the top edge of the card Let the balloons run off the top so the strings lead the eye down to the message. Overlap two of the three.

Cakes 15

  • A bowl of longevity noodles, one strand lifted high Eaten on birthdays in Chinese tradition. The cook must not cut the noodles, so draw one strand that never ends.
  • A bowl of seaweed soup beside a birthday card In Korea people eat miyeok-guk, seaweed soup, for breakfast on their birthday in honour of their mother.
  • A cake lit with sparklers instead of candles Sparklers sometimes take the place of candles. Each one is a thin wire with a burst of short straight lines.
  • A cake with far too many candles, one big flame The candle count often matches the age, sometimes with one extra for luck. Pack them in until the flames merge.
  • A cake with one extra candle set apart In Israel the cake is said to carry a candle for each year and one more for the year ahead. Colour the extra one.
  • A castle cake with ice cream cone turrets A square block with a cylinder at each corner and an upturned cone on each. Wafer drawbridge, sweets for windows.
  • A confetti cake cut open, sprinkles through the sponge In the US the birthday cake is often a white cake or a confetti cake. Dot the cut face with short coloured dashes.
  • A fruit pie with a greeting cut into the crust Said to be a western Russian custom: a fruit pie for the birthday child, its greeting cut through the pastry lid.
  • A hedgehog cake with chocolate button spines A dome covered in overlapping discs that all lean backwards. Pale pointed face at one end, two dot eyes.
  • A peach-shaped longevity bun on a plate A shoutao is a white bun with a red-dyed tip and a crease down one side, served at the birthdays of elderly people.
  • A plain cake with their hobby modelled on top A bike, a fishing rod, a ball of wool. Draw it small on top of a plain cake, as if made from icing.
  • A plate of fairy bread triangles White bread, butter and hundreds and thousands, cut into triangles. Children's party food in Australia and New Zealand.
  • A rosette cake, piped swirls covering every side Each rosette is a spiral that starts in the middle. Pack them in rows like bricks and shade the inner turns.
  • A slice lifted out on a cake server, layers showing A wedge with three sponge bands and two cream lines. Leave the matching gap in the cake behind it.
  • A three-tier cake, each tier a different pattern Stack three cylinders on one centre line, each narrower. Stripes on one, dots on the next, scallops on the top.

For kids 10

  • A bouncy castle with shoes lined up outside Four fat towers and a soft wall between. Every edge is rounded, and the row of odd shoes tells the story.
  • A first-birthday table of objects for a baby to choose At a Korean doljanchi the baby picks one object: thread for long life, money for wealth, a brush for intelligence.
  • A giraffe with a balloon tied to each horn Long neck up the side of the page, head near the top corner. The two balloons lift the ears slightly.
  • A magician's hat with a rabbit holding a candle An upturned top hat, two ears and a face above the brim, one paw out with a lit candle. Stars round the wand.
  • A monster caught eating the corner of the cake One big bite mark, crumbs on the fur and wide guilty eyes. Give it a party hat to show it was invited.
  • A piñata cracked open, sweets raining down A papier-mâché, pottery or cloth container filled with sweets, broken with a stick by a blindfolded player.
  • A robot delivering a cake on a tray Boxes for head and body, springs for arms. Tilt the tray a little and lean the candle flames the other way.
  • Musical chairs with one chair too few There is always one fewer chair than players. Draw the scramble as the music stops, with one child left hovering.
  • Pass the parcel: layers of paper flying off A British party game. Whoever holds the parcel when the music stops takes off one layer. Show three papers at once.
  • Pin the tail on the donkey, the tail nowhere near The blindfolded player is spun round first. The earliest known version of the game is dated 1899.

For adults 9

  • A cake on a record turntable, needle on the icing A flat round cake on the platter with the tone arm resting on it. Groove rings piped round the top.
  • A card from the palace arriving on a doormat In Commonwealth nations a card from the Royal Family marks a 100th birthday. Draw a crest on the envelope flap.
  • A cheese board with one candle in the brie For someone who does not like cake. A round board, three wedges, a bunch of grapes and a single lit candle.
  • A desk with a surprise cupcake among the paperwork For a colleague. Stacks of paper, a keyboard, a mug, and one cupcake with a lit candle in the only clear space.
  • A tree stump with its rings showing, a candle on top Count the years like a tree, one ring each. Draw wobbly rings, not perfect circles, and stand one candle in the middle.
  • A vintage car with balloons tied to the bumper Side view: a long bonnet, round wheel arches, a spare wheel on the back. The balloons stream out behind.
  • A zodiac wheel with one candle at the top The 60th birthday is a special celebration in parts of Asia that keep the zodiac calendar.
  • An hourglass running confetti instead of sand Two glass bulbs joined at a narrow neck. Fill the lower one with coloured dots and let a thin stream fall.
  • Reading glasses beside a card in very large letters A gentle age joke. Fold the glasses on the table and letter the card so big that three words fill it.

How it works

Sorted by who the card is for as well as by subject, these birthday drawing ideas cover cakes, balloon lettering, party animals, gift stacks and card fronts. Each of the 90 has a hint for the first lines, and some carry a custom, from Korean seaweed soup to fairy bread. Deal three, or tap For kids or For adults.

Read the full guide

What to draw on a birthday card

The For cards group holds 31 birthday card drawing ideas, each planned for a folded card front. Decide where the message goes before you draw. Three balloons floating off the top edge of the card leaves the lower half free for words. Happy birthday drawing ideas with lettering need two ruled pencil guide lines: draw the letters thick, then rub the lines out.

Birthday cakes, from one tier to three

The Cakes group holds 19 subjects. Every cake starts as a cylinder: two matching ellipses joined by straight sides. Stack narrower cylinders on one centre line for tiers. Icing drips are a wavy line with some long drops. A cake with one extra candle set apart draws a custom reported from Israel: one more candle for the year to come.

  • Things to draw on a birthday card for a child sit under For kids: 28 subjects, such as A dinosaur in a party hat blowing out candles.
  • For adults holds 24, and most swap the party for the person's own interests. A plain cake with their hobby modelled on top suits almost anyone.
  • Cute birthday drawing ideas share one trick: make the prop bigger than the animal. A mouse carrying a cupcake bigger than itself needs no other joke.

Questions and answers

What should I draw for someone's birthday?

Start with what they like, then add a candle, a party hat or a balloon. If you are stuck on what to draw on a birthday card for someone you hardly know, press three times and pick the one you could finish tonight.

How do I draw balloon letters?

Write the word lightly in plain capitals first. Draw a sausage shape round each stroke, with rounded ends, and let the shapes overlap where strokes meet. Rub out the inside lines. Add one small highlight per letter, always on the same side, and a short string below the last letter.

Are the birthday customs accurate?

Most are well documented. In Korea people eat seaweed soup on their birthday in honour of their mother, and at a first birthday the baby chooses an object from a table. Candles on birthday cakes trace back to 18th-century Germany. Two rest on a single paper, the Israeli extra candle and the Russian greeting pie, so their hints say said to.

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