• Learn how to draw a roaring angry hippopotamus with this simple step-by-step drawing lesson. We’ll start with a few easy shapes and build them into a powerful hippo with huge teeth, a wide-open mouth, and a fierce expression.

    Hippos may look slow and peaceful when they’re resting in the water, but they are among the most dangerous animals in Africa. When threatened, they can charge at surprising speed and open their mouths incredibly wide to show off their massive tusks.

    In this lesson, we’ll capture some of that power and energy in a fun cartoon style that is easy for beginners to follow.

    Follow along with the video and you’ll have your own angry hippo drawing in just a few minutes.

    Happy drawing!

    You can buy my drawing books from amazon from this page linkhttps://www.shoorayner.com/easy-books-on-amazon/

    Download the pdf help sheet and colouring page here

  • I’ve been working on a set of how to drawings to use at the Cheltenham Science Festival.

    Last Friday, I joined Becci Smith and Jules Howard at the Cheltenham Science Festival.

    We should have taken a selfie of us all but at least Jules took one of me showing the children how to draw a Koala on the visualiser and big screen.

    We had chosen 10 animals as pairs that filled a niche, so that the children could choose one that Jules would expand on, telling us about their nasty habits and why we really wouldn’t want them living in our house. Afterwards, I would show how to draw the animals.

    Becci was a fantastic moderator, engaging the children and keeping the whole show running down to the minute.

    It was all great fun. The children did fantastic drawings and best of all I have rehearsed and rehearsed the next nine how to draw videos!

    Thanks to all at Cheltenham for making everything go so smoothly and thanks to the schools that came and did such amazing drawing.

    That was actually the first event I’ve done in a very long time and was very pleased to be asked to return in October to draw at the Literature Festival.

    Now that is out of the way, I’m full steam ahead on what is almost a career change. I should be ready to announce it all in the very near future!

  • Looking for a quick, screen-free creative project to get kids drawing and off the pesky internet? Eggs With Legs is a simple but fun activity that works brilliantly in the classroom or at home—and it doesn’t require kids to go anywhere near YouTube.

    I’ve made a short video just for adults—teachers, TAs, parents, or anyone leading a group. It shows you how to guide the activity yourself, so children stay off screens and fully engaged in real-world creativity.

    Learn to draw so you can teach your own children – they will think you are amazing!

    I’ve also made a free printable with egg templates and colouring page. You can download it here: Eggs With Legs PDF – Shoo Rayner Story Shop

    This makes a great:

    • Wet play filler
    • Cover lesson activity
    • Drawing club starter
    • End-of-term treat
    • Easter drawing idea
    • Or anytime creative break

    Drawing is the perfect ad-free, algorithm-free, social-media free activity even better when you can teach the simple skills. You only have to be one day ahead!

    Remember… If your child has access to the internet, the internet has access to your child – let’s go offline for Children’s digital activities.