3-panel comic strip
3 panels · Landscape
Two strips per page. Setup, twist, punchline: the shortest comic that still tells a joke or a story.
Comic strip template: free printable panels for kids
Print one of the six free templates below, hand your kid a pencil, and they have blank comic panels to fill. Each PDF prints on US Letter or A4, and you need no account and no email. Pick the 3-panel or 4-panel comic strip template for a joke, the 6-panel or 9-panel comic panel template for a story, or the comic book template page for a mixed-size layout.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Cost
- Free, no account
- Paper
- US Letter and A4
- Time
- 20 to 45 minutes
Pick a comic template and print it
4-panel comic strip
4 panels · Landscape
Two strips per page. The classic newspaper shape, with room for a beat before the punchline.
6-panel comic page
6 panels · Portrait
Six equal panels in two columns. Enough room for a short story with a real middle.
9-panel comic grid
9 panels · Portrait
A three-by-three grid. Small panels push your kid to draw one clear thing at a time.
Comic book page
6 panels · Portrait
Six panels in mixed sizes. A wide opener, a pair, a tall panel, and two small ones for a comic book look.
Opening, middle, ending planner
3 panels · Portrait · Matches Comic Studio
Three big boxes for three drawings. The same plan Comic Studio uses to build an 8-page comic.
How to use a comic template with your kid
Ten minutes of setup gets a comic started. Your kid does the drawing; you ask questions.
1. Print the template
Choose US Letter or A4, print at 100 percent (not fit to page), and use plain paper. Thicker paper is better for markers.
2. Ask for one sentence
Before any drawing, ask your kid what happens in one sentence: "A cat tries to catch a laser dot and ends up on the ceiling." Say it out loud, then write it at the top.
3. Sketch in pencil, panel by panel
Draw panel 1 first, then 2, then the rest. Stick figures count. A clear, simple picture reads better than a crowded one.
4. Add words last
Draw speech bubbles in pencil after the pictures, so the words fit around the characters. Write on the lines under each panel if you want a narrator.
5. Ink it and read it aloud
Trace over the pencil with a black marker, erase the pencil, and have your kid read the comic to you. If a panel confuses you, ask what to change.
Tips for drawing each panel
A comic is a row of pictures that lead the eye from one moment to the next. These five habits make a comic easier to read.
Start with a wide shot
In panel 1, show the whole place and everyone in it, so the reader knows where the story happens. Artists call this an establishing shot.
Move in for a close-up when a feeling matters
A close-up fills the panel with a face or an object. Use it when a character is surprised, scared, or about to say something important. Use wide shots when characters run, fall, or fight.
Keep speech bubbles short
Aim for ten words or fewer per bubble. Draw the bubble first, write inside it, and point the tail at the speaker's mouth. Read bubbles left to right, top to bottom.
Change the picture every panel
If two panels look the same, the story has not moved. Change the angle, the distance, or what the character is doing. Panel 2 should show something panel 1 did not.
Save the surprise for the last panel
The final box is the payoff: the punchline, the twist, or the ending. Plan it first, then draw the panels that lead up to it.
Which comic template fits your kid
- Ages 6 and 7
- The 3-panel comic strip or the opening, middle, ending planner. Three big boxes keep the job small and the finish line close.
- Ages 8 to 10
- The 4-panel comic strip or the 6-panel page. Enough boxes for a joke with a pause, or a short story with a problem.
- Ages 11 to 13
- The 9-panel grid or the comic book page. Mixed sizes let your kid choose which moments get the most space.
Turn the paper drawings into a real comic
The opening, middle, ending planner uses the same plan as Comic Studio. Your kid draws three pictures on paper, uploads them, and Comic Studio builds an 8-page comic they can read, title, and share with family.
- Open Comic Studio
Turn three paper drawings into an 8-page comic.
- How to make a comic book
A course with six short films, from one message to a finished comic.
- How to make a comic strip
Learn how a joke works and draw one in four panels.
Questions parents ask about comic templates
What is a comic strip template?
A comic strip template is a printable page with empty, numbered boxes called panels. Your kid draws one scene in each panel, left to right, to tell a short story or joke. The boxes are already measured, so your kid skips the ruler and starts drawing.
How many panels should a kids' comic strip have?
Three or four. Three panels give a setup, a twist, and a punchline. Four add a pause before the punchline. A first-time cartoonist finishes a short strip, and finishing is what makes them want to draw another.
What is the difference between a comic strip and a comic book page?
A comic strip is a single row of panels, usually three or four, built around one joke or moment. A comic book page stacks several rows of mixed-size panels and continues the story on the next page. The templates cover both.
Can I print these on A4 paper?
Yes. Every template comes as a US Letter PDF and an A4 PDF. Print at 100 percent or "actual size" so the margins stay even. The files are vector, so the lines print sharp at any size.
Are the templates free to use in a classroom or at home?
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your family, a class, or a club. No account, email address, or payment is needed.
My kid says they can't draw. Will a template help?
Yes. Stick figures and simple shapes make good comics, because the story and the words carry the joke. Ask your kid what happens in each box before they draw, and the drawing becomes the easy part.
What is the opening, middle, ending planner?
It is a page with three big boxes for the three drawings Comic Studio uses: an opening that shows who and where, a middle where something goes wrong or surprising, and an ending that wraps it up. Fill it on paper, then bring the drawings to Comic Studio to turn them into an 8-page comic.
Your kid draws it. Comic Studio makes it a comic.
Start with a pencil and a printed page. When the drawings are done, Comic Studio puts them in order and builds the pages.
Open Comic Studio