Make a logo for your business
Design and draw a simple logo for your pretend business using paper, pencils, and colors; explore shapes, symbols, and clear visual ideas.
About this activity
Design and draw a simple logo for your pretend business using paper, pencils, and colors; explore shapes, symbols, and clear visual ideas.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Pick a pretend business name that sounds fun or cool.
- 2
Step 2
Write two short words that describe what your business does.
- 3
Step 3
Write three simple shapes or symbols that match those two words.
- 4
Step 4
Choose your favorite symbol from your list.
- 5
Step 5
Draw three tiny thumbnail logo ideas using pencil inside small boxes.
- 6
Step 6
Pick the thumbnail you like best.
- 7
Step 7
Draw a bigger version of that chosen thumbnail in the center of a clean sheet using pencil.
- 8
Step 8
Add the business name near the big drawing using simple clear letters.
- 9
Step 9
Add one or two small shapes or lines to make the logo clearer and balanced.
- 10
Step 10
Trace the final outline with a darker pencil or a marker to make bold lines.
- 11
Step 11
Color in your logo using your coloring materials and choose 2 or 3 main colors.
- 12
Step 12
Erase any extra pencil marks carefully to make your logo neat.
- 13
Step 13
Show your logo to someone nearby.
- 14
Step 14
Make one small change if you want based on their idea.
- 15
Step 15
Share your finished creation on DIY.org
Fun facts
How to help a child design a simple logo for a pretend business
Start by asking what the business does and brainstorm one or two simple symbols (animal, object, shape) that match it. Have the child sketch several tiny ideas, pick the clearest, then simplify: remove extra details and keep bold shapes. Choose one or two colors and test the logo at different sizes. An adult can guide scissors or tracing and encourage trying a few variations before picking a final sketch.
Materials needed to make a kid-friendly business logo
Gather plain paper or cardstock, pencils, eraser, a black marker for outlines, colored pencils or washable markers, and a ruler for straight lines. Optional extras: sticky notes for quick ideas, tracing paper, scissors and glue to collage shapes, and a tablet or camera to photograph finished designs. Keep materials non-toxic and easy to use so children can experiment without frustration.
What ages is simple logo design suitable for children?
Logo design can be adapted for ages 4 up. Preschoolers (4–5) can draw basic symbols and pick colors with adult help. Early elementary kids (6–9) can brainstorm, sketch multiple options, and simplify shapes. Older children (10+) can explore meaning, typography, and variations. Adjust expectations and supervision for scissors or fine tools, and offer more structure or creative freedom depending on the child’s skill level.
What are the benefits of kids creating a pretend business logo?
Designing a logo builds creativity, visual thinking, and fine motor skills while teaching children to distill ideas into simple symbols. It encourages problem-solving, decision-making, and communicating what a business does. The activity boosts confidence as kids develop and refine a design, and it introduces basic branding concepts like color choice and simplicity. Working together also fosters teamwork and vocabulary around shapes and visual ideas.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use instead of markers or special coloring materials if we don't have them?
If you don't have markers, use crayons, colored pencils, watercolor paints, or cut colored paper to color in your logo and use a dark pen or a well‑sharpened pencil to trace the final outline as the instructions suggest.
My thumbnail sketches look messy or I'm stuck choosing one—what should I do?
Redraw the three tiny thumbnail logo ideas slightly larger or make quick numbered copies, then pick the thumbnail you like best, erase extra pencil marks, and trace that chosen thumbnail before drawing the bigger version to keep the final lines clean.
How can I change this activity for younger or older kids?
For younger kids simplify by using one symbol, stickers, or stamps and coloring only, while older kids can write two short words in different fonts, sketch more thumbnail variations, and test 2–3 color combinations before making the final colored logo.
How can we make the logo activity more creative or shareable?
After adding one or two small shapes or lines for balance and making one small change from feedback, create a few color or layout variations, photograph or scan the bigger finished logo, paste it onto a mockup like a business card, and then share your finished creation on DIY.org.