Draw an Anatomically Correct Heart

What can we substitute if we don't have colored pencils, a ruler, or a printed reference picture?

Use crayons or washable markers to color-code red and blue, the straight edge of a book or the side of a cereal box as a ruler for vessel lines, and a clear heart photo on a phone or in a book as your reference image.

My heart looks out of proportion or the vessels are in the wrong place — how do I fix it?

Lightly redraw the outer cone shape with your pencil using a small grid or measurements with your ruler, lightly trace or copy key landmarks from the reference (atria, ventricles, major vessels), then erase construction lines and darken the final outlines as instructed.

How can I change the activity for younger or older children?

For younger kids simplify to the outer cone and two big chambers with red/blue coloring and sticker labels, while older kids can add the valves, muscle shading, precise vessel placement, and full printed labels as in steps 4–10.

What are some ways to enhance or personalize the finished heart before sharing it on DIY.org?

Add arrows showing blood flow between the labeled chambers and vessels, a color key for oxygen-rich/poor areas, texture or shading to the ventricles, mount the paper on cardstock, photograph it, and upload the image with a short explanation to DIY.org.