Create a Character Personality Sheet
Create a character personality sheet by drawing a character, listing traits, strengths, weaknesses, favorite things, goals, and a short backstory to guide storytelling.
About this tutorial
Create a character personality sheet by drawing a character, listing traits, strengths, weaknesses, favorite things, goals, and a short backstory to guide storytelling.
What you need
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Find a quiet table and lay out your materials so everything is easy to reach.
- 2
Step 2
Lightly draw sections on your paper for Name Traits Strengths Weaknesses Favorites Goals Backstory and a big square for the character drawing.
- 3
Step 3
Choose a name for your character and write it clearly at the top of the page.
- 4
Step 4
Draw your character inside the big square using pencil so you can erase mistakes.
- 5
Step 5
Color your character using your coloring materials to make them bright and fun.
- 6
Step 6
Write five personality traits in the Traits section using short words like brave curious or funny.
- 7
Step 7
Write three strengths your character has in the Strengths section using one idea per line.
- 8
Step 8
Write three weaknesses or things your character struggles with in the Weaknesses section using one idea per line.
- 9
Step 9
List five favorite things your character loves in the Favorites section such as foods places or activities.
- 10
Step 10
Write two goals your character wants to achieve in the Goals section using short clear sentences.
- 11
Step 11
Write a short backstory of three to five sentences in the Backstory section explaining where your character came from and what matters to them.
- 12
Step 12
Add little icons stickers or small drawings next to traits and favorites to show them quickly with pictures.
- 13
Step 13
Read your whole sheet and lightly erase or rewrite anything that needs to be clearer or neater.
- 14
Step 14
Take a photo of your finished character personality sheet and share your creation on DIY.org
Fun facts
How do I create a character personality sheet with my child?
Start by asking your child to draw the character’s appearance and pick a name. Guide them to list traits (brave, shy), strengths and weaknesses, favorite things, and short-term goals. Prompt a one-paragraph backstory explaining where the character came from and what they want. Use simple questions, time limits for focus, and encourage specific details. Finally, use the sheet to invent short stories or role-play scenes to bring the character to life.
What materials do I need to make a character personality sheet?
You only need basic supplies: paper or a printable template, pencils, eraser, colored pencils or markers, and a ruler. Optional extras: stickers, index cards for traits, sticky notes for ideas, a clipboard or folder to keep sheets, and a timer to set short creative sprints. A tablet or computer works if you prefer a typed digital version with simple design tools or a template.
What ages is this activity suitable for?
This activity suits many ages: 5–7-year-olds can draw and list favorites or one-line traits with adult help. Ages 8–11 can add strengths, weaknesses, goals, and a short backstory in a few sentences. Teens (12+) can develop deeper motivations, conflicts, and multi-paragraph backstories. Adjust complexity, prompts, and supervision to match the child’s writing and attention level.
What are the benefits of creating character personality sheets?
Making character sheets builds creativity, storytelling skills, and vocabulary while teaching planning and perspective-taking. Children practice character development, emotional awareness, and cause-and-effect (why a character acts certain ways). It boosts confidence in writing and role-play, strengthens narrative structure understanding, and provides a reusable reference for stories or games. Collaborative versions also encourage communication and teamwork.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use if I don't have markers, stickers, or a camera to take the photo?
Use crayons, colored pencils, or cut‑out magazine pictures for coloring and collage instead of markers, draw small symbols with pencil when you don't have stickers, and borrow a parent's phone, tablet, or a household camera to photograph the finished sheet for DIY.org.
My pencil drawing smears and some words look messy—how do I fix those problems while following the steps?
Follow the instruction to draw lightly in pencil so you can erase mistakes with a clean eraser, wait for any marker or pen to dry before touching it, and rewrite messy handwriting neatly in the labeled Traits/Strengths/Weaknesses sections or use a fine‑tip pen for clarity.
How can I adapt this character sheet activity for younger kids or older kids?
For younger children, make the Name/Traits/Favorites/Goals sections bigger and let them use stickers or have an adult write short words while they color the big square, and for older kids, expand the Backstory to more sentences, add extra sections like relationships or fears, and use shading or mixed media in the drawing.
What are some fun ways to extend or personalize the finished character sheet beyond what's listed?
Laminate the finished sheet and add removable paper tabs for goals, glue fabric scraps or ribbon onto the character drawing for costume texture, or create a mini‑comic strip showing one of the Backstory goals and then photograph the set to share on DIY.org.