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Drawing

Back-to-Back Drawing

Also called Blind Drawing, Describe and Draw

Pairs sit back to back; one describes a simple picture without naming it and the other tries to draw it.

people
4–100
time
20 min
energy
Calm
materials
Household items
Kids-safeHR-safeChurch-safe
Watch it played
What you need3
How to play4

Before you start

Arrange chairs in back-to-back pairs. Give the describer a picture face down and the drawer a blank sheet.

  1. 1Round 1: the describer has 3 minutes to explain the picture. They may not name what it is, and the drawer may not speak.
  2. 2Compare the drawing to the original and laugh.
  3. 3Round 2: swap roles with a new picture. This time the drawer may ask questions.
  4. 4Compare again and see which round came out closer.
Cards for this game26

Edit them now. Host mode deals them one at a time, big enough for the room.

26 cards
  • A big circle with two small circles inside it
  • A triangle on top of a square, like a house
  • A smiling sun with six rays
  • A stick person holding a balloon
  • Three stars in a row above a long wavy line
  • A flower with four petals and a long stem
  • A tree with a round top and three apples
  • A rectangle with two circles under it, like a car
  • A snowman with a hat and two arms
  • A boat with a triangle sail on waves
  • A cat's face with whiskers and pointy ears
  • A smiley face wearing sunglasses
  • A square with an X inside and a small circle in the corner
  • A tall tower with a flag on top and a door at the bottom
  • A star inside a circle inside a square
  • A fish with a big tail swimming toward a bubble
  • A mountain with a snowy tip and a river at its foot
  • A clock showing three o'clock
  • A bicycle with a basket in front
  • A smiling pizza cut into eight slices
  • A heart with an arrow through it, pointing right
  • A house with two windows, a chimney and smoke curling up
  • A sun setting behind a mountain, with two birds flying
  • A table with a cake, three candles and two plates
  • A spiral inside a triangle next to a diamond shape
  • A robot with a square head, antenna and round feet
What to say3
  1. 1“No peeking over your shoulder — describers, you can't say what it is!”
  2. 2“Time's up! Turn around and show each other… oh no.”
  3. 3“Round two: now the drawers can ask questions. Let's see the difference!”
Host tips3
  • Pick plain line drawings with 5–8 shapes. A detailed image is hopeless and a single circle is too easy; the sweet spot is a robot made of rectangles.
  • Enforce the silent drawer in round 1 strictly. If they ask questions, the comparison with round 2 is lost.
  • Debrief: hold up a few round-1 and round-2 drawings side by side. Ask what the describers assumed the drawer knew, and why questions made such a difference — it maps straight onto how instructions get passed down at work.
Variants2

  • Christmas edition

    Use a snowman, a candy cane and a parol; describers may not say the Christmas word.

  • Team relay

    One describer for a whole team of drawers; closest drawing wins a point.

Good for

Occasions

Team buildingSchoolRetreatChristmas

Venues

Indoor, smallIndoor, largeOfficeChurch hallOnline
If this one dies early3