Back-to-Back Drawing
One partner describes a hidden picture while the other, sitting back to back, tries to draw it from words alone.
- Time
- 10 to 20 minutes
- People
- 4 to 30
- Where
- In person or Virtual
- You need
- simple picture cards made of basic shapes, paper, pens
How to play
- Pair people up and seat each pair back to back so they cannot see each other's paper.
- Give one partner a card with a simple image built from shapes, such as a house with a sun and a tree.
- The describer explains the picture using shape, size and position words, without naming the objects themselves.
- The drawer listens and draws without asking any questions in the first round.
- After three minutes, compare the drawing with the card and talk about which instructions helped most.
- Swap roles with a new card, allow questions this time, then compare the two rounds.
Tips
- On a video call, the describer speaks while drawers sketch on paper with cameras off, then everyone holds their drawing up to the screen.
- Chairs placed facing away from each other work just as well as sitting back to back.
- In the debrief, point out how much the second round improved once questions were allowed.
Variations
- Team relay: one describer guides a whole table of drawers, and the closest copy wins.
- Build instead of draw: describe a small model made of building bricks for the partner to copy.