Back-to-Back Drawing

Set up

Draw a simple picture on a card for each pair, using basic shapes. Pair everyone up and seat partners back to back. One partner, the describer, gets a picture. The other, the drawer, gets blank paper and a pen. The drawer must not see the picture.

How to play

1. Start a three-minute timer.
2. The describer tells the drawer what to draw, using only shapes, sizes and positions. “Draw a large circle in the middle of the page. Put a small triangle on top of it, pointing up.”
3. The describer may not say what the picture is or name any part of it. No “it’s a cat” and no “draw an ear”.
4. The drawer draws what they hear. They may ask yes-or-no questions.
5. When the time is up, partners turn around and compare the drawing with the original.
6. Swap roles with a new picture.

Why groups use it

It shows, in three minutes, how much of what we say is left for the listener to guess. Describers assume “a big circle” means the same thing to both people. For a team or a class, follow the round with two questions: what was the most useful thing your partner said, and what would you ask for next time?

Ways to change it

• One describer, whole room: one person describes a picture to everyone at once. Compare the drawings afterward; no two will match.
• No questions: the drawer stays silent. Then repeat with questions allowed and compare the results.
• Building version: swap pictures for a small model made of building bricks. The describer explains it and the builder copies it from a matching set of bricks.
• On a video call: the describer holds the picture off camera and the drawers hold up their work at the end.

Who it suits, and who it doesn’t

This is a calm, seated game that suits team days, classrooms and small groups who like a puzzle. It works for any even number. It is not a party-starter: there is little noise until the reveal. Children under seven find the no-naming rule hard, so let them name colors and shapes freely.