Pictionary Ideas for Groups

Pictionary is a common group game that involves an individual player silently drawing an object while her teammates try to guess what the object is. Pictionary is very similar to the popular game charades, and can be played with small or large groups; there is no limit to the number of people who can participate. There are several ways groups of people can play Pictionary, each of which provides a different twist on this classic game.

The board game version of Pictionary is the most traditional form of the game. These games can be purchased at numerous local retailers. In the game, even teams are created and individuals are to follow the rules that come along with the game. Using dice, teams make their way around a game board until they land on a spot that will have a category on it. At this point a team member must pick up a card from a stack that comes with the game, and draw whatever the card has denoted under that category. The team member has a limited amount of time to draw the object until her team members guess correctly. If the team guesses right, then they get to roll the dice and move forward, if they are wrong, it is the other team's turn. The game continues in this manner until a team has reached the end of the board and is declared the winner.

Players who don't have the traditional boxed game of Pictionary can easily create their own Pictionary set. All you need is a pen, some paper, a drawing easel or large pad of paper and a kitchen timer. Have everyone write down 10 things to draw on small pieces of paper. Place these slips of paper into a hat or bowl. After the teams are created, have each player draw a slip out of the hat and begin drawing the item written on their paper. Keep track of time using the kitchen timer, to make sure the individual doesn't go over the limit. Create a rule for how to determine the winner, such as first team to 10, before starting.

Themed Pictionary is a different spin on the classic game, where there is one overall theme for each round of play. This is a great group game to incorporate into special holidays and celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or a bridal shower. Pick one theme to begin. For example, if you are hosting a baby shower, the theme for the round could be babies. Each person from each team will write down a baby-related word or phrase that the opposite team must draw out; for example, diaper. This is a great way to get people in the mood for a special event and really incorporate the theme of your party into group activities.

One way to make the game of Pictionary more interesting in large groups is to play partner Pictionary. Instead of having two teams, each person is paired with one partner and the two players must switch off who draws the item and who guesses. Partner Pictionary can be played in large groups, or you can play head-to-head partner Pictionary. The game is set up like a tournament, where each team of two plays another team of two in one round of play. The first team to reach three points, or whichever team has the most points when time is out, moves on to the next round. The process continues in tournament-style play until there is one winner. You can even create a bracket on a piece of poster board to keep track of everyone's scores.