The best drawing games for kids need only paper and pencils and make drawing social and silly: the squiggle game, exquisite corpse, draw what I describe, drawing telephone and more. They take the pressure off (“it’s just a game”) and get even reluctant artists laughing and drawing.
10 drawing games
1. The squiggle game
Players: 2+. One person draws a squiggle; the other turns it into something. Swap.
2. Exquisite corpse
Players: 3. Fold a paper in three. The first player draws a head, folds it over leaving the neck lines showing; the next draws a body; the last draws legs. Unfold for a surprise creature.
3. Draw what I describe
Players: 2+. One person describes a picture shape by shape (“a big oval, two triangle ears on top”) without saying what it is. Everyone draws. Compare!
4. Drawing telephone
Players: 4+. Write a phrase, pass it; the next person draws it; the next writes what they think it is, and so on. Read the chain at the end.
5. Blind contour
Players: any. Draw a person or object without looking at your paper. Hilarious every time.
6. One-line drawing
Draw something without lifting your pencil.
7. Dice monsters
Roll a die for number of eyes, then legs, then arms. Draw the monster.
8. Shape challenge
Draw a shape and see who can turn it into the most different things in two minutes. Try the try a shape game.
9. Speed sketch
30 seconds per drawing. Someone calls out subjects.
10. Add a line
Take turns adding one line to the same drawing until it becomes something.
Why games work
- No pressure. Silly results are the point.
- Social. Kids laugh together, which builds confidence.
- Quick. Perfect for warm-ups, brain breaks and waiting.
- Creative. They train kids to see possibilities in any shape.
Where to use them
- As warm-ups before a lesson. See the after-school art club plan.
- At indoor recess.
- On a road trip.
- At a party or playdate.
- On a rainy day.
After the games
Games build excitement; a short lesson builds skills. Follow a game with a free step-by-step lesson, or spin the drawing prompt generator.
The book that helps
After the games, a step-by-step monster from How to Draw: Cute Cartoon Monsters or a Shape Drawing Challenge page is a great way to finish.
How to Draw: Cute Cartoon Monsters
Shape Drawing ChallengeAs an Amazon Associate, FirstArtBooks earns from qualifying purchases.
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Questions
What is the squiggle game?
One person draws a squiggle and the other turns it into a picture, then they swap.
What is exquisite corpse drawing?
A game where players take turns drawing parts of a creature on a folded paper without seeing the other parts, then unfold it.
What drawing games can you play with paper and pencil?
The squiggle game, exquisite corpse, draw what I describe, drawing telephone, blind contour, dice monsters and speed sketches.