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Draw With Your Eyes Closed

You describe. They draw. Nobody looks.

Draw With Your Eyes Closed
For ages4y - 12y
Time available20 min
Prep1 min
Mess
Noise
YouYes, I will join in

A drawing game that removes the pressure to be good at drawing, which is exactly why reluctant children join in.

What you need

  • paper
  • pencils

How to do it

  1. Everyone takes paper and a pencil.
  2. One person describes something without naming it: a tall thing with three legs and a hat.
  3. Everyone else draws it with their eyes closed.
  4. Open eyes and compare. The results are always terrible and always funny.
  5. Swap describers each round.

Most activity lists ignore the things that actually decide it

Removing sight removes the internal critic, which is why children who insist they cannot draw will happily do this. Describing an object precisely enough for someone else to draw it is also demanding, specific language work.

Adapting by age

4 to 6 yearsEyes open but no lifting the pencil off the paper.
10 to 12 yearsDescribe a real object in the room and see who guesses it from the drawings.

Keep it safe

None needed.

Cleanup tip

Keep the funniest one, recycle the rest.

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