A drawing guessing game is about the simplest party game there is: one pencil, a pad of paper and a word nobody else can see. It also suits a wide age range, because a three year old's circle with legs and a teenager's careful sketch are equally fun to guess.
What usually runs out is ideas. Below you will find more than 150 Pictionary words for kids, sorted by difficulty, plus the rules and a few tips that make the game work with mixed ages. If you would rather not read from a list, the Pictionary word generator picks a random word for you and keeps it hidden from everyone except the artist.
How to play a Pictionary-style drawing game with kids
- Choose an artist. They pick a word from a list, a jar or the generator, and keep it secret.
- Draw, do not talk. No letters, no numbers, no spoken clues. Pointing at parts of the drawing is fine.
- Everyone else guesses out loud. The first correct guess wins the point.
- Pass the pencil. The guesser, or the next player in the circle, draws next.
For teams, give each artist 60 seconds and let only their team guess. A whiteboard or a big sheet of paper on the wall helps, since everyone can see at once. With children under six, drop the timer and the points. Guessing together is the whole game.
How to choose good words to draw
A good drawing word is something with a clear shape that most kids have seen. A fish works because almost everyone draws it the same way. "Cousin" does not, because there is nothing to draw that tells it apart from any other person.
When you write your own list, a quick test helps: can you picture the drawing in your head within three seconds? If yes, it is a good word. If you have to think about it, it probably belongs in the hard pile. Leave out anything that relies on reading, like signs or brand logos, and anything that might upset a younger child.
Easy Pictionary words for kids
These are things a child can draw with a few circles and lines. They are perfect for ages 4 to 6, and for warming up a mixed group.
- Sun
- Moon
- Star
- Heart
- House
- Tree
- Flower
- Ball
- Cloud
- Rainbow
- Balloon
- Cup
- Hat
- Book
- Car
- Boat
- Door
- Kite
- Key
- Bed
- Cat
- Dog
- Fish
- Bird
- Snake
- Snail
- Spider
- Turtle
- Pig
- Cow
- Duck
- Rabbit
- Mouse
- Frog
- Bee
- Butterfly
- Apple
- Banana
- Pizza
- Ice Cream
- Carrot
- Cookie
- Cherry
- Grapes
- Watermelon
- Hot Dog
- Hamburger
- Donut
- Pear
- Strawberry
- Cheese
- Bread
Medium Pictionary words
These need a little more detail, or a drawing with two or three parts. Most kids from about age 7 can manage them.
- Lamp
- Toothbrush
- Bathtub
- Television
- Fork
- Spoon
- Scissors
- Umbrella
- Glasses
- Window
- Stairs
- Pillow
- Teapot
- Sofa
- Fridge
- Mirror
- Comb
- Mountain
- River
- Volcano
- Island
- Beach
- Wave
- Snowflake
- Lightning
- Tornado
- Raindrop
- Puddle
- Cactus
- Palm Tree
- Sandcastle
- Campfire
- Tent
- Waterfall
- Bicycle
- Train
- Airplane
- Helicopter
- Rocket
- Bus
- Truck
- Fire Truck
- Tractor
- Sailboat
- Submarine
- Skateboard
- Scooter
- Hot Air Balloon
- Ambulance
- Motorcycle
- Police Car
Hard Pictionary words
Here the artist has to draw a small scene, or turn an idea into a picture. These work for ages 10 and up, and they keep grown-ups on their toes too.
- Castle
- Lighthouse
- Hospital
- School
- Farm
- Zoo
- Playground
- Circus
- Library
- Supermarket
- Bakery
- Airport
- Museum
- Pyramid
- Outer Space
- Birthday Party
- Picnic
- Aquarium
- Swimming Pool
- Fire Station
- Treehouse
- Ferris Wheel
- Roller Coaster
- City
- Jungle
- Shadow
- Music
- Dream
- Gravity
- Wink
- Sneeze
- Hiccup
- Tickle
- Yawn
- Surprise
- Time
- Friendship
- Upside Down
- Fast
- Slow
- Invisible
- Magic
- Night
- Morning
- Hug
- Whisper
- Thunder
- Laugh
- Balance
- Bounce
Playing with mixed ages
Family game nights rarely have players of the same age, and a drawing game can feel unfair when a six year old draws against a teenager. Two small rules fix most of it. First, let each player choose their own difficulty before they look at the word. Second, give younger artists more time, or let a grown-up whisper one hint. Older kids usually accept this happily, especially if they get the harder words in return.
You can also pair a younger and an older player as one team. The older one helps with the idea, the younger one does the drawing, and both get to celebrate when the team guesses right.
Tips for drawing games with kids
- Mix the levels. Let younger players pull from the easy list and older ones from the hard list in the same game. Everyone gets a fair turn.
- Draw big. A small drawing in the corner of the page is hard to guess. Encourage the artist to use the whole sheet.
- Allow a fresh start. If the drawing is going nowhere, let the artist flip the page and try again.
- Celebrate funny drawings. Some of the best moments are the drawings nobody can guess. Laugh together, then reveal the word.
- Stop while it is fun. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty for younger kids. End on a good round rather than the moment someone gets tired.
Drawing game variations
- Team relay. Each team member adds one line to the drawing, then passes the pencil. The team guesses together at the end.
- Eyes closed. The artist draws with their eyes shut. Even easy words become hard, and the results are very funny.
- Wrong hand. Draw with the hand you do not normally use. A great equalizer when adults play with kids.
- Everyone draws. All players draw the same secret word at once, then compare. Nobody guesses, everyone laughs.
- Clay instead of paper. Swap the pencil for play dough and sculpt the word. Slower, but younger kids love it.
When someone is too young to draw
Very young children often want to play but get frustrated with the pencil. A simple fix is to swap drawing for acting. Guessy Kids is a free picture guessing game for iOS and Android that works this way: it is not a drawing app, but the phone shows a picture, the others act it out or describe it, and the guesser tilts the phone down for a correct answer or up to pass. Because it uses pictures instead of words, children who cannot read yet can still play.
For the classic pencil and paper version, keep a list nearby or open the Pictionary word generator, which has 280 words to draw in 8 lists from easy to hard.
Pictionary is a trademark of Mattel. Guessy Kids is not affiliated with Mattel.
