Backseat Drawing Junior Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• What's in the Box
• Everybody-In
  • The Object
  • Setting Up
  • Playing the Game
  • Winning the Game
• Rules Modifications for Younger Players
• Team-Play
  • The Object
  • Setting Up
  • Playing the Game
  • Winning the Game
• Director's Guidelines
  • Words Allowed
  • Words Not Allowed
• Super Challenge
• Care of the Drawing Boards

What's in the Box

• 168 Picture Cards (336 words)
• 1 Card Viewer
• 2 Erasable Drawing Boards
• 4 Dry Erase Markers
• 2 Erasers
• Rule Sheet

Ages 7 and up. 3-8 Players. 20-30 Minutes per Game.

Everybody-In

Ages 7 and Up. 3-8 Players.

The Object

Players earn points in two ways: by successfully giving directions to a player drawing a picture and by successfully identifying a picture drawn by another player.

Setting Up

1. Use one drawing board as a score board. List the names of all players on the left side of the board, leaving room to mark points after each name.
2. Select a Director (who gives instructions) and an Artist (who follows instructions) for the first round. The remaining players, along with the Artist, will try to identify the object being drawn. These roles will change each round so that every player will have a chance to be the Director and the Artist.
3. Give the Artist one drawing board, one marker, and one eraser.
4. Place the set of Picture Cards in the Card Viewer so the green side is visible through the viewer window. As players become more skillful they may try the Super Challenge words on the yellow side of the cards.

Playing the Game

1. The Director takes the front card from the Card Viewer and moves it to the back of the viewer so that a new card shows in the viewing window. The Director should make sure that the other players do not see this new card.
2. To begin the round, the Director looks at the word and the picture in the viewing window and tells the Artist how to draw the item named on the card—without saying the word. See Director's Guidelines.
3. The Artist draws what he or she is told to draw. The Drawing Board must be visible to all players at all times.
4. The Artist and other players try to guess what is being drawn. They may only call out guesses and may not ask questions of the Director.
5. If a player correctly guesses what is being drawn, that player, and the Director for that round, each win one point. The points are recorded by marking an "X" next to the names on the score board.
6. A new Director and a new Artist are needed for the next round. The roles of Director and Artist rotate clockwise.
7. Play continues following steps 1-6 until one player has earned five points.

Winning the Game

The first player to earn five points wins the game!

In the event of a tie, the tied players share the victory.

Rules Modifications for Younger Players

(Printed as a boxed sidebar at the top of the second page of the rule sheet, above the Team-Play section.)

Close enough… Different names are often used for the same object. An answer may be allowed if it is clear that the player knows what the object is, even if he or she did not used the exact wording on the Picture Card.

Example: A player who guesses "Bunny," when "Rabbit" is written on the Picture Card, is awarded the point.

Oops! Sometimes a Director will slip and say a word that he or she is not allowed to say. Often it is best to just keep playing and remind the Director that he or she should avoid using such terms in the future.

What is it? If the picture is not identified within a few minutes, the players may agree to simply end that round without awarding points and move on to the next round.

Team-Play

Ages 10 and Up. 4-8 Players.

The Object

Teams earn points by drawing and identifying objects named on the Picture Cards, using only the directions given by a team member.

Setting Up

1. Divide the players into two teams. If there is an odd number of players, decide which team should have the extra player.
2. Each team selects a Director (who gives instructions) and an Artist (who follows instructions). The remaining team members, along with the Artist, will try to identify the object being drawn. These roles will change each round so that every player will have a chance to be the Director and the Artist. The Directors should sit next to each other so that both can easily see the Picture Card.
3. Give the Artist from each team one drawing board, one marker, and one eraser.
4. Decide if the group wants to play the green side of the Picture Cards or advance to the the Super Challenge words on the yellow side of the cards. Place the set of Picture Cards in the Card Viewer so that the selected side is visible through the viewer window.

Playing the Game

1. The Director from one of the teams takes the front card from the Card Viewer and moves it to the back of the viewer so that a new card shows in the viewing window. The director should make sure that the other players do not see this new card.
2. To begin the round, the Director looks at the word and the picture in the viewing window and then passes the viewer to the Director from the other team.
3. The viewer is placed so that both Directors can see the Picture Card but other players cannot. When both Directors are ready to tell their Artists what to draw, the second Director to see the card says "Go!"
4. Each Director tells his or her team's Artist how to draw the item named on the card— without saying the word. See Director's Guidelines. Each Artist draws what they are told to draw, keeping the drawing visible to members of his or her own team.
5. The Artists and other team members try to guess what is being drawn. They may only call out guesses and may not ask questions of the Directors.
6. The first team to correctly guess what is being drawn wins one point. Points are recorded on the scoring track at the top of the drawing board. Put an "X" on a number to indicate one point.
7. To begin the next round, each team needs a new Director and a new Artist. The roles of Director and Artist rotate clockwise within each team. The new Directors should sit next to each other so that they can easily view the Picture Card.
8. Play continues following steps 1-7 until one team has earned five points.

Winning the Game

The first team to earn five points wins the game!

Director's Guidelines

Directors try to communicate how to draw the items named on the Picture Cards, but there are limits to what the Director may say and do. Directors may not use their hands to communicate any information about what is being drawn. They may not touch, nor point to, any part of the drawing board. Directors may only describe the shape, location, direction, size, and number of lines and shapes to be drawn.

Hint: Directors should start by describing the main shapes and then add details as needed.

Words Allowed

• The Basics: the words "Draw" and "Erase."
• Shape Words: line, dot, square, oval, curve, 'S' shape, star, etc.
  • Example 1: "Draw a medium-sized circle in the middle of the board."
• Location and Direction Words: left, right, up, down, near, on top of, inside, etc.
  • Example 2: "Draw two small ovals inside the circle, toward the top, and add a 'U' shape below the small ovals."
• Size and Number Words: two, half, big, small, larger, more, longer, inches, etc.
  • Example 3: "Draw lots of short lines from the top of the circle going up."
• The Arrow: A Director may tell the Artist to draw an arrow pointing to one part of the drawing. The arrow is used if the item named on the card is only part of the drawing.
  • Example 4: "Draw an arrow pointing to the short lines."

Words Not Allowed

• Directors may not say the word printed on the Picture Card.
• Directors may not use words that would provide any clues or information about what the item actually is, any part of the item, or the use of the item.
  • The Director may not say: "Draw a handle on top of the rectangle."
  • The Director may not say: "Draw something that you would sit on."
• Letters of the alphabet may not be used to spell words.
  • The Director may not say: "Draw a 'C' and an 'A' and a 'T.'"

If a Director accidentally says a word that is not allowed, the round ends and no points are awarded. The next round starts with a new Director and a new Artist.

Super Challenge

The Picture Cards have a Super Challenge side (the yellow side). The drawings on the Picture Cards show examples of how the pictures could be drawn. Directors may use the picture to help them direct the Artist, or they may use their own ideas.

Super Challenge Example: the picture on the card is "Lightning."

1. "Draw an oval using a bumpy or wavy line."
2. "Starting from the bottom of the oval, draw a zigzag line going down, at an angle."
3. "Draw a bunch of short vertical lines under the oval."
4. "Draw an arrow pointing to the zigzag line."

Care of the Drawing Boards

The boards should be completely erased before being stored. If a drawing remains on the board for a long period of time, the surface will need to be cleaned using soap and water or a mild cleaning solution. It is important to keep the back and sides of the board dry during the cleaning process.