Backseat Drawing
by Karen Luciana

Backseat Drawing is a game that requires keen communication skills.  Players have to carefully instruct others how to draw something and have to listen carefully and follow directions in order to draw correctly.  It is a fun, fast paced game that my fifth graders really seem to love.  In brief, players are divided into teams.  There is a timekeeper.  One person becomes the describer and the recipient is the one who sketches.  The describer chooses a card and must tell his teammate how to draw what is on the card.  He must be careful with how he describes.  For example, one can’t tell a partner to draw a cat.  Instead,  the player might instruct  to draw an oval and on either side of the top of the oval draw two little triangles, etc.  It reminds me a little of the careful types of descriptions one had to give in Password.  The team that reaches a correct answer first wins the round.

Postives:  A+

When my students and I play any game, we discuss key points and first focus on what we liked.  Students reported that it was fun to draw, especially with the white boards and dry erase makers included.  I am not sure what it is about dry erase markers, but they sure do make a hit with kids.  Many liked the challenge as they thought it was hard and enjoyed the competitiveness of the race against the opposing team.  Comments also included that it was fun the way players had to interact instead of moving around a board.  And this part I really loved:  The “Oh Yeah! Factor." When you lost it was fun to look at what you were supposed to have drawn.  Another additional positive:  there are two levels to the game, so beforehand players can agree on the hard or easy version.

Suggestions:  B

With so many positive reactions, what was there possibly to report about the negatives?  Well, often there are sensitive children who fine the yelling or the pressure when racing against time just too much for their pleasure.  Some stated that the competitiveness of the game could lean to meanness and well, that ‘s just no fun.  Another point was, “If you aren’t a great drawer then this isn’t the game for you.”  A few children also believed that even though the game was leveled, the ease or difficulty within each level was not uniform.  For example, all the “Reds” were not equal in how easy they were to reproduce. Unrelated to rules but still fitting is that the dry erase markers do have a tendency to wear out so more will have to be purchased.

Directions:  A+

The Directions were simple.  A plus!  We like that very much.  Long, complicated directions make us not even want to attempt to play.  We all agreed that most games have a ton of directions, but for this one, there was only half a page and then it was great that we got to start the game right away.

Curricular Connections:  A

Connections to the classroom and to curriculum are direct.  I used the game during expository writing instruction to demonstrate the importance of giving clear instructions.  It was easy for me to use the game to demonstrate the weight of  having precise communication skills.

In Conclusion

Finally, will we want to play again?  The answer is an overwhelming, “Yes!”  Many times over and over. Backseat Drawing receives an A and Well-Done on a hit for kids!