What the drawing word generator does
This page hands the drawer a random word to sketch, so the group never stalls while someone tries to think of something to draw. It holds 432 words in 9 categories, each split into 16 easy, 16 medium and 16 hard words. A round timer, a score for two to four teams and a hide button run the rest of the game. No word comes back during the same visit.
Drawing and guessing games work with paper and a pen, a whiteboard, a chalkboard or a drawing app on a second screen. The only thing the page needs to do is keep the word secret from the guessers until they say it.
A simple way to play
House rules vary, so agree on yours before the first round. This set is easy to explain:
- Split into teams. The first team picks a drawer.
- The drawer presses Start round, reads the word, presses Hide word and starts drawing.
- The drawer may not speak, write letters or numbers, or use gestures. Only the drawing counts.
- The drawer's team calls out guesses. When someone says the word, the drawer taps Guessed and the next word appears.
- When time runs out, the next team takes its turn with a new drawer.
One variation lets every team guess at once, and a correct guess from another team steals the point. Another lets the drawer use dashes for the number of words.
The categories and levels
| Category | Easy | Medium | Hard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animals | cat, dog | giraffe, elephant | chameleon, platypus |
| Food | apple, banana | hamburger, sandwich | cotton candy, bubble gum |
| Objects | ball, book | umbrella, scissors | hourglass, magnifying glass |
| Actions | run, jump | juggle, sneeze | daydream, hibernate |
| Places | house, school | lighthouse, airport | amusement park, parking lot |
| Nature | sun, moon | volcano, waterfall | eclipse, avalanche |
| Jobs | chef, farmer | plumber, magician | architect, beekeeper |
| Sports | soccer, basketball | surfboard, archery | pole vault, relay race |
| Holidays and parties | gift, balloon | candy cane, gingerbread man | haunted house, trick or treat |
Easy words are one simple shape, which suits young children and quick warm-up rounds. Medium words need a few details before they are clear. Hard words are scenes, ideas or rare things, such as an eclipse or procrastinate, that take a clever picture. Mixed draws from all three levels. The Actions category holds verbs, so drawers have to show movement with lines and arrows.
Options explained
- Categories. Pick one or several. Words from all picked categories are mixed, and the card names the category, which gives the guessers a small hint.
- Level. Easy, Medium, Hard or Mixed. Changing the level does not bring back words that were already used.
- Round timer. 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds, 2 minutes or None. Without a timer the round ends when you press End round.
- Teams. Two, three or four teams, each with a name you can type. The highlighted score shows whose turn it is.
- Hide word. Covers the card. While it is on, new words stay covered until the drawer presses Show word. Keyboard: H.
- Guessed and Skip. Guessed adds a point for the drawing team. Skip moves on without a point. Keyboard: G or Enter for Guessed, S for Skip, P to pause.
- Sound. Off at first. When it is on, a short chime plays at the end of a round.
Drawing tips
- Start with the biggest shape. A circle and two triangles already read as a cat.
- Draw the thing in a typical place. A fish in waves is easier to guess than a fish alone.
- For actions, draw a stick figure and add motion lines.
- Split hard words. For sandcastle, draw sand, then a castle, then point back and forth.
- Skip early. A tough word can eat the whole round.
A worked example
A class of 24 plays in three teams on Easy with a 60 second timer. Team 1 sends Ava to the board. She presses Start round, sees cat under Animals, taps Hide word and draws a round face with ears and whiskers. Her team shouts cat, and she taps Guessed. The next word, bridge, stays hidden until she taps Show word. The team gets it too, and time runs out before the third word is guessed. The recap shows two guessed words and no skips, the score reads 2 for Team 1, and the highlight moves to Team 2.
Limits
Used words and scores are kept only while the tab is open. The timer runs in this page, so keep it open during a round. Browsers only play sound after a tap on the page, so the chime works once you have pressed Start round. The words are in English only.
How to use the drawing word generator
- 1Pick categories, a level, a round length and the number of teams. Type team names if you like.
- 2Give the device to the drawer and press Start round. The drawer reads the word and presses Hide word.
- 3Tap Guessed when the team names the word, or Skip to move on.
- 4When the round ends, check the recap and pass the device to the next team.
Related guides
- How to Make a Round Robin Schedule: Pairings and Timing
- How to Pick a Random Winner Fairly: Draws People Trust
- Desk, Chair and Monitor Height: The OSHA Setup
Frequently asked questions
How many words are there?
432 words in 9 categories: animals, food, objects, actions, places, nature, jobs, sports, holidays and parties. Each category has 16 easy, 16 medium and 16 hard words. All of them were picked for this site to be family-friendly and possible to draw.
Can the other players see the word on the screen?
Only if the drawer lets them. Hide word covers the card, and while it is on, every new word stays covered until the drawer presses Show word. One way to play is to peek, hide the word and then put the device face down while drawing on paper.
Will a word come up twice?
Not in the same visit. Every word that is shown, guessed or skipped, is set aside until you press Reuse all words or reload the page. When every word in your categories and level has been used, the page tells you, and you can add a category, change the level or start over.
Does the timer make a sound?
Only if you switch Sound on. It starts off, so the page stays quiet in a classroom or a library. With sound on, a short chime plays when the round ends, and the clock turns red for the last ten seconds either way.
How many teams can play?
Two, three or four teams. Each team gets its own name and score, and the turn moves to the next team after every round. For a game without teams, use two teams and ignore the score.
Is anything saved or sent?
No. The words are part of the page. Team names, scores and the list of used words live only in this tab. Only the sound setting is remembered on this device.