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        Backseat Drawing™
•  Ages 12 to Adult
• 4-10 players
• Minutes to learn
• 20-30 minutes
per game
• Stock #3729
• Suggested Retail
Price $24.99
Product Overview
Official Rules
English
Spanish
French
German
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Information
OFFICIAL RULES
Download a pdf version of these rules
Get Adobe Acrobat ReaderNote: This color pdf will print at full size on two letter-sized sheets of paper. It will print in shades of grey on a black and white printer.
Updated 6/9/08
Note: The rules on this page reflect the most current version available, and may differ slightly from previously printed rules.

What’s in the Box

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

The Challenge Cards are written in four languages: English, Spanish, French, and German. Play in the language of your choice.

The Object of BACKSEAT DRAWING

Earn points by drawing and identifying the objects named on the Challenge Cards, using only the directions given by a teammate.

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 will try to identify the object being drawn. These roles will rotate throughout the game.
  3. Give the Artist from each team one drawing board, one marker, and one eraser.
  4. Decide if the group wants to play the easy side (yellow) or the advanced side (red) of the Challenge Cards. Place the set of Challenge Cards in the Card Viewer so that the selected color is visible through the viewer window.

Playing the Game

  1. The Director from either team takes the front card from the Card Viewer and moves it to the back of the viewer revealing a new card in the viewing window. The other players may not see this card.
  2. To begin the round, the Director looks at the word in the viewing window and then passes the viewer to the Director from the other team.
  3. After both Directors have seen the word, the viewer is placed to the side. When the last Director to view the card is ready, he or she says “go.”
  4. Each Director tells his or her team’s Artist how to draw the item named on the Challenge Card—without naming the item. See Director’s Guidelines. Each Artist draws what they are told to draw, showing the drawing 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 identify the item that is being drawn wins one point. The point is represented by the Challenge Card used in that round. That card should not be immediately taken, but should be awarded when the card is removed to reveal the Challenge Card for the next round.
  7. To begin the next round, the roles of Director and Artist rotate clockwise within each team.
  8. The new Director from the team that won the previous round removes the front card from the Card Viewer, taking care not to reveal the next card to the other players. The card just removed is placed on the table and represents one point.
  9. Play continues following steps 2–8 until a team has earned seven points.

Winning the Game

The first team to earn seven points wins the game!

Director’s Guidelines —

Directors try to communicate how to draw the items named on the Challenge Cards, but there are limitations 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 provide information about the shape, location, direction, size, and number of the lines and shapes to be drawn.

Terms Allowed —

  • The Basics: the words “Draw” and “Erase.”
  • Shape Terms: line, dot, square, oval, curve, ‘T’ shape, cube, pyramid, etc.
    Example: “Draw a large horizontal rectangle in the center of the board.”
  • Location and Direction Terms: left, right, up, down, on top of, inside, near, angled, etc.
    Example: “On the bottom line of the rectangle, draw one circle about an inch from each end leaving about one inch between them. Erase the part of the line inside each circle.”
  • Size and Number Terms: two, inches, half, big, small, larger, more, fewer, longer, etc.
    Example: “In the center of each circle, draw a smaller circle.”
  • The Arrow: a Director may tell his or her team’s Artist to draw an arrow pointing at one specific part of the drawing. The arrow is used to indicate the significance of that particular part.
    Example: “Draw an arrow pointing to one of the large circles.”

Terms Not Allowed —

  • 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.
    Example 1, the Director may not say: “Draw a handle on top of the rectangle.”
    Example 2, the Director may not say: “Draw something that you would sit in.”
  • Letters of the alphabet may not be used to spell words.
    Example, the Director may not say: “Draw a “C” and an “A” and a “T.”

If a Director uses any terms that are not allowed, the other team is awarded the point for that round.