Activity Description: Youths work in teams of three to recreate a drawing without the drawer seeing the original image.
Items Needed:
- Paper
- Pens or markers
- Pre-made designs on paper (Like Pictionary Telephone Print Out Cards)
Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 15–20 min):
- Begin the challenge (10–12 min)
- Divide into teams of three Youth. Each team assigns one “Viewer,” one “Director,” and one “Drawer.” Make sure each Youth understands their role.
- “Viewer”: Looks at a pre-made design on a piece of paper that no one else can see. The “Viewer” cannot talk and must pantomime the design to the “Director”.
- “Director”: Interprets the pantomimes from “Viewer” and gives verbal instructions to the “Drawer”. The “Director” cannot look at the original design.
- “Drawer”: Draws the design based on the verbal instructions from “Director”. The “Drawer” cannot watch the “Viewer”, but keep their eyes on the paper.
- Compare the results (5–7 min)
- Show the original design and the final drawing side by side.
- Teams can either compete simultaneously using the same design to see which team gets closest, or take turns with unique designs.
Variations of Telephone
- Classic Telephone
- Cybersecurity Broken Telephone
- Cybersecurity Telephone Disruption
- Pictionary Telephone
References:
- “Games and Activities.” Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, my.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gscwm/documents/Girl%20Scout%20Games%20and%20Activities.pdf. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
