Pictionary is an enjoyable game to play with family or friends because it can be played anywhere with nearly any set of words. Excelling at pictionary isn't about artistic talent. It's about thinking outside the box and coming up with unique ways to get a point across without speaking or using written words.
Whether you have the actual board game or just want to play a game on the fly, adding your own words and themes to the game can make it even more creative and fun.
Party Pictionary Ideas
Play pictionary at your next party with some creative lists of words and phrases.
Bridal Shower
Pictionary can be a fun addition to your bridal shower party. Keep people busy by setting pictionary up at each table!
- Bride
- Church
- First Dance
- Flower Girl
- Garter
- Groom
- Kiss the Bride
- Mother of the Bride
- Proposal
- Ring Bearer
- Unity Candle
- Wedding Cake
- Wedding Dress
- Wedding March
- Wedding Rings
Baby Shower
Baby showers are so cute, and adding them to your word list can be a hoot!
- Baby Swing
- Binky/Pacifier
- Bottle
- Breastfeeding
- Car Seat
- Changing Table
- Crib
- Cut the Cord
- Diaper Genie
- It's a Boy or Girl
- Onesie
- Rattle
- Receiving Blanket
- Rocking Chair
- Stinky Diaper
- Stroller
Take a peek at more free games you can play with your friends and family at your baby shower.
Birthday Party
This game at a birthday party could be a hit. If you need extra words for your list, check out what we've found.
- Balloon Animal
- Balloons
- Birthday Card
- Birthday Suit
- Bow
- Cake
- Candles
- Goody Bag
- Invitation
- Karaoke
- Over the Hill
- Party Hat
- Pinata
- Present
- Punch
- Streamers
- Wrapping Paper
Educational Pictionary Ideas
Pictionary works well as a study tool, vocabulary game, or just a fun activity for a classroom. There are several categories to choose from below, but it's important to choose terms you know those you are playing with will know.
If it's not in their wheelhouse, but you work with it every day, you have an unfair advantage. If all of you work with the terms regularly, it's fair game!
Children's Stories
Some children's stories can be fun to add to your Pictionary queue.
- Alice in Wonderland
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear
- Charlotte's Web
- Chicken Little
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
- Cinderella
- Corduroy
- Goodnight Moon
- Green Eggs and Ham
- Little Red Riding Hood
- One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
- The Giving Tree
- The Little Engine That Could
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit
- The Three Little Pigs
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Velveteen Rabbit
- Winnie the Pooh
Science Terms
Science terms can also be a fun and unique way to add some spark to your picture-perfect adventure.
- Beaker
- Carnivore
- Cell
- Cell Membrane
- DNA
- Food Chain
- Force
- Gas
- Gravity
- Habitat
- Herbivore
- Liquid
- Microscope
- Motion
- Omnivore
- Periodic Table
- Photosynthesis
- Solid
Math Terms
Whew, math terms could be a real struggle. But you've got this! Add this list for some challenging terms.
- Acute Angle
- Area
- Axis
- Bar Graph
- Calculator
- Diameter
- Equation
- Mean
- Negative
- Obtuse Angle
- Outlier
- Perimeter
- Positive
- Pythagorean Theorem
- Radius
- Right Angle
- Ruler
- Scatter plot
- Shape
- Sum
- Symmetrical
- Volume
Office Terms
Whether you work in a home office or the city, playing this game with your staff when you get together can ease the tension.
Office Supplies
Drawing office supplies can be tricky, but drawing inspiration from the environment around you can really help. Here are a few of the neat office supplies we found:
- Binder
- Chair
- Clipboard
- Coffee mug
- Computer
- Fax Machine
- Laptop
- Notepad
- Paperwork
- Paycheck
- Pencils
- Pens
- Phone
- Stapler
- Sticky Notes
- Thermos
Office Work Words
People do a lot in an office, but here are some ideas you could portray in pictures.
- Zoom Meeting
- Phone Call
- Make Copies
- Presentation
- Write Email
- Take the Elevator
- Welcome Clients
- Office Party
- Make Lists
- Shred Paper
- Talk at the Water Cooler
Pop Culture Pictionary Ideas
Turn elements of popular culture into pictionary words and phrases. You can use the names of popular singers, movies, TV shows, and events to add to the game.
Female Singers
Famous female singers to re-enact include:
- Adele
- Aretha Franklin
- Beyonce
- Billie Eilish
- Britney Spears
- Carrie Underwood
- Cher
- Christina Aguilera
- Diana Ross
- Dolly Parton
- Janet Jackson
- Jessica Simpson
- Lady Gaga
- Madonna
- Mariah Carey
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Sza
- Tate McCray
- Taylor Swift
- Whitney Houston
Male Singers
Popular male singers for Pictionary include:
- Bob Dylan
- Bruce Springsteen
- Elton John
- Elvis Presley
- Frank Sinatra
- Garth Brooks
- John Lennon
- Justin Bieber
- Justin Timberlake
- Michael Buble
- Michael Jackson
- Noah Kahan
- Prince
- Ray Charles
- Steven Tyler
- Tim McGraw
- Zach Bryan
TV Sitcoms
There are tons of sitcoms to choose from to add some humor to your evening.
- 30 Rock
- Bel-Air
- Big Bang Theory
- Boy Meets World
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Everybody Loves Raymond
- Frasier
- Friends
- Full House
- How I Met Your Mother
- Mad About You
- Seinfeld
- That 70s Show
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- The Office
- The Wonder Years
- Two and a Half Men
- Will and Grace
Popular Movies
Some popular movies to get inspiration from include:
- Avatar
- Fast and the Furious
- Ghostbusters
- Harry Potter
- Jaws
- Jurassic Park
- Lord of the Rings
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Shrek
- Spider-Man
- Star Wars
- The Avengers
- The Dark Knight
- The Lion King
- Titanic
- Toy Story
- Transformers
- Twilight
Create Your Own Categories for Fun With Friends, Family, or Colleagues
Tailor your game of pictionary to fit your group. It could be friends, family, or even your colleagues from work. Create game cards with phrases to represent places you visited together, such as vacation destinations, day trips, and restaurants. Use the names of family members, friends, and pets as words for your game. You can also create cards that fit family members' interests or your workplace's terms here.
Some categories to try:
- 70s, 80s, or 90s pop culture or nostalgia
- Things you did in high school
- Favorite foods or desserts
- Sports or extreme sports
- Daily tasks you do around the house (like chores or cleaning)
- Holidays or figures associated with different holidays
- Things people do when they are happy, angry, sad, etc.
- Transportation
- Technology
- Things you can put on
- Popular hobbies
- People you see around town
- Places to go on the weekend
The original Pictionary categories are Person/Place/Animal, Object, Action, Difficult, and All Play but you can get as creative as you like with your own ideas.
Make It Your Own
There are so many different ways to play this game. To come up with new ideas, think about what the players have in common, and try to think of topics and word lists that relate to shared experiences. The only limitation when it comes to inventing new ways to play Pictionary is your own imagination.
