Halloween Pictionary Game

This Halloween pictionary game will have players trying to quickly draw Halloween characters and items faster than their opponents! It’s the perfect Halloween game to play at a party, in a classroom, or just with your own family! And if you’re looking for a traditional list of Halloween pictionary words, we have those too!

Quick Draw Halloween Pictionary

We came up with this Halloween pictionary game a few years back when we were playing Halloween games over Zoom (hence the computer pictures) but that doesn’t mean it can’t be played in person – and it’s actually super fun to play in person too! It’s just something you could play for a virtual Halloween office party if you want!

The basic idea is that instead of just drawing basic Halloween pictionary words is that players are going to draw Halloween characters based on clues they’re given and win points for drawing quick and drawing well. People will love this game because it’s not just drawing like pictionary but also figuring out who you’re drawing from the clues you’re given!

It’s just as much fun as a game of classic Halloween pictionary, if not more!

If you need another fun Halloween game option, this Ghoulish Recall game or these Halloween would you rather questions would work great alongside this Halloween pictionary game!

You really don’t need much at all to play, just:

• Drawing tools for each player (I recommend some color!)
• Drawing pad or notebook for each player
• List of clues – download them at the bottom of this post
• Paper to keep score or a big dry erase scorecard
• 2 minute timer

The basic rules of the game are the same, there are just different types of clues you can give. The different clue types are in the next section of this post! But here’s how you play!

1 – Explain the Game

First, make sure everyone has a pad of paper and drawing tools available to them and make sure everyone has a good connection (if you’re playing via Zoom) or that everyone can hear you if you’re in person.

As the host, you’ll be responsible for pretty much everything other than actually drawing in this game. You’ll give the clues, judge the pictures, and keep score.

Explain how the game works to everyone before playing. Here’s a quick walk-through that should help explain.

1. Players will be given 10 different subjects to draw, such as mummy. Clues will be given either directly (e.g., mummy), via who I am riddles, or via a song.
2. Once a clue is given and players think they know who the subject is, they should begin drawing the subject as quickly as they can.
3. The first player to show the host a recognizable, non-stick figure, of the subject wins two points.
4. The other players keep drawing and have the full two minutes to finish their drawings. At the end of the two minutes, all players show their pictures and the one with the best picture (as judged by the host) wins.
5. At the end of the 10 rounds, the person with the most total points wins.

2 – play the game

Once you’ve read the rules to the players, I recommend doing a practice round with a simple subject to make sure everyone understands how it works. Then you’re ready to play.

Give the first subject clue and start the game. Each round will be two minutes or as long as people need to draw the subject, whichever one is shorter.

3 – Score the round

For each round, there are two different people that score – the first person to draw the right subject well enough for the host to recognize it gets two points and the person who draws the best drawing of that subject gets one point.

Keep score, ideally on a master scorecard, and show it to the group at periodic times during the game.

4 – Play Until You Have a Winner

Keep playing until you’ve gone through all ten rounds and have a winner! Make sure to mix up different types of clues to keep people on their toes and guessing, that’s what makes it so fun!

Halloween Pictionary Clues

I mentioned that there were three different types of subject clues you can give to players. Depending on the group that is playing, you can either do all of one type of clue or mix it up and do a variety of clues to keep people on their toes.

1 – Who Am I Clues

The first clue option is who am I clues that are a series of riddles that hint toward the subject without giving it away. I’ve written out a handful of sets of who am I clues that you can use for the game (that you can download at the bottom of this post) or you can create your own.

If you’re creating your own, I recommend starting with the hardest clues first and moving to easier ones so that people can get the clues at some point! And after you’ve read off the clues, if you want, just tell them directly who it is so everyone can at least try to draw it.

Child Clue Example

I’ve included an example of a who am I clue below! This would be a set of clues for a child trying to get them to draw a vampire.

1. Disney Jr. has a show about a young girl who is a ballerina and also one of us.
2. Another one of us runs Hotel Transylvania.
3. We like to sleep in coffins.
4. We have been known to transform ourselves into bats.
5. The most famous of our kind was named Dracula (until Edward came along).

Adult Clue Example

And then a more challenging set of clues for adults playing. Can you come up with Godzilla from the clues below?

1. There are 36 films about me but only 4 produced in America.
2. My skin was inspired by the scars seen on Hiroshima survivors.
3. My signature weapon is my atomic heat breath.
4. I vacillate between being a hero and a villain.
5. I have attacked Tokyo a total of 13 times.

You’ll say the first clue, pause for a bit, say the next clue, pause for a bit and so on. Part of the game is people having to figure out the clues and then draw what they come up with!

3 – Song Clues

These clues will be related to songs played that represent a Halloween subject of some sort. So instead of reading a clue, you’ll play a song, and let people keep drawing until their pictures are ready (or until the two minutes is up), quickest one to draw the subject still wins two points.

I’ve included a list of songs and clues to use at the bottom in the free download as well so you don’t have to start from scratch. I also created an Apple Music playlist that you can use if you have Apple Music to make it even easier to play!

Here’s an example of a song and the subject that goes with that song. Others on the playlist include Zombie by The Cranberries and Jack Skellington for This Is Halloween.

• Song – Purple People Eater
• Subject – One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People Eater

If you want to make this into a team game, you can make a pretty simple switch! Instead of using song clues, use just the who am I clues and print them out on cards that you can show to one member of each team who will still race to draw the picture and get their team to guess it first.

This is actually my preferred method of playing but know that some people may be playing with a smaller group so wouldn’t be able to do teams. But this actually works great for parties with larger groups!

Traditional Halloween Pictionary

If you want a traditional Halloween pictionary game, that’s fun too! I know not everyone wants to change things up and normal pictionary is one of our favorites!

If you want to play traditional Halloween pictionary, you can download the set of words at the bottom of this post (with the other game) and just play it like a typical game of pictionary!

1. Split into two teams.
2. Choose one person each of the teams to start and show them a word.
3. When you say go, those team members have to draw the word to try and get their team to guess it. First team to guess wins a point for their team.
4. Switch to another team member for each team and repeat until one team gets to a certain number of points.

If you’re looking for great Halloween games for adults like this one, try one of these for your next Halloween party! They’re always a hit!

• Halloween Jeopardy – a set of questions just for teens and one for adults!
• Halloween trivia – who doesn’t love a classic game of trivia??
• Halloween family feud
• Halloween name that tune game – a fun game where players have to figure out popular Halloween party songs!
• Halloween monster games – three different Halloween games just for adults inspired by classic Halloween monsters!

Download the Halloween Pictionary Words

Enter your first name and email address in the form below to get the printable PDF full of clues for the game. You will receive a link to download the PDF to your email within minutes.

If you’re prefer to not provide your email address, you can buy this game in my shop here.

If you do not see the form, click here to get to it.

The PDF will include:

• Instruction sheet
• 2 pages of direct clues (40 subjects total)
• 8 pages of who am I riddles (40 subjects, 200 riddles total)
• 2 pages of music clues (11 subjects total)
• 3 pages of traditional Halloween pictionary words

If you do not receive the file, make sure to check your promotions, spam, and junk folders!