The Big Picture

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Quick Synopsis

A leader from each team studies a picture for 15 seconds and memorizes as much as possible. The leader then goes back to their team to describe the picture, who then has to draw based on the instructions.

Ideal for building: communication, teamwork, understanding, positive conflict, leadership

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What You Need to Play

  • A picture of something such as a room, an outdoor scene, etc…
  • Box of crayons or markers and pencils or pens for each team
  • Big piece of butcher paper for each team
  • 5+ people
  • 15+ minutes

Set Up:

  1. You will need to have a picture either printed out or pulled up on a computer screen.
  2. Stack the butcher paper and drawing utensils on a table or lay them out ahead of time for each team

How to Play the Big Picture

  1. Tell the group that they are going to break up into teams or 4-5 people.
  2. They will be working to draw a picture as described by a person on their team.
  3. Each team will select a leader who will get to look at a picture for 15 seconds and then go back to their team to describe what they saw.
  4. Each person on the team needs to help draw the picture.
  5. The leader cannot draw or touch the paper. They can only describe to the team what to do.
  6. Let the groups know that they will have 7 minutes to complete their drawing.
  7. Once the time is up, all groups need to stop drawing.
  8. Have each group present their drawing so that everyone can see what each group did.
  9. Then reveal the original picture to see how accurate each drawings were.  Optional: declare a winner or assign fun awards

Debrief Example Questions

  • How did your team organize and complete the work?
  • What leadership style was used by the leader of the group? (where they very specific or general? Did they give each person a job?)
  • How can you make sure that what you communicate is understood?
  • Where do we see this applying in our lives or in our jobs?