Back-to-Back Drawing Worksheet
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If you’re looking for an engaging way to improve communication and teamwork among therapy clients or other groups, back-to-back drawing is worth considering.
This article explains what back-to-back drawing entails, who it benefits, and how to perform it. You will also find a free downloadable back-to-back drawing activity to use with clients.
What is the back-to-back drawing activity?
The back-to-back drawing game is an insightful exercise that is designed for therapists to help clients understand the value of clear communication. This is especially important in situations where visual cues, such as a person’s facial expressions, hand movements, eye contact, and body language, are absent.
In this activity, two people sit or stand back-to-back. One person describes a picture, and the other tries to draw it based only on the spoken instructions they receive. Since no visual cues are allowed, participants rely on clear and concise communication.
Who is the back-to-back drawing activity for?
From couples to groups and teams, back-to-back drawing is a useful activity for developing effective communication skills.
Back-to-back drawing can be applied in various personal and professional settings, such as:
- Therapy: Group therapy, couples therapy, etc.
- Classrooms: Elementary, middle school, and older students
- Team building events: New hires, established teams, and members from different departments within an organization
- Community or social groups: Book clubs, sports clubs, hobbyists, gardening clubs, arts and crafts groups, and more
- Workshops or training sessions: Corporate managers and leaders, employees, and professional trainers
Benefits of using back-to-back drawing with clients
Back-to-back drawing is a simple tool to improve communication—how we give and receive information.
Whether used in therapy, team-building, or educational settings, back- to- back drawing can provide insight into how easily misunderstandings happen and how important it is to be precise and attentive.
Improving communication skills can make a big difference in many areas of life.
Here’s how back-to-back drawing can benefit clients:
- Clients get to practice expressing their thoughts in a clear and coherent manner, which reduces conflict or disagreements.
- As participants focus on what their partners are saying, they sharpen their active listening skills.
- When communication breaks down, both the speaker and the listener must remain calm so they can continue without frustration, helping them to develop patience.
- Participants understand their strengths and weaknesses in their communication. This increased self-awareness will allow them to adapt their style based on the audience or situation.
- It promotes empathy by allowing participants to see things from someone else’s viewpoint. Then, they can work together constructively.
Steps for the back-to-back drawing activity
Here are the steps for conducting the back-to-back drawing activity:
Step 1: Prepare the materials
Prepare pencils, blank sheets of paper, and simple images or shapes for the participants to describe. You can use pre-printed images.
Step 2: Pair up participants
Divide your group into pairs. One person in each pair is the "describer," and the other is the "drawer." Give the describer the pre-printed image, and the participant a pencil and paper.
Step 3: Assign a time limit
This communication drawing activity usually takes around 5-10 minutes to complete. Once time is up, each pair will compare the drawing to the original pre-printed image to see how closely it matches the describer’s instructions.
If time allows, participants can switch roles so that the drawer becomes the describer.
Step 4: Discuss the experience
Participants can discuss what was easy or challenging about the back-to-back drawing game.
Start a group discussion on the importance of communication, listening, and teamwork, and allow everyone to share their thoughts and the lessons they’ve learned.
Tips for completing the activity
Here are some tips to complete the back-to-back drawing activity:
- Complete the activity in a quiet, distraction-free environment to help participants focus on their communication.
- Remind participants to be patient with each other. If something isn’t clear, ask them to take a deep breath and ask for clarification rather than getting frustrated.
- After the back-to-back drawing, give constructive feedback on communication styles and effectiveness, such as assertive communication.
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