Creative Drawing Games for the First Week of School

Fun Icebreaker Activities

These collaborative art games are some of my favorite ways to kick off the school year, they make fun icebreaker activities especially when class periods are short and you’re just starting to meet your students.
These activities are: fun, low-pressure, and they get kids talking, laughing, and creating together right away. I’ve found that starting with these kinds of playful exercises helps set the tone for a positive classroom environment and helps to dispel any nerves around making art.
Some of these games take a little more prep than others, so I’ve included approximate time estimates to help you plan. I usually pick based on how much time I have and how much setup I’m up for that day.

Handshake Drawing (10–15 min, 2–3 students)

​This quick and silly drawing game is always a hit on Day 1.

• Students work in pairs or groups of three and all hold onto the same marker at once.
• Without telling each other what they’re drawing, each student silently thinks of an animal and starts to draw it ( together ) using just the one shared marker.

I like to tell them it’s like a handshake: not too aggressive (bone crusher) or too passive (dead fish). They have to work with each other taking turns getting in the details that make their animal distinctive. 
Students usually start laughing right away, and the results are always charming and strange.
When they finish the basic form they can add details and even name the creatures they created.
Walk around and encourage students to have fun with the details and names and get to know your students a bit as they work. Finish up with a gallery walk with the creatures on display on the tables. 
​This is something I typically do on the first day with students, to see my full first day plan check out this blog post. 
Materials:

• Copy paper (8.5” x 11”)
• Colored markers (I like this brand)

Exquisite Corpse (15–30 min, 3–5 students)

Exquisite Corpse (Fantastic Figure) is a classic surrealist game that’s great for sparking creativity and building connections.
Students sit in groups of 3 or 4 and create a creature together, one section at a time. Each student draws part of the body (head, torso, legs), folds the paper to hide their drawing (leaving just a few connector lines), and passes it to the next person.
I like to use markers only (no pencils) to encourage spontaneity and commitment. Once the creature is revealed, each group does some character development and writes a short description about their creation: name, special traits, backstory, goals in life, etc.
Here's a free slideshow with all the details about this activity you can use right away with your students just make a copy to your own Drive to be able to edit: Exquisite Corpse Google Slides
It’s a fun, collaborative game that gets students laughing and sharing ideas without any pressure to make something perfect.
Materials:

• 11" x 17" copy paper
• Colored markers

Bilateral Mirror Drawing (20–30 min, 2 students)

​This partner activity is calm and focused, and the results are always beautiful. Each pair shares one sheet of paper and sits across from each other. One person leads by drawing lines or shapes, and the other mirrors their movements. They take turns, then build on the drawing by adding textures, colors, or details.
I prep this one in advance by cutting large pastel paper in half and setting up a materials table with chalk pastels, oil pastels, and charcoal. I also pre-tear blue painter’s tape so students can tape down their paper to the table. 
Let the students decide how structured or loose they want their drawing to be. Some will plan things out, others will go with the flow...both approaches work great, the point is communication, working together and connection. 
If you'd like to read more about this activity I have a full blog post here and a Youtube video where you can see the process and how to extend this activity into a larger lesson on the Elements of Art (👈 click for a free slideshow) 
Materials:

• 19" x 25" pastel paper (cut in half)
• Chalk pastels, oil pastels, and charcoal
• Blue painter’s tape
• Fixative spray or Hairspray (to set the drawings afterward)

Marker Madness (10–15 min, 3–5 students)

This group drawing activity is all about teamwork and coordination. I've heard it called a few different things but "Marker Madness" is the one that sounded the most fun, which I got from the blog: The Idea Room. Each group of 3 to 5 students shares one marker, which has multiple strings attached. Each person holds a string, and together they try to guide the marker to create a drawing.
I tape large piece of paper (cut from my classroom paper roll) to the table and usually project a simple image for them to “copy." A simple line drawing works best, I chose a cartoon version of the school mascot and it worked well. It never turns out quite like the original, but the process gets students laughing and working together right away.
Materials:

• Large paper (butcher paper works great)
• Markers (1 per group)
• Yarn or string (1 piece per student)
• Tape (to attach paper to tables and strings to markers)
• A reference image to copy (projected or drawn on the board)

Art Class Icebreakers

These collaborative games are a great way to kick off your art classes with creativity, connection, and spontaneity.  
Whether you’ve got 10 minutes or a full half hour, each activity helps students loosen up, get to know each other, and start thinking like artists from day one.
They also give you a chance to observe how students interact, create, and problem-solve I often use these activities as a way to get a quick read on the personalities I have in the room.

If you try any of these in your classroom, tag me on Instagram @artfulideasclassroom ! 
​I’d love to see what your students create!