A 15-minute online drawing game for small teams

A few minutes of drawing can give a small remote team something to laugh about together. In Scribble, one person draws a word while everyone else types guesses. You do not need polished artwork: a wonky bicycle can be part of the fun.

This agenda is for 3–6 coworkers, including the host. Allow 15 minutes on your usual video call. It is a suggested meeting plan, not a guaranteed game duration: joining, choosing words and moving between turns all take time.

Before the meeting

• Check that drawing and reading typed guesses suit your group. Make participation optional, and let people watch if they prefer. This activity depends on seeing the drawing; choose a different format if that excludes a colleague.
• Ask each player to use their own browser. Keep your normal video call open for conversation. A mouse or trackpad can be easier to draw with than a phone.
• The host needs an account and available credits or paid access. Scribble is a non-premium game, but free credits are limited. Check your balance and current plans before promising a session.

Your 15-minute agenda

1. Minutes 0–3: join. Open the Scribble game page, click Create lobby, and sign in or register when prompted. Choose Scribble in the lobby and share the lobby link in your meeting chat. Wait for the people who want to play.
2. Minutes 3–4: explain. Read the short rules below. Tell everyone that simple shapes are enough, and keep the tone friendly.
3. Minutes 4–12: play one round. Use Number of Rounds: 1, Draw Time: 45 seconds and Word Types: Easy. One round gives connected players a turn to draw. The round and timer settings are already the defaults; change the word selection to Easy for a gentle start.
4. Minutes 12–15: wrap up. Enjoy the results and ask which drawing surprised people most. If you finish early, leave time for conversation. Start another game only if the group has time and the host has access.

Explain Scribble in 30 seconds

When it is your turn, choose one of three words and draw it. Everyone else types guesses. Faster correct guesses earn more points, and the drawer earns points when people guess correctly. The drawing role rotates through the group.

For a friendly house rule, ask drawers to use pictures rather than writing the answer. Keep spoken hints out of the video call so everyone gets the same chance to guess. These are suggestions for your group, not extra settings in the game.

Why keep it to one round?

With six players and a 45-second drawing timer, the drawing time alone is at most four and a half minutes for one round. Choosing words, transitions and getting everyone ready add to that. With three players, the same setup leaves more room to chat. Do not increase the round count just to fill the agenda.

Make the next session easy to host

Save the settings in your meeting notes and rotate who hosts next time. Before each session, check the host’s access and leave a few minutes for joining. You can review Scribble’s rules before creating a lobby.