How to play Telestrations Official Rules

By: Dennis B. B. Taylor

Telestrations Game Rules

Hey, have you ever played the game Telestrations? If not, let me break it down for you. Telestrations is a fun and entertaining party game that combines drawing and guessing. It’s a game that will make you laugh until your sides hurt!

So here’s how it works. The game begins with each player receiving a sketchbook, a marker, and a new secret word or phrase. You start by writing this word or phrase on the first page of your sketchbook. Then, you flip your sketchbook to the next page and start drawing a picture based on that word or phrase. Simple enough, right?

Well, here’s where things get interesting. After you finish your drawing, you pass your sketchbook to the player on your left. They then look at your picture and try to guess what word or phrase it represents. They write down their guess on the next page of the sketchbook.

Now, the player who just wrote down their guess passes the sketchbook to the player on their left. This new player only sees the written guess, not the original word or the drawing. They then try to draw a picture based on the written guess. And the cycle continues.

The game keeps going until everyone’s sketchbook has made a complete round and returned to its original owner. At this point, it’s time for the big reveal. You and your friends will take turns showing the progression of drawings and guesses, which often leads to hilarious misinterpretations and side-splitting laughter.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But what if I can’t draw?” Well, don’t worry! Telestrations isn’t about being an artist or getting every detail right. It’s about the creative interpretations and misunderstandings that arise along the way. So even if your drawing skills aren’t top-notch, you’ll still have a blast playing this game.

The game rules are pretty flexible, allowing you to play with as few as four players or as many as twelve. And don’t worry, you can adjust the difficulty level by choosing simple or challenging words and phrases. Telestrations is perfect for all ages, so it’s a great choice for a family game night or a party with friends.

So, if you’re looking for a game that will have you laughing uncontrollably and flexing those creative muscles, Telestrations is the one for you. Grab your sketchbook and marker, and get ready for a hilarious game night that you won’t forget. Trust me, it’s guaranteed to be a blast!

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

Welcome to Telestrations, a fun and hilarious twist on the classic game of “telephone”. Instead of just talking, you’ll get to draw and guess, making it a visual adventure that’s perfect for parties! Here’s how it works:

What You Need

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

  • We’ve got 142 “This Side” & “That Side” Cards in the Card Box (over 1,700 words),
  • 8 Erasable Sketch Books,
  • 8 Dry-Erase Markers,
  • 8 Clean-Up Cloths,
  • 60 Second Timer,
  • and 1 Die.

Let’s Set Up

  1. We’ll place the card box, sand timer, clean-up cloths, and die in the center of our group.
  2. As a group, let’s decide which cards we want to use – “THIS SIDE” or “THAT SIDE”.
  3. Each of us will choose a sketch book, a marker, and a card.
  4. Remember to write your name in the front of your sketch book and take note of the color of your coil.

Now, let’s get the fun started!

Step 1: Getting A Word

We’ll start the round by having one player roll the die. The number rolled will correspond to a word on your card. Keep it a secret and quietly write it in your book. Don’t reveal or show it to anyone!

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

Remember: If you roll a number that corresponds to a blank space on your card, you can create any word you like. If you come across an underlined category like “TV SHOW”, you can fill in the blank with any word from that category.

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

If I’m located at the bottom of your card, you have the chance to choose any word you like from the card!

2. How Many People Are Playing

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

When you want to play a fun and creative game, turn to page 1 of ‘SKETCH IT’. Just follow these simple steps and get ready to have a blast!

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

So, let’s start with turning to “SKETCH IT” page 1 first.

Pass your book to the player on your left!

That player will take a quick peek at your word and get ready to sketch it on “SKETCH IT” page 1. Now we move on to step 3.

Step 3: Sketching

Now everyone should be on “SKETCH IT” page 1.

Ready, set, go! You have 60 seconds to secretly draw the word. Don’t forget to add the finishing touches once the time is up.

Make sure you don’t leave the page blank! Flip to page 2 to hide your sketch and pass the open book to the player sitting on your left.

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

4. Giving It a Try

Hey there! It’s time to put your guessing skills to the test. We’re on page 2 of the “GUESS IT” activity. Let’s go!

Before we move forward, take a moment to quickly glance at the sketch on the previous page. Keep it to yourself though, we want to make it interesting! Once you’re finished, head back to page 2 and start writing down your guess. And don’t worry, we won’t peek!

Alright, now flip the page and pass the open book to the player on your left. It’s time to see if their guess matches what you were thinking. Let the fun begin!

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

5. In a Continuous Loop

I invite you to imagine a game where you and your friends can’t help but get caught up in the excitement. It’s called Round & Round, and it’s a thrilling race against the clock. Here’s how it works:

First, we flip the 60-second timer, and the frenzy begins. Each player starts sketching furiously in their own book, passing it along to the next person when time runs out. But the fun doesn’t stop there. You see, your book keeps going around the circle, collecting drawings from every player.

It’s easy to get lost in the chaos, so we’ve come up with a clever solution. Each sketch book has a unique coil in a distinct color. By keeping an eye on your book’s coil, you can be sure you’re not losing track of your masterpiece. When the time is up, all the books find their way back to their original owners, allowing everyone to see the captivating journey their sketch took.

Round & Round is a game that encapsulates the thrill of creation and the anticipation of seeing your idea travel from person to person. So grab your friends and embark on this exciting adventure – you won’t be able to resist getting caught up in the whirlwind of Round & Round!

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

6. Let’s Reveal!

Now that we all have our own books, it’s time for the big moment! We can’t wait to see what’s inside! Let’s take turns flipping through the pages and sharing what we created in our sketches and guesses!

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

Helpful Tips

Sketching Tips

Don’t worry about making perfect letters or numbers when drawing your word. Just focus on having fun!

Guessing Tips

Instead of leaving the page blank or just putting a question mark, write down any guess that comes to mind, no matter how silly it may seem.

Passing Tips

After you’re done sketching or guessing, turn to the next page and wait until everyone is ready. Then, all players can pass their open books at the same time.

Are You the Winner?

If you had a great time playing, then you are already a winner! Do you want to keep score? Check out the “scoring” section for two options.

Start a New Game

Hey there, ready for another round? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with the instructions. First things first, let’s clear up pages 1 – 8. Now, it’s time to return all the used cards to the card box and grab a new one for each player. To add some spice, let’s switch up the direction of passing for the next round. Get ready for a blast of excitement and giggles!

The Points Game

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

So you want to keep score? Well, grab your score sheet from the front of your book and let’s get started. We’ll use this sheet to track our points during each round of the game.

The game is played in 3 rounds. After the third round, we’ll add up all our points. And guess what? The player with the most points wins!

Now, let’s talk about scoring. After you reveal the outcomes in your own book, here’s what you need to do:

1. Give 1 point to the player who created your favorite SKETCH in their book.

2. Give 1 point to the player who made your favorite GUESS in their book.

3. And don’t forget to give yourself 1 point if the last guess matches your secret word.

Now you know how to score points in a friendly game. But if you’re feeling a little competitive, things are about to get interesting.

In competitive scoring, things work a bit differently. Keep reading to find out how.

[competitive_scoring]

So go ahead, have fun and score some points. May the best player win!

How to play Telestrations Official Rules UltraFoodMess

When you reveal what’s inside your book, we all have a chance to win points:

  1. If your guess matches the secret word or a previous guess, you earn 1 point.
  2. If your sketch helps someone else make a match, you earn 1 point.
  3. If the last guess matches the secret word, give yourself 1 point.

Let’s Shake Things Up

Next time, try these exciting twists:

  1. Switch seats or change the direction of passing.
  2. Sketch with your non-dominant hand.
  3. Create your own cards with words related to categories like TV shows, movies, famous people, cartoon characters, superheroes, food, animals, sports, family, or a specific decade like the 80s. You can also customize words for special events like a family reunion, baby shower, bridal shower, or block party.

Taking Care of Your Markers and Book

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