Technology has brought another much-loved family favorite to the app store, as you can now download and play the app version of Pictionary.
Say goodbye to the small pencils and bits of paper, and say hello to your screen. Read on to find out why we are enjoying the new, and may we say very fun Pictionary app!
What’s wrong with pen and paper?
Don’t get us wrong, there is nothing wrong with the classic Pictionary. It has been a family favourite for generations - the prime game to whip out during the festive season, a game that is guaranteed to lift spirits and bring everyone together.
Why? Well, because everyone absolutely loves it. The rules are super easy to understand and it is suitable for grandkids right through to grandparents.
But the app version takes this well-loved game in a different direction. The reason why we rate this app is because, well firstly there is simply no need to fix something that is not broken. Pictionary is a classic game for a reason.
The app version does not replace the classic version in any way - it just lets you play the game with a broader map...
And by broader map, we mean that the app version actually lets you play with friends when you are not with them. That’s right, as long as your friends have this app downloaded then you can play against them wherever you are in the world.
The only difference is that you won’t hear your friend shouting out guesses as to what your masterpiece is.
Is this safe for kids?
So, although this app is pretty different to the original game, rest assured that it is perfectly safe for kids to have downloaded on their phones or tablets. Depending on how confident they are with their device, they may need a bit of help to get started on the app - but the easy interface should avoid this.
This app is super fun to play as a family - and the bright and colorful graphics keep the game exciting and engaging too. It is the perfect way to have fun together, and gives the classic pen and paper game a modern update.
In fact, it could be really fun for their friends in school to have this app downloaded too because then they can play together, be it as a pair or as a group!
This not only gives your kid a bit more independence, but all kids will be learning through play. This is perfect for a rainy day where everyone is stuck inside, feeling bored and miserable.
What’s new?
Well, the concept of the game is still the same - you take it in turns to draw a word or phrase and your opponent has to guess what you are drawing.
Your opponent is given a hint of how many letters the word or phrase that you are drawing out has, and they have to type out what they think you are drawing. The app does give you a bit more flexibility though...
So, this version of Pictionary does spice things up because it gives you the option to choose your game mode. You can pick between Quick Draw and Turn, both of the modes have slight differences.
Quick Draw is where you play two versus two in real time, so this is a group friendly mode. You all have to have the app downloaded to play this mode, so that you can all join and play the same game.
Turn based is where you play one on one with a friend, so this is perfect for you to play with your friend who has the drawing skills of Picasso.
This makes a great alternative to texting small talk, especially if you do not live particularly close to each other and have found it hard to get together and have fun. You can still connect with each other - but this way you are just playing a game. Who doesn’t love a lil bit of healthy competition?
Easy to use
So, the app is suitable for all ages and is really easy to navigate. But if you are really unsure on how it is meant to work, then here is a quick step-by-step on how to play the game:
- You start the game with thousands of words to choose from, and this is how you pick what you are going to draw for your opponent.
- If you hadn’t guessed this already, now that you have picked your word it is time to draw!
- While you are drawing, your friend has to guess what you are drawing.
- If they guess right then they win the point or no points get rewarded.
Yeah, it is as easy as that. Obviously, the more players you have the more alternations there are between guessing and drawing.
When you play in Quick Draw, you will have two opponents guessing what one team member is drawing. When you play in Turn mode then it is just the one opponent who is guessing.
Will this game help my kid’s learning?
One word: absolutely! This app might seem simple on the surface, but actually it will really help your kid’s growth and development by learning through play. Technology really is deceiving!
The app will help improve association with words through drawing. This of course helps improve your child’s drawing, but also improves their cognitive function as they are drawing from memory and word association.
When they pick a card with a word on it, they have to dig through their memories to see if they can picture a mental image of the subject on their card, and then draw from memory. When you put it like that, it sounds like a lot of brain power, right?
As you have to draw under timed conditions, then this also improves reaction times. What does this mean? This improves the way in which you process information, and the speed at which you can do this.
The player has to process word to image and flick through their memory of what this is, to then draw on screen. The key to improving this is through practice - yeah, practice really does make perfect. The more you play this game, the better you will get at recalling information quickly.
This game can also help improve your kid’s vocabulary as this app gives them scope to learn new words through the different cards that come up on the screen, cards that they then have to draw from.
This is a subtle way of introducing new vocabulary to your kid, and may also encourage them to ask you questions. For instance, if they see a word that they do not recognise they will ask you questions to help them understand the new word, and then they will hold onto and recall this memory.
One last thing to note is that this game does promote and bring out a sense of competitiveness between players. This comes with the obvious notion that not everyone can be a winner.
Don’t get us wrong, we know that this is an important life lesson that is better learned from a young age rather than later down the line, but no one really enjoys losing all that much.
So, as a parent we recommend encouraging your child where possible at first, to avoid any detachment from the app if they lose at any point.
This app is really fun, but losing is not always very fun. As long as you initially encourage your child when they are playing the app then this should not be a problem - this is just something to keep in mind, especially with younger kids.
After all, you do not want to lose the magic of the Pictionary app. After all, this is a great app to help your child learn in a new way that keeps up with the advances in technology, and that is not just reading or writing. This app almost tricks you into learning without really realising - yeah, it is that great!
The perfect game
Free and fun - overall we would say that this is a great way to connect with family and friends, and it is pretty good at testing your brain no matter what age you are! It is a nice spin on the classic game that everyone knows and loves, this one just moves with the times and the rise in technology.
Through the two different modes that you can play, the app version is really flexible and is perfect for a chilled gaming session or for a party.
This app is a great way to engage kids in learning through play as through drawing, guessing under time pressure and learning new words, your kid’s cognitive function is really improving.
But, do not be fooled - this game will really test grown-ups’ brains as well as kids’! And if your drawing skills are not up to scratch, then this might incur some giggles along the way...
