How to Play Exquisite Corpse (Fold-Over Drawing Game)

Exquisite Corpse is the hilarious, surrealist drawing game where each player secretly adds a part of a picture without seeing the rest. When you unfold the paper at the end, you get a wild and often ridiculous mash-up that’s guaranteed to make everyone laugh.

Originally popularized by surrealist artists in the 1920s, Exquisite Corpse has become a favorite party, classroom, and family game. Best of all — you only need paper, something to draw with, and a few friends.

In this guide, we’ll cover how to play, rules, variations, and strategies for getting the funniest results. We’ll also link you to our free printable fold guides so you can jump right in.

Objective

Work together to create a shared drawing by adding different parts in secret, revealing the full image at the end.

Number of Players

Classic Exquisite Corpse is played with 3 players (one for each section: head, torso, legs), but you can play with more by adding extra body parts so everyone gets a turn. See Variations below for ideas. Players should never peek at previous sections until the final reveal.

Game Length

About 5–15 minutes per drawing, depending on how many folds you make.

Age Range

Ages 6+ (younger kids can play with simpler prompts).

What You Need

• Paper (regular printer paper works fine)
• Pens, pencils, or markers
• Optional: Our free printable fold guides (makes setup faster)
• A flat surface for drawing

How to Play Exquisite Corpse in 6 Simple Steps

1. Gather your players and supplies
Get 3 or more people, a sheet of paper, and something to draw with for each person.

2. Decide on the number of sections
Most common is 3 sections: head, torso, and legs (with or without feet).

Tip: If you have more players, add extra sections so everyone gets a turn. For example:

• 4 players → Head, Torso, Legs, Feet
• 5 players → Hat/Head, Face, Torso, Legs, Feet
• 6+ players → Add Neck, Waist, Shoes, Tail, Background, or other fun elements.

3. Fold the paper into equal sections
Fold the paper into thirds (or however many sections you chose) so each part will be hidden as it’s completed.

4. Draw the first section
The first player draws the head (or top section) within their part of the paper. They should leave a small bit of the neck lines visible over the fold so the next player knows where to continue.

5. Fold and pass
Fold the paper so the drawing is hidden, except for the guideline marks, and pass it to the next player. They draw the next section (torso), then fold and pass again for the final section (legs/feet).

6. Reveal your creation
Once all sections are complete, unfold the paper and see the wild, unexpected character you’ve created.

Rules Summary

• Each player can only see their section while drawing.
• Leave guideline marks so the next player knows where to connect.
• No peeking at other sections until the reveal.
• The game ends when all sections are complete and the paper is unfolded.

Why We Like It for Families

• Everyone contributes equally, regardless of drawing skill.
• The reveal moment is pure joy.
• It sparks creativity and silliness — and no two drawings are ever the same.
• When my kids were little, they loved a board book called Mix and Match Monsters. It had the same concept: three vertical flaps you could flip to mix monster heads, bodies, and legs to create hilarious combinations and little stories. Playing Exquisite Corpse feels like bringing that book to life on paper.
• One of my favorite YouTube families, Art for Kids Hub, has a great Exquisite Corpse tutorial below. It’s fun and kid-friendly.

Some YouTube artists post Exquisite Corpse results that look unrealistically good. I’ll include both an example of that and what mine looked like when I played with my 11- and 9-year-old so you can see what to expect.

Tips for Getting the Funniest Results

• Use unexpected features (e.g., animal head on a robot body).
• Add props or accessories (e.g., a sword, sunglasses).
• Try mixing realistic and absurd styles.
• Use the “opposite style” trick — if someone before you draws cartoonish, you go ultra-realistic.

Variations

• Themed Creatures: Aliens, monsters, superheroes, animals.
• Exquisite Monster: Each section has a monster element.
• Random Prompts: Roll a die to determine each section’s style.
• Add a Name: After revealing, name your creature.
• Playing with More Players: If you have more than three people, just add extra sections so everyone gets a turn. Examples:
  • 4 players → Head, Torso, Legs, Feet
  • 5 players → Hat/Head, Face, Torso, Legs, Feet
  • 6+ players → Add Neck, Waist, Shoes, Tail, Background, or other fun elements.

Related Game – Consequences

If you like the drawing version, check out Consequences, the writing-based variation. Instead of drawing sections, players write parts of a story in secret, then reveal the whole thing at the end.