Another name for Exquisite Corpse?

January 19, 2021 7:21 AM

I want to use the Exquisite Corpse drawing game as part of an online activity for children aged 8+ that I work with, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a less-scary sounding alternative name for it, and Google isn't turning up much in terms of alternatives.

I know it has a long history of being called this and I'm aware of the historic origins of the terms, but I just want to find something a little less off-putting for children/parents/carers who haven't encountered the game before and might be put off of opening a PDF by the name!

Thanks!

posted by Chairboy to Education (15 answers total)

Exquisite Form
Exquisite Animal
Exquisite Human (if sticking to humans)
Exquisite Anatomies
posted by warriorqueen at 7:24 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

We called it the Monster Game when I was a kid!
posted by Merricat Blackwood at 7:29 AM on January 19, 2021 [5 favorites]

Best answer: We played that as kids and never called it Exquisite Corpse. We called it Paper Monsters.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:35 AM on January 19, 2021 [15 favorites]

When we've done it (with writing) for kids, we call it "cooperative storytelling". You could call it Cooperative Drawing.
posted by The Bellman at 7:45 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I had somehow never heard the name Exquisite Corpse before. I'd far rather play Paper Monsters.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 7:47 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

"The exquisite corpse shall drink the new wine."

Call it "Drink the New", then.
posted by aniola at 7:50 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

My partner knows it as “heads, bodies and legs” while I can’t remember what we called it. I thought “heads, shoulders, knees and toes” might be quite droll. Sometimes known as “picture consequences” after the similar writing game “Consequences”.
posted by lokta at 7:57 AM on January 19, 2021 [6 favorites]

How about "Build-a-Creature"?
posted by wisekaren at 8:07 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: As lokta mentions, I knew this as "picture consequences" after the writing version when I was a kid, but I think "paper monsters" sounds more fun.
posted by terretu at 8:08 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]

we called it "Eat Poop You Cat"

I don't know why.
posted by dismas at 9:40 AM on January 19, 2021 [15 favorites]

Response by poster: 'Paper Monsters' it is. Thanks all, that was a massive help!
posted by Chairboy at 9:40 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

dismas, we call Eat Poop Cat when you give someone a sentence, they draw it and then give the next person the image, for which they write a sentence, and so on. Funny.
posted by stray at 9:51 AM on January 19, 2021 [8 favorites]

Stray -- maybe that's what I was thinking of!
posted by dismas at 12:57 PM on January 19, 2021

Monster factory? (just throwing it in the hat in case paper monsters doesn't stick.)

Also wanted to add in, if you want a variation on exquisite corpse, we've played where one person (not drawing) narrates each section to the drawing people. e.g. "Okay, the head is sort of like a turnip, but has bat ears... etc etc" then fold and pass, "okay the body is furry but only on one side, and it has three navels..." etc. It's a fun break from just drawing whatever you want, but more challenging in a way. You can take turns being the describer.

Hope the kids have fun!
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 10:01 PM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

Heads Bodies And Legs is the game you're talking about. I always thought Exquisite Corpse referred to the storytelling game where each person picks up the tale after the previous person finishes.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 10:05 PM on January 19, 2021