Family portraits: a small gallery of people you rather like
Make family portraits with simple materials, kind drawing prompts, equal turns and a little gallery walk at the end.
Illustrative artwork from the game, rather than a photograph of a real outing or session.
Painting each other can be funny, thoughtful and occasionally reveal that an ear has wandered somewhere unexpected. Make the activity about noticing things you like about each person: their favourite hat, a hobby or a place they enjoy. The picture does not need to look like a photograph.
The catalogue suggests ages 5+ with adult help. Pair up, choose a sitter and share the materials, or let everyone work at once from photos that the people in them are happy to use. Agree a kind approach before the first pencil meets the paper.
A little planning before the fun
Time to allow
Allow around 90 minutes for setting up, making portraits and a gallery walk. A drawing-only version can take 30 minutes.
Budget notes
Paper and pencils you already own are enough. Use suitable paints if you have them; new canvases, frames and matching art aprons are optional extras.
These are planning suggestions, not live prices or bookings. The shorter and longer versions give you room to adapt the activity to your day.
Tick off what you have gathered, or print a fresh checklist. Ticks are for this page only.
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Paper or suitable card for each portrait
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Pencils, crayons or appropriate paints
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Table protection and a cloth if needed
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Comfortable seats and room for materials
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A dry place to display the work
Make it happen
1. Make the gallery rules together
Agree that the pictures should be kind and that anyone can ask to change the plan. Talk about drawing someone’s interests or favourite colours rather than making jokes about their body. Everyone can decide whether their picture is displayed or photographed. A good family gallery does not require a reluctant model to smile through an uncomfortable joke.
2. Choose one person and three details
Ask the sitter to name a favourite colour, something they like doing and one thing they would enjoy having in the picture. It might be a football, a book or a very ambitious imaginary pet. These details give the artist somewhere to start and make the portrait personal even when drawing a face feels tricky.
3. Practise with large shapes
Make a quick outline on spare paper: a head, shoulders and space for the chosen details. Demonstrate that you can change your mind without starting again. Offer help with a shape if someone wants it, but leave their decisions in place. A purple jumper or a huge sun can be a perfectly good artistic plan.
4. Make portraits with fair turns
If you are taking turns, agree a comfortable sitting time and use the same time for each person. Let sitters move and take breaks. Artists can add a background or a short caption while the other person rests. Younger artists may finish sooner; give them a label-making job or an extra sheet rather than expecting silent waiting.
5. Open the gallery for a gentle tour
Let each artist introduce the picture and one detail they enjoyed including. The sitter can name something they like about it, without being expected to offer an art review. Display work where it can dry safely, then share the clear-up. Keep the labels with the portraits so you remember why that person is holding a six-foot carrot.
Make it work for you
Ages 5–7
Use crayons or pencils and a large sheet. Draw a favourite activity around a simple person, and let a child dictate a label for an adult to write.
Older children and teenagers
Offer a comic-book cover, collage or stylised portrait as an alternative. They can work from an approved photo and choose whether to join the final display.
Sitting still is not appealing
Draw one another doing a favourite activity, or use a photo with permission. You can also make a portrait from colours and objects, with no face at all.
Before you begin
Use age-appropriate art materials and follow their labels. Protect surfaces and keep paint separate from food. Respect each person’s comfort with being drawn, displayed, photographed or shared online.
The family gallery label
Make a label for each portrait. An adult can write down a younger artist’s answers.
1. Artist:
2. The person in this picture:
3. The title I chose:
4. Three things I wanted to include:
5. A kind thing I noticed about my sitter:
6. Where we have agreed this picture can be displayed:
These prompts are included when you print the plan and checklist.
The best portrait is one its maker enjoyed making and its subject feels happy about. Symmetrical eyebrows are a bonus.
How did your family get on?
Tell us which step helped, what needed explaining or what you would do differently. A small, specific suggestion is more useful than a gold star—though we do enjoy a gold star.
Your email app opens so you can choose what to send. Please leave out private details, children’s names and photographs of other people.
Let the envelopes choose your next adventure
Choose activities your family would enjoy and let a little mystery settle the final decision. The sample game lets you try it before creating your own board.
Prepared for Deal or Date · Updated 28 October 2026
These plans expand activities from our game catalogue. Text and illustrative artwork were prepared with AI assistance, then checked for catalogue accuracy, clear steps and practical variations before publication. They are suggestions to make your own, rather than accounts of personal trips or product tests.