Scattergories is a game of wit and valor. You have to not only know a great number of words from the English language, but you also need to know things about the world that most people don’t. But the key to succeeding in this game is knowing how to use your knowledge, not how much of it you have. With the right use of your, no matter limited or unlimited knowledge, you can succeed at this game without much effort.
The game is based on a traditional game known as Tutti Frutti, Jeu du Baccalauréat, Stadt Land Fluss, and many other names but its sale officially started in 1988 by the Parker Brothers. Talking about Scattergories Categories, the list is unlimited.
Scattergories can be played by kids and adults and can be enjoyed by both as well. Scattergories Categories ideas can range from anything, from science to television series, from geography to food items. Literally, anything that you can think of. Scattergories is just the right game to test your vast vocabulary about these topics.
Objective of Scattergories Game
The objective of the game is to quickly fill out the answer list relating to each category, starting with the specified letter. You will only get points for what you write down if it differs from what other participants write down, so try to use diverse and uncommon words to get the highest possible score and win the game!
How to Play Scattergories Game
Required Scattergories Game Equipment
To play the Scattergories Game, you will need to buy the Scattergories Game box that comes loaded with all the equipment you will need to play this fun and challenging game. Once you have made yourself familiar with how to use all the equipment listed below, you can move on to setting up the game and starting the gameplay,
- Six folders, one for each player to put their given category cards and answer sheet in.
- Six clip strips
- One answer pad, with multiple pages of answer sheets.
- Twenty sided die, with a letter from the alphabet written on each of its sides.
- Thirty-six Category cards, double-sided, six cards per person. There will be twelve lists of categories, one on each side of the six cards per person. There will be six copies of each card, one for every player. Each list has twelve categories per list, equating to a total of one hundred and forty-four categories.
- A timer
- A die-rolling board
- Six pencils, one for each player to record their answers.
How to Setup a Scattergories
Setting up the Scattergories Game board is fairly straightforward. You only need to follow the given below three steps to set up your game and have it ready to be played in no time.
- Take each folder and stick the entire six categories cards into the clips on the left side of the right flap of the folder.
- Take one of the answer sheets and stick that into the right side of the right flap of the folder.
- Place the pencil in the pencil holder at the crook of the folder, where the two flaps meet.
Rules to Play the Scattergories Game
The following steps will highlight the gameplay for Scattergories Game, follow these rules and we guarantee you a great time!
- Each player should be given one folder.
- Collectively pick one list to use to bring that to the top of the pile. Make sure all players are using the same list.
- Place the die rolling board on the desk as the twenty-sided die is very heavy and might cause damage to the top of your desk if you roll it on it directly. Roll the die on the die rolling board, whichever letter comes on top will be used as the first letter for all of the categories in that particular list.
- Press stop on the given timer and then spin the dial as far as it goes. Make sure all players know the assigned letter by the die and have the correct list on the top of the pile. Wait for every player to be ready with their pencils in their hands and then press the start button and begin the game.
- Once the timer runs out, all players are required to immediately stop and then the scores are determined. Each player should say their answers out loud and every player should determine whether what they’ve written has also been written by someone else. To do this, you can draw a circle around any words you hear the others say out loud that you have on your answer sheet. At the end look at all the words that are not encircled and count them to decide your score for the round. Write the score at the top of the page.
- Repeat the above-mentioned steps three times to finish up the game and declare a winner.
- At the end of the game, the player with the highest aggregated score wins.
While playing the game, you will have to follow certain rules to determine what answers are acceptable and which ones cannot be counted for points. The list below gives an outline of such rules, but you and your fellow players can always come up with rules of your own to avoid confusion and quarrels.
- The first word of your response must start with the key letter.
- The first letter of the words “A”, “An” or “The” cannot be used as key letters. These will be ignored when you write down for a category; the first letter of the next word in the answer will be used.
- When writing down a person’s name, you can use the first or last name for the key letter.
How to Create Scattergories Categories Game
If you do not want to spend money on time waiting for your Scattergories Game box to show up, you can always create the game for yourself at home. The following steps will show you exactly how to do this in a quick and easy fashion!
- You can ask all your friends to write down the name of a category on a piece of paper and then put it in a bowl. For each round, you can pull out a number of chits to create your own list of categories.
- Each player should also be given a piece of paper to record their answers on.
- You can use the stopwatch in your smartphone to time each round in your game.
- To decide on what letter to use as the key letter for each round, one of the players can sing the alphabet in their heads without saying it out loud till you tell them to stop and the letter they stop at can be used as the key letter. Or you can look up an online alphabet dice to roll on your phone!
- You can score the game in the usual way and enjoy playing without having to carry the box around or waiting for it to be delivered!
How to Win at Scattergories Categories Game
Winning a game like Scattergories requires both skill and luck. But by using your brain and being mindful of a few common mistakes, you can make your own luck. Keep the following tips in mind when you play the game with your friends next time and you will surely get the highest score possible!
- Write down whatever words you can think of for the given categories first, and leave any categories you can’t remember a word for blank. This will give you more time to work on those after you are done with the answers that can easy to you
- Keep track of how others are playing based on previous rounds. If they avoiding common words then go for the common words as everyone else will try not to write it down and you will end up being the only one with it in your list, however, if they tend to opt for the common and easy words, then stay away from those and try to be creative.
- Usually, the key to having different answers than others isn’t to know big and difficult words, you can string together words to create answers of your own that can’t be challenged and will be unique as well. An example of this will be using specific descriptions before colors e.g. cotton candy pink for the letter c.
- If you are stuck, try to think of all and any words that start with the assigned key letter and then see if they fit into any of the given categories.
- If you are still having trouble then try to think of every possible word that will fit into a specific category and your brain could possibly give you a word that starts with the assigned key letter.
- Remember, this is a game where you have to worry both about how long you take to answer and what answer you write, so keep track of the time and try to be as creative and inventive as possible at the same time!
Variations of Scattergories Game
Scattergories is a very famous game worldwide and over the years people have created their own variations of the game to be played by their own rules and according to their likes. These are listed below:
Categories Game
This is the game that Scattergories stemmed from. For this game, you only need a number of papers and pencils equal to the number of players, instead of a big box with multiple pieces of equipment. Each player has to draw a five into five grid on their piece of paper. The players can then mutually decide on five categories to put along all the columns, vertically, on one side, outside of the grid. One of the chosen players can decide on a five-letter word to place on top of the grid, along the rows, horizontally. This should also be placed outside the grid. The whole five into five grid should be left empty to fill in with words corresponding to the category and letter associated with each box. The players can decide on a time limit like five or ten minutes and everyone should complete their own grids in that time limit. The players can use any technique they like to choose which players get to decide on the word, categories and time limit. The same method as a Scattergories Game can be used to score and determine the winner.
Name Place Animal Thing Game
This game is an easier variation of the Scattergories Game. In this version, the categories are already decided. Each player is handed a piece of paper and a pencil, on which each must draw five columns with each headed by Name, Place, Animal, Thing, and Total. To decide on what letter to use as the key letter for each round, one of the players can sing the alphabet in their heads without saying it out loud till you tell them to stop and the letter they stop at can be used as the key letter. As soon as the key letter is said out loud, all the players have to start filling up their page, they are only required to write one answer for each category. The first player that finishes than starts a countdown from ten for the other players. The other players have to finish up their game before the countdown ends. After everyone is done, the scores can be finalized. In this version, however, instead of each acceptable entry having one point, it has ten points. The number of points that each player scores in a round can be jotted down in the total column. As many rounds as the players want can be played, till you run out of paper or alphabets of course!
List of Scattergories Categories for Kids
Scattergories are thoroughly enjoyed by kids and teenagers. Some Scattergories Categories for kids can be:
ANIMALS
- African Animals
- Quick Animals
- Amphibians
- Fish
- Slow Animals
- Animal Homes
- Breeds Of Cat
- Animals Which Have a Specific Color
- Birds
- Animals Which Jump / Hop
- Dangerous Animals
- Animals Which Dwell Underground
- Breeds of Dogs
- Arctic Animals
- Pets
- Farm Animals
- Reptiles
DISNEY
- Disney Princesses
- Disney Prince
- Disney Movies
- Disney Cartoon Characters
- Disney Television Shows
- Disney Television Characters
- Disney Songs
- Disney Classics
CLOTHING
- Different Shoe Styles
- Halloween Costumes
- Cowboys Costumes
- Men’s Clothing
- Entertainment
- Women’s Clothing
- Undergarments
- Baby Clothes
GEOGRAPHY
- Mountain Ranges
- Rivers
- Cold Places
- Oceans
- Lakes
- Hot Places
- Seas
ART
- Colors
- Terms
- Famous Artists
- Equipment
- Famous Paintings
- Art Types
- Photography
TOYS & GAMES
- Classic Toys
- Action Figures
- Dolls
- Board Games
- Hobbies
- Building Toys
- Different Types of Toys
- Children’s Games
Online Scattergories Game Apps to be Played
TuttiFrutti: this app truly captures the essence of the Name Place Animal Thing Game. It provides you with the categories and a key letter with two rounds of gameplay. However, it does not show the scores at the end and you do not compete against other players. You’re basically playing against yourself. The app has a rating of 3.1 on the app store and while it will only take up 11MB of space in your phone.
Fight List: this app allows you to write down as many words as you want for a specific category and then assigns your scores according to that. It’s a variation of the Scattergories Game and you only play with one category, and no keywords. This app is fairly easy to use and you can compete with your friends by linking the game to your Facebook account. There are no ad interruptions while around is going on, the ads are only displayed after the round is over.
Scattergories Blitz: this app allows you to name as many words as possible in a specific category and lets you play with a friend as well as strangers if you choose not to link your social media with the app. This app takes up more space but provides similar services as the Fight List app, however, the number of ads in this app is relatively lower. This app also gives you a cheat sheet at the end so it can help you learn words for later games that you might play with your friends.
List of Scattergories Categories for Adults
Planning to host a party or inviting friends up for Halloween/ Christmas, these Scattergories Categories ideas are here to light up your party.
CAREERS
- Sales Terms
- Medical Terms
- Terms Relating Teachers
- Diseases
- Legal Terms
- Medicine Names
- Study Areas
- Nursing Terms
- Office Items
TELEVISION
- Classic Commercials
- Disney Shows
- Cooking Shows
- Reality Television
- Music Programs
- Sit-Coms
- Nickelodeon
- Cartoon Network
- Prime Time Television
MOVIES
- Science Fiction Movies
- Horror Movies
- Rom-Coms
- Actors
- Romantic Movies
- Actresses
- Comedy Movies
- Blockbusters
- Disney Movies
- Star Wars
- James Bond
- The Hunger Games
- Classic Movies
- Twilight
- Harry Potter Movies
- Fantasy
FOOD
- Beverages
- Spices
- Alcoholic Drinks
- Sandwiches
- Beer Brands
- Mexican Food
- Cold Drinks
- Meat
- Hot Drinks
- Chips
- Fizzy Drinks
- Desserts
- Italian Food
- Meals for Breakfast
- Cookies
- Cheese Types
- Candy
- Cake Types
- Flavors of Ice cream
- Pies
- Chinese Food
- Fast Food Types
- Condiments
- Pizza Toppings
- Dairy Products
- Meat Cuts Types
- Gourmet Foods
- Junk Food
- Donuts
- Fast Food Brand Names
GARDENING
- Flowers
- Trees
- Annual Flowers
- Fruit Trees
- Different Colorful Flowers
- Ornamental Trees
- Perennial Flowers
- Growing Vegetables
- Fragrant Flowers
- Gardening Terms
- Gardening Tasks
- Vegetable Garden Plants
COUNTRIES
- Capital Cities in Europe
- Countries in Africa
- Terms Relating Antartica
- Capital Cities in Asia
- Countries in Europe
- Canadian Provinces
- State Capitals in the United States
- Countries
- Countries in South America
- Flags of Countries
- Names of Countries Starting with a Specific Letter
HISTORY
- Airplanes
- Decades
- World War I
- Dictators
- World War II
- Politics
- Vietnam War
- Elections
- The American Civil War
- Presidents
- Great Wars
- First Ladies
- Countries Involved
HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS
- Holiday Terms
- Christmas Songs
- Thanksgiving Gifts
- Christmas Gifts
- Holiday Songs
- Different Holidays
- Halloween Activities
HOME FURNISHING
- Paints
- Bathroom Accessories
- Kitchen Appliances
- Floor Coverings
- Window Curtains
- Bedroom Furniture
- Living Room Furniture
- Backyard Furniture
- Furniture of This Room
- Furniture to Put Things On
- Wall Coverings
- Furniture where we sit on
LANGUAGE
- Articles
- Parts of Speech
- Punctuation
- Contractions
- Conjuctions
- Possessive Pronouns
- Adjectives
- Pronouns
WORDS
- Tongue Twisters
- Words Starting with a Specific Letter
- Words Starting with a Specific Prefix like Mis, Un, etc
- Words Ending with a Specific Suffix like Less, -ation, -ing, etc
- Archaic Words
- Words meaning Beautiful
- Words to Describe a Sunset
SPORTS
- The Olympics
- Outdoor Sports
- Water Sports
- Indoor Sports
- Famous Players
- Popular Games
- Sports Terms
- Single Player Games
- Team Sports
LITERATURE
- Authors
- Biographies
- Famous Characters
- Children’s Books
- Genres
- Bedtime Stories
- Westerns
- Drama
- Research
- Horror
- Autobiographies
- Poetry
- Mythology
- Reference Articles
- Romance
MUSIC
- Boy Bands
- Theme Songs for T.V. Shows
- Children’s Songs
- Music from the 60’s
- Classical Music
- Music from the 70’s
- Eighties Music
- Music from the 80’s
- Female Singers
- Music from the 90’s
- Folk Songs
- Music from the 00’s
- Love Songs
- Modern Music
- Male Singers
- Famous Lyricists
- Movie Theme Songs
- Famous Rappers
- Musical Instruments
- Famous Theme Songs
- Nursery Rhymes
- Classic Songs
- Award-Winning Songs
SCIENCE
- Chemicals
- Planets
- Internal Organs
- Weather
- Constellations
- Terms relating to a specific season in the year
- Elements in the Periodic Table
- Astronomy Terms
- Names of Bones in the Body
- Names of Metals
- Science Subjects
- Names of Minerals
- Names of Gems
- Different Types of Rocks
- Insects
TECHNOLOGY
- Health Gadgets
- Online Games
- Internet
- Smart Devices
- iPhone Apps
- Websites
- Nintendo
- Smartphones
- Video Games
THINGS
- That Make You Itch
- That Are Cold
- That Have Spikes
- That Are Flat
- That Are Flexible
- That Have Spots
- That Are Square
- That Can Be Used As Drugs
- That Are Sticky
- That You May Find in a Medical Store
- That Are Cheap
- That You May Find in a Park
- That Are Used by Kids
- That Are in the Sky
- That Given as Gifts
- That Are Made From Glass
- That Are Round
- That Are Made From Plastic
- That Are of a Specific Color
- That Are Made From Wood
- That Are Scary
- That Have Wheels
- That Are Expensive
- That Jump or Bounce
- That Burn
- That Have Stripes
- That Are Hard
- That Are Fragile
- That Have Wings
- That You May Find at a Circus
- That People Generally Lose
- That You May Find at a School
- That Get Bad After Some Time
- That You May Find at a Hospital
- That Have a Great Smell
- That You May Find at a Superstore
TOOLS
- Hand Tools
- Plumbing Tools
- Carpentry Tools
- Electric/ Power Tools
- Cooking Utensils
- Mechanic’s Tools
- Home Tools
- Office Tools
- Workshop Tools
- Desk Accessories
- Woodwork Tools
TRANSPORTATION
- Names of Airlines
- Automobiles
- Names of Highways
- Road Signs
- Car parts
- Names of Trains
- Cruises
- Names of Airports
- Names of Airplanes
These are great – the lists are endless and PERFECT for weeks like this!
I love this list AND Scattergories. It’s a great game to play at home with family while everyone is sheltering in place. These categories make the game even more fun and diverse!
What a cool post! This is fantastic, especially in this day and age!