Draw a SongMusic you can see: put one song on repeat and draw its shapes, colors and rhythm. No instruments, no people.
HandsDraw the hand you do not draw with, in three poses.
Hard ShadowsLight and shadow: one lamp, one object, hard shadows. No outlines, only tones.
In My BagEverything in my bag: lay the contents out in a grid and draw every item.
Negative SpaceDraw the gaps around a chair and let the chair appear on its own.
One LineOne continuous line: put the pen down once and do not lift it until the drawing is done.
Patterns OnlyFill a simple outline with repeating patterns. No shading.
ReflectionsDraw a thing and its reflection in water, a window or the back of a spoon.
Self-PortraitDraw yourself as a statue, a robot or the person you will be in 50 years.
Three ColorsThree colors only: a limited palette. Shut your eyes, pull three pencils from the box and make the whole picture with them. Bare paper is the only extra.
Your ShoesShoes by the door: draw the pair nearest your front door, from life, laces and all.
Show all 150 themes (139 more)
Outfits: everyday 11
Airport OutfitComfortable enough for a long flight, smart enough for the arrivals photo.
Back to SchoolFirst day of school: the outfit you would plan for a week, with new shoes and your best bag.
Black TieThe strict one. A dinner suit or tuxedo with a black bow tie, or an evening gown. In a dress-up challenge, judge on fit and polish, not sparkle.
Garden PartyFlorals, linen and a hat with a brim.
HeatwaveLight fabrics, a hat, sunglasses. Stay cool and still look dressed.
Job InterviewDress for an interview at a company you invent. Say what the job is.
Music FestivalRain boots, a fanny pack, layers for the evening and something that sparkles.
Rainy DayBoots, a coat and an umbrella. Make waterproof look good.
Ski LodgeChunky knits, fleece, thick socks and boots. No skiing required.
StreetwearSneakers first, then build up: loose pants, a graphic top, a cap.
Tennis ClubWhites, a pleated skirt or shorts, a visor and a sweater over the shoulders.
Outfits: one rule 11
AccessoriesAll about accessories: a plain base and at least five of them.
All ThriftedThrift store only: every piece second-hand. Agree a spending limit before you shop.
Color BlockThree bold solid colors and no prints.
Denim on DenimAt least two denim pieces. Different washes make it easier.
Flag ColorsPick a country and wear only the colors of its flag.
Grandpa StyleStraight from grandpa's closet: a cardigan, corduroy, loafers and a flat cap.
MonochromeOne color from head to toe, shoes included.
Opposite TwinsTwo people, the same outfit in opposite colors.
Pattern ClashStripes, florals and checks in one outfit that still works.
Recycled LookA recycled runway: an outfit made from cardboard, newspaper and trash bags. Tape allowed.
Your Birth YearDress in what was in fashion the year you were born.
Spirit week: easy days 12
Backwards DayClothes on backwards or inside out. Run the timetable backwards too if staff agree.
Beach DaySunglasses, sun hats, bright shirts and a towel over your shoulder.
Formal FridayA shirt with a collar, your best shoes and your hair done. The opposite of Pajama Day.
Hat DayAny hat: caps, beanies, sun hats, a colander.
Holiday Mix-UpEach grade dresses for a different holiday, all on the same day.
Kindness DayWear a shirt with a kind message and leave sticky-note compliments on lockers.
Mismatch DayStripes with spots, two different shoes, nothing that goes together.
No BackpacksAnything but a backpack: carry your books in a laundry basket, a cooler or a pillowcase. Nothing that blocks a hallway.
Pajama DayPajamas, robes and slippers. Closed-toe slippers if the dress code asks for shoes.
Wacky Hair DayPipe cleaners, spray color, cups, braids around a bottle. The taller the better.
Workout DayWorkout Wednesday: tracksuits, sweatbands and high socks. Add a lunchtime relay.
Drawing: places 12
4-Season TreeSplit the page in four and draw the same tree in each season.
Another PlanetLife on another planet: invent the plants first, then the animals that eat them.
Bird's-Eye ViewYour street or your room seen from directly above.
Empty PlacesForgotten places: an empty fairground, a closed station, an attic nobody has opened in years.
Floating IslandsLand that hangs in the sky. Show what holds it up, or what falls off the edge.
House CutawaySlice a building open from roof to cellar and show every room in use.
Made-Up MapsA coastline, mountains, roads, a key and names for everything.
Night MarketStalls, lanterns, steam and a crowd. Light comes only from the stalls.
Overgrown CityStreets and buildings taken back by plants.
Tiny WorldsA whole scene inside a jar, a teacup or a matchbox.
TreehouseLadders, rope bridges and rooms. Draw it as a plan, then as a view.
Wrong ScaleGiants and miniatures. Change the scale: a mouse the size of a bus, a city on a dinner plate.
Drawing: creatures 12
Animal HybridsTwo animals in one body. Name the new species.
Animal JobsA heron as a postal worker, a bear as a baker. The uniform has to fit the animal.
Dragon HoardsA dragon that collects something other than gold: teapots, library books, left socks.
Fairy Tale SwapSwap the setting: move a tale everybody knows to a space station, a city apartment or the seabed.
Food FacesGive your lunch a personality. What is the toast worried about?
Kind MonstersA friendly monster: design one that nobody could be scared of.
Mood CreaturesFeelings as creatures. What does boredom look like as an animal? Or the feeling on the last day of school?
Old LegendsMyths and legends: pick a creature or a hero from an old story and draw the moment before the fight.
Robot HobbiesA robot that knits, gardens or collects stamps. Show how its hands cope.
Royal PetsA pet in a crown, a ruff and robes, posed like an old oil painting.
Silly MachinesAn impossible machine: one that does a small job in the hardest way. Label the parts.
Weather PeopleWeather as a character: draw fog, a heatwave or a north wind as a person.
Dress-up parties 13
90s ThrowbackBucket hats, plaid shirts, slap bracelets and the songs from your school dances.
1920s JazzFringe, feathers, pearls and suspenders, with a jazz band playlist.
1950s Sock HopA school gym dance with 1950s rock and roll. Shoes came off to protect the gym floor, so everyone dances in socks.
1970s DiscoA mirror ball, flared pants and a dance-off to a 1970s playlist.
Black and WhiteTwo colors only, from the clothes to the cake.
Decades PartyA decades mash-up: every guest picks a different decade. Guess each one at the door.
Glow in the DarkBlacklight bulbs, white T-shirts, glow sticks and neon tape on the floor.
Letter PartyPick one letter. Everyone comes as something that starts with it.
Masquerade BallFormal clothes and a mask for everyone. Masks come off at a set time.
One Color PartyThe invitation names a color and everything follows it: outfits, plates, even the cake.
Red CarpetA red carpet awards night. Guests vote by secret ballot in categories you invent, such as Best Laugh. Wrap toy trophies in foil and film every thank-you.
Totally 80sNeon, leg warmers, big hair and a mixtape playlist.
Winter WonderlandFairy lights in jars, cotton-ball garlands and a race to wrap a friend as a snowman in toilet paper.
Food and game nights 13
Baking ContestEveryone brings a bake. Taste blind and vote on paper slips.
Beach PartyFlip-flops at the door, a paddling pool full of ice for the drinks and limbo under a pool noodle. It works in a living room in January.
Board GamesA different game on every table. Swap tables every 30 minutes.
CampoutA backyard campout: tents, flashlights and toasted marshmallows. If there is a fire pit, one adult stays in charge of it all night.
Game ShowTeams, buzzers, a host with cue cards and rounds written about the guests.
Karaoke NightPrint a song list sorted by decade so nobody freezes at the screen. House rule: the whole room sings every chorus.
Mystery DinnerHand out character cards and solve a whodunit between courses.
Outdoor MoviesAn outdoor movie night. Wait for full dark, put the speaker behind the seats and bring bug spray. Beanbags beat lawn chairs.
Pajama PartyPajamas, pillows, a film and breakfast for dinner.
Pizza PartyMake your own pizza: dough balls, a toppings bar and a name flag for every pizza.
Retro ArcadePixel decorations, a high score board and old consoles or handhelds on free play.
Tea PartyA garden tea party: teapots, finger sandwiches, scones and a hat for every guest.
World PotluckAn around the world potluck: each guest brings a dish from a different country and a card that names it.
Spirit week: colors and shirts 13
Club Shirt DayShow what you do after the bell: a shirt from your club, band, troupe or league.
College ShirtWear the name of a college or training program you might apply to one day. A relative's old sweatshirt counts.
Color Wars DayOne color per grade, announced a week ahead. Teachers tally each homeroom and the brightest grade takes the trophy.
Floral FridayFlower prints, flower crowns, a real flower in a buttonhole.
Galaxy DayStars, silver, glitter and anything that glows.
Green Out DayEveryone wears green. It fits the week of Earth Day, April 22.
Jersey DayAny sport, any league: pro, college or the under-10s side you played for.
Neon DayThe brightest clothes you own, plus highlighter accessories.
Pink Out DayEveryone wears pink. It fits October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
School ColorsWear the school's two colors from cap to laces. Bring spare ribbons for anyone who forgot.
Sweater DayHoliday sweater day: the loudest winter sweater you can find or make.
Tie-Dye DayTie-dye anything. Run a dyeing session the week before so everyone has a shirt.
Outfits: characters 13
Animal InspiredPick an animal and dress in its colors and patterns. No costume, only clothes.
Dress as a FruitA strawberry is red with a green hat. A banana is harder.
Game HeroA video game hero: bright primary colors, pixel prints and one power-up prop. Invent the game.
MermaidA mermaid on land: sea greens, shimmer, shells and hair that looks as if it has just dried.
Night SkyNavy, black and silver, with stars somewhere.
Pop StarA pop star on tour: sequins, a statement jacket and a headset microphone if you can fake one.
Rock StarLeather or denim jacket, band T-shirt, boots, dark glasses.
RoyaltyA crown, a cape, jewels and a very slow walk.
Secret IdentityWhat a superhero wears on a day off, with one clue showing.
Time TravelerTwo eras in one outfit: a ruff with sneakers, a top hat with a tracksuit.
The VillainA storybook villain: dark colors, sharp shoulders, one dramatic accessory. Invent the villain, do not copy one.
Woodland FairyGreens and browns, leaves, flowers and wings if you have them.
Year 3000Metallics, visor shades and clean lines. What people wear a thousand years from now.
Adventure parties 14
Carnival GamesA backyard carnival: ring toss, a can knockdown, popcorn and a striped entrance.
Circus Big TopA ringmaster runs the show: hoop jumps, a tightrope taped to the floor, plate spinning and a red nose for every guest.
Dinosaur DigBury toy bones in a sand tray and hand out brushes. Footprints lead to the cake.
Enchanted ForestFairy lights, branches, moss and wings or pointed ears for the guests.
Hero AcademyA superhero academy: capes, masks and an obstacle course. Every guest invents a hero name and a power.
Jungle SafariBinoculars, paper vines and toy animals hidden around the room to spot.
Medieval FeastOne long table, paper crowns, banners and food you can eat with your hands.
Outer SpaceFoil, paper planets on strings and a rocket cake. Count down to every game.
Paint PartyAprons, small canvases and one picture that everybody paints step by step.
Pirate PartyA pirate treasure hunt: eye patches, a hand-drawn map and a chest buried where the X is.
Science LabLab coats, goggles, a baking soda volcano and slime to take home.
Secret AgentsA secret agent mission: badges with invented aliases, a lemon-juice message to reveal and a briefcase that opens only with the right three-digit code.
Under the SeaHang green crepe paper in the doorway as seaweed, serve snacks from sand buckets and play pass the pearl with a ping-pong ball.
Wild WestHats, bandanas, a horseshoe toss and wanted posters with the guests' faces on them.
Spirit week: dress as 15
100 Years OldDress like you're 100: a shawl or suspenders, rollers in your hair and reading glasses on your nose. Save it for the 100th day of the school year.
Animal DayEars, tails, prints or a full costume of any animal.
Career DayCome dressed for a job you would like to try. Staff can wear what they wanted to be at age ten.
Character DayBook character day: bring the book, dress as someone in it and be ready to say which chapter they turn up in.
Decades DayGive each grade a decade, or let everyone choose.
Dynamic DuoTwo people, one idea: peanut butter and jelly, thunder and lightning, needle and thread. Trios are fine if a friend would be left over.
First Initial DayDress as something that starts with the first letter of your name.
GenerationsGive every grade a time of life: the youngest come as babies and the oldest as grandparents, with school kids and parents in between.
Rhyme DayRhyme without reason: find a partner, choose two words that rhyme and come as both. A fox walks in with a box, a bee with a tree. The odder the match, the better.
Superhero DayCapes and masks. A hero you invented counts as much as a famous one.
Teacher SwapStudents dress as staff and staff as students. Keep it kind: copy the cardigan, not the person.
Throwback DayThrowback Thursday: dress the way you did in your first school photo.
Tourist DayLost on vacation: a guidebook under one arm, sunscreen on your nose, a lanyard and a bag of souvenirs.
Twin DayMatch a friend head to toe. Triplets and bigger groups count, so nobody is left out.
Western DayA checked shirt, jeans and a bandana at the neck. Swap the hat for braids if hats are against the dress code.
How this list was compiled: A list of 150 themes put together for this site: party themes, school spirit week days, drawing themes and outfit themes, each with a one-line brief. The same publisher's random theme generator and outfit theme generator on a sister site carry many of the same theme names. The briefs here are written separately, and 26 that read too much like a brief on those pages were written again from scratch on 2026-09-19. The list was read against the site's clean-content rules on 2026-09-18: no theme depends on alcohol or casino games, none asks anyone to dress as a culture or a real person, and no film, show or game is named. Four themes do ask for a dressed-up age or type (100 Years Old, Generations, Grandpa Style and Tourist Day), so the page does not claim the list is free of them. Names are kept short so the wheel can print them whole on a slice, and where a theme is better known by a longer name (Pirate Party is a pirate treasure hunt) the brief opens with it. The Campout brief puts an adult in charge of any fire pit. The 150 themes sit in 12 groups of 15 or fewer. Most briefs are advice, not fact. The few facts were checked on 2026-09-18 against English Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sock_hop (school gym dances where shoes came off to protect the floor), en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco (mirror balls and flared pants, biggest in the mid and late 1970s), en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_Age (1920 to the early 1930s), en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tie (an evening dress code: dinner suit or tuxedo with a black bow tie, or an evening gown), en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_Cancer_Awareness_Month (every October) and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day (April 22). Licence: own work
How it works
This wheel of themes holds 150 ideas: 40 party themes, 40 spirit week days, 35 drawing themes and 35 outfit themes, in 12 groups of 15 or fewer. Show only keeps the wheel to one group. Each card adds a one-line brief: what to wear, what to set up or what to draw.
Read the full guide
Party themes and spirit week days
Parties come in three groups: adventure parties such as Dinosaur Dig, dress-up parties such as a 1950s Sock Hop, and food and game nights such as a Mystery Dinner. A Letter Party needs one letter. A World Potluck needs each guest to bring a dish. Planning spirit week? Choose one of the three spirit week groups, switch to Elimination and spin five times: that is Monday to Friday with no repeats. The 40 days include Twin Day, No Backpacks and 100 Years Old.
Drawing prompts and outfit challenges
Drawing themes are prompts, not subjects: Reflections, Tiny Worlds, One Line. Spin one a day and cross them off in Elimination. Outfit themes suit a dress-up challenge with friends. Set ten minutes, spin, and everyone builds a look for Monochrome, Airport Outfit or The Villain. Black Tie is the one with rules: a dinner suit or tuxedo with a black bow tie, or an evening gown.
Hosting? Spin three times and let the guests vote on the shortlist.
Spirit week on no budget: keep the days that use clothes people already own, such as Pajama Day and Mismatch Day.
Give a drawing theme a subject. Spin here, then spin the animal wheel and draw that animal inside the theme.
Questions and answers
Which themes need no shopping?
109 of the 150. Every drawing theme needs only paper and a pencil. 35 of the 40 spirit week days and 28 of the 35 outfit themes use clothes people already own. Parties ask for more: 11 of the 40 run on what is in the house, such as Pajama Party and Letter Party, and six need days of planning, Mystery Dinner among them.
Are the themes school-friendly?
They were written to be. No theme asks anyone to dress as a culture or a real person, and none depends on alcohol. Teacher Swap comes with a note to keep it kind. Schools differ, so check hats, pajamas and face paint against your own dress code.
Why does the wheel name no films or games?
A named film suits one party and dates fast. An open theme suits everyone: Hero Academy asks each guest to invent a hero. If your group wants one film or game, put its characters in My list and press Spin only mine.