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101 Fun and Creative Scattergories Categories!

Scattergories is a fast-paced game where players have to name things inside of a category. It is a great game because it is extremely simple and the rules are very easy to understand. It doesn’t require any special cards or equipment, so it can be played anywhere like classrooms, sleepovers, and road trips. The game is nice because it doesn’t become overly competitive and pushes you to be creative.

What is Scattergories?

Scattergories is a party word game where you score points by listing words in a specific category that start with the same letter. This game was originally published in 1988 by Milton Bradley. Since it was originally created, there have been a lot of variations of the game, including many that don’t require the original game pieces published. The main concept is to come up with lists of words that start with the same letter, and from there you can add your own variations such as taking turns, setting times, scoring points, eliminations, and more. For decades, variations of scattergories have brought smiles to parties and family game nights.

How to Play Scattergories

To play Scattergories, you will need paper, pencils, and a list of categories. There are also different variants that do not require paper and pencils. If you have trouble coming up with your own categories, you can choose from the ones below!

Start by giving each person a piece of paper, a pencil, and a list of categories. First, pick a letter of the alphabet (you can roll a special letter die if you have one, or just choose a random letter). Then, set a timer for 2 or 3 minutes and during that time, everyone writes down one word for each category that starts with the chosen letter. For example, if the letter is “B,” you might write “banana” for food, “bear” for animal, and “Batman” for movie. When time is up, go around and read your answers out loud. If no one else wrote the same word as you, you get a point. If someone else has the same word, you both get zero points. After a few rounds, the player with the most points wins.

Alternatively, if you don’t have paper or a timer, you can just play elimination style. This way, you have people taking turns saying things in a certain category that start with a certain letter. When someone can’t come up with something that hasn’t been said before, then they are eliminated.

Best Categories for Scattergories

Food & Drink Categories

Everyone loves food, so it’s easy to think of things in these categories! Check out the following scattergories categories that have to do with food and drinks!

  1. Fruits
  2. Vegetables
  3. Desserts
  4. Restaurants
  5. Breakfast foods
  6. Candy
  7. Cheeses
  8. Beverages
  9. Pizza toppings
  10. Dairy products
  11. Types of meat
  12. Foods you eat with your hands
  13. Baked goods

Animal Categories for Scattergories

The category of animals is probably the most classic category in scattergories. There are a ton of animals in the world, so there are so many to choose from!

  1. Mammals
  2. Birds
  3. Reptiles
  4. Carnivores
  5. Herbivores
  6. Insects
  7. Sea animals
  8. Farm animals
  9. Zoo animals
  10. Animals with tails

Entertainment

If your group loves pop culture and entertainment, then consider one of the following categories.

  1. Movies
  2. TV shows
  3. Video games
  4. Board games
  5. Cartoon characters
  6. Superheroes
  7. Movie Villains
  8. Celebrities
  9. Disney characters
  10. Musical instruments
  11. Song Names
  12. Types of dances
  13. Famous duos
  14. Apps
  15. YouTubers
  16. Slang words
  17. Podcasts
  18. Rock Bands
  19. Books

School & Learning

If you’re playing scattergories in a classroom with with classmates, then these categories could be great for you! Regardless of what grade or age, anyone can have fun with these categories.

  1. School subjects
  2. Classroom objects
  3. Types of books
  4. Things in a backpack
  5. Things in a locker
  6. College majors
  7. Math terms
  8. Science tools
  9. Historical figures
  10. Careers
  11. Languages
  12. School clubs
  13. Things you study
  14. Types of writing

Travel & Places

If you’re the type of person that loves traveling or spends a lot of time looking at maps, these might be the perfect scattergories categories for you!

  1. Countries
  2. Cities
  3. European cities
  4. U.S. cities
  5. U.S. states
  6. Landmarks
  7. Vacation spots
  8. Amusement parks
  9. Mountains
  10. Islands
  11. Airports
  12. Street names
  13. National parks
  14. Tourist attractions

People

With 8 billion people in the world, the options for these scattergories categories are endless! Choose a subcategory of people from the list below, and come up with their lists of names!

  1. First names
  2. Last names
  3. Professional athletes
  4. Football Players
  5. Basketball Players
  6. Baseball Players
  7. Soccer Players
  8. Famous Actors
  9. Friends’ names
  10. Famous authors
  11. Historical figures
  12. Royalty
  13. Inventors
  14. Mythological characters

Random Category Ideas for Scattergories

Sometimes the best categories for scattergories are the ones that are completely random! You can say things like “objects in this room right now” or “people we know,” which makes the gameplay very specific to your group of people.

  1. Things that are round
  2. Things you keep in your car
  3. Car models
  4. Things you wear
  5. Hobbies
  6. Flowers
  7. Plants
  8. Things smaller than an apple
  9. Things bigger than a bus
  10. Words with double letters
  11. Toys
  12. Bad habits
  13. Things you shout
  14. Things that are sticky
  15. Things that smell good
  16. Things that fly
  17. Things that can break

Conclusion

Scattergories is a super fun game that you can play with friends, or as an icebreaker with strangers. It’s a great way to get your creative juices flowing. You don’t have to use one of the categories above, they are simply used to inspire you as you look for categories for your game. There are many variations of the game, including a card game version and a version you play on paper. You can totally change the rules to accommodate your environment or group site to keep things entertaining!

If you’re a better visual learner, watch this video on how to play scattegories: