Party Whammy

24 ideas for drawing more differences

Use these ideas when you draw extra scene pairs. Add each change to your answer key; the picker suggests a change, not a finished picture.

Halloween drawing ideasSuggested ages 4–12; start younger players with large objects and no timerSeated picture game

How to play

  1. Draw a base scene, trace its twin and add only the differences listed for that scene.
  2. Ink and color both panels together, test a full-size copy and keep the written key with the host.
  3. Let players circle differences, then check the answers using the scoring rules below.
Random difference idea

Draw one when the room is ready

Add or remove one small object from a group of three or more

Count and shape swaps

Eight ideas for changing counts or shapes. Try two or three when drawing a new scene.

  1. Add or remove one small object from a group of three or more
  2. Change a window from square to round
  3. Give a character one extra finger on one hand
  4. Split one long fence post into two short posts
  5. Make a pile taller: add one cup, book, or pumpkin
  6. Turn a two-layer cake into a three-layer cake
  7. Remove one leg from a table or stool
  8. Reverse the curl of a tail

Color and pattern swaps

Eight ideas for changing colors, patterns or details. Test a copy before printing the whole set.

  1. Change one object's color, such as a red jar to a purple jar; use color printing for this change
  2. Change stripes to dots on a bow tie or hat band
  3. Drop one letter from a written word, BOO to BO
  4. Fill or empty one bowl, jar, or bucket
  5. Change a hat from pointed to round
  6. Switch the moon between full and crescent
  7. Add or remove stripes on one sock or cap
  8. Blank out a doormat greeting

Position and direction swaps

Eight ideas for moving objects or changing their direction. Use small position changes for a harder scene.

  1. Face a character or animal the opposite way
  2. Move one small object from the floor to a shelf
  3. Open or close a door or lid, or raise or lower a mailbox flag
  4. Swap which arm a ghost rises from
  5. Tilt one picture frame a few degrees
  6. Move clock hands three hours in either direction
  7. Turn a chair to face the other way
  8. Recolor an object and move it for a hard scene; list and count these as two separate differences

Halloween spot-the-difference party sheets

Draw a witch’s kitchen, a pumpkin patch or one of six other Halloween scenes, then trace a second version with a few details changed. Below are eight drawing plans with 62 differences listed in full, so you can prepare the pictures and check every answer. These are plans for sheets you draw and copy yourself, rather than a download of finished illustrations. The 24 difference ideas above help you draw more pairs when you want another scene.

What do you need? See the eight scenes Draw and print the sheets

Which scenes should you start with?

Start with one scene rather than drawing all eight. These age bands are suggestions; adjust them to the children and how detailed you make the pictures.

DifficultySuggested agesScenesDifferences
Easy4–6Pumpkin Patch at Noon; Spider’s Front Porch6 each
Medium7–9Haunted Living Room; Monster’s Bedroom; Vampire’s Birthday Table; Ghost’s Classroom7–8 each
Hard10 and upWitch’s Kitchen; Skeleton’s Garage Band9–10 each

For younger children, draw big objects, leave the timer off and let an adult point to an area without giving away the answer. At a mixed-age table, give a younger child and an older child one medium sheet to share. Let them take turns circling finds. Keep a harder scene ready for early finishers. The preschool party games offer other games without reading or long waits.

Eight scene plans and answer keys

Draw the base scene as panel A. Trace it for panel B, then change only the details listed under that scene. Everything else should match. Each list is also your answer key: keep a host copy and tick off each change while drawing. The eight lists contain 62 differences in total.

Scene pair 1: The Witch’s Kitchen (hard, 9 differences)

Panel A base scene: a witch stirs a green pot over the fire; a shelf holds three jars; a broom leans by the door; a cat sleeps on a rug; a window shows the moon; a kettle sits on the floor.

  • The witch’s hat star has five points in panel A and six in panel B
  • The middle shelf jar is red in panel A and purple in panel B
  • The cat’s tail curls left in panel A and right in panel B
  • The broom by the door stands bristles-up in panel A and bristles-down in panel B
  • The pot bubbles with five bubbles in panel A and six in panel B
  • The window shows a full moon in panel A and a crescent in panel B
  • The kettle on the floor has its lid on in panel A and off in panel B
  • The witch’s apron has a pocket in panel A and no pocket in panel B
  • Two logs sit under the pot in panel A and three in panel B

Scene pair 2: The Pumpkin Patch at Noon (easy, 6 differences)

Panel A base scene: six pumpkins in a field, a crow on a fence post, a wheelbarrow at the left holding apples, the sun in a corner, and a scarecrow behind the row.

  • The crow on the fence post faces left in panel A and right in panel B
  • The smallest pumpkin has a stem in panel A and no stem in panel B
  • The sun has eight rays in panel A and seven in panel B
  • The wheelbarrow holds three apples in panel A and two in panel B
  • The scarecrow wears a pointed hat in panel A and a round hat in panel B
  • The fence shows four posts in panel A and three in panel B

Scene pair 3: The Haunted Living Room (medium, 8 differences)

Panel A base scene: a fireplace with a portrait above it, a candelabra on the mantel, an armchair with a ghost rising from it, a standing clock, a cat on the rug, and two framed pictures on the side wall.

  • The portrait’s eyes look straight ahead in panel A and off to the side in panel B
  • The candelabra holds three candles in panel A and four in panel B
  • The clock reads nine o’clock in panel A and three o’clock in panel B
  • The ghost rises from the chair’s left arm in panel A and right arm in panel B
  • The rug has fringe on both ends in panel A and one end in panel B
  • The side wall holds two frames in panel A and three in panel B
  • The fire in the grate burns tall in panel A and low in panel B
  • The cat on the rug sits awake in panel A and asleep in panel B

Scene pair 4: The Monster’s Bedroom (medium, 7 differences)

Panel A base scene: a monster in bed wearing a nightcap, a lamp on the nightstand, a stack of books on the floor, a window with stars, slippers by the bed, and a stuffed creature on the pillow.

  • The nightcap is striped in panel A and plain in panel B
  • The lamp shade is round in panel A and square in panel B
  • The floor stack holds three books in panel A and four in panel B
  • The window shows five stars in panel A and six in panel B
  • Both slippers sit on the floor in panel A and one lies on the bed in panel B
  • The monster holds a midnight snack in panel A and empty hands in panel B
  • The bed has a footboard in panel A and none in panel B

Scene pair 5: The Spider’s Front Porch (easy, 6 differences)

Panel A base scene: a smiling spider hangs from a web strung across a porch, with a doormat, a potted plant, a mailbox at the side, and one rocking chair.

  • The web catches three flies in panel A and two in panel B
  • The spider has eight legs in panel A and seven in panel B
  • The doormat reads a greeting in panel A and sits blank in panel B
  • The potted plant blooms red in panel A and yellow in panel B
  • The mailbox flag stands up in panel A and down in panel B
  • The rocking chair faces right in panel A and left in panel B

Scene pair 6: The Vampire’s Birthday Table (medium, 8 differences)

Panel A base scene: a vampire in a bow tie sits at a party table with a cake, three balloons tied to the chair, a stack of cups, a bowl of snacks, and a banner on the wall behind.

  • The cake has two layers in panel A and three in panel B
  • Four candles sit on the cake in panel A and five in panel B
  • The balloons are red, blue, and green in panel A and red, blue, and purple in panel B
  • The bow tie shows polka dots in panel A and stripes in panel B
  • The cup stack holds five cups in panel A and six in panel B
  • The banner spells its word in full in panel A and drops the last letter in panel B
  • The cape drapes over the chair in panel A and over one shoulder in panel B
  • The snack bowl is full in panel A and half empty in panel B

Scene pair 7: The Skeleton’s Garage Band (hard, 10 differences)

Panel A base scene: three skeletons play in a garage, one on drums, one at a keyboard, one at a microphone; a toolbox sits in the corner, a poster hangs on the wall, and an amp cord snakes across the floor.

  • The drum kit has two drums in panel A and three in panel B
  • The drummer holds two sticks in panel A and one in panel B
  • A cup sits on the keyboard in panel A and the keyboard stays clear in panel B
  • The singer wears a hat in panel A and none in panel B
  • The toolbox sits open in panel A and closed in panel B
  • The wall poster shows a guitar in panel A and a drum in panel B
  • The amp cord crosses the floor left to right in panel A and right to left in panel B
  • A mouse watches from the workbench in panel A and no mouse appears in panel B
  • The garage window is square in panel A and round in panel B
  • One skeleton’s sock is striped in panel A and plain in panel B

Scene pair 8: The Ghost’s Classroom (medium, 8 differences)

Panel A base scene: a friendly ghost teacher points at a chalkboard, two student ghosts sit at desks, and a globe, a clock, and a bookshelf line the back wall.

  • The chalkboard word has two O’s in panel A and three in panel B
  • The ghost teacher points left in panel A and right in panel B
  • Two student desks stand in panel A and three in panel B
  • The globe sits on the bookshelf in panel A and on a desk in panel B
  • The clock reads two o’clock in panel A and ten o’clock in panel B
  • The bookshelf holds four books in panel A and five in panel B
  • One student raises a hand in panel A and all hands stay down in panel B
  • The teacher wears glasses in panel A and none in panel B

How to draw and print the panels

Use unlined paper, a pencil, an eraser, an inking pen and coloring supplies if your chosen key includes color changes. Draw panel A inside a 5-by-7-inch box. Place a fresh sheet over it, secure it so it cannot slide and trace the scene. Add the listed changes to the traced panel B, checking each against the key before inking.

Ink both panels and color them in the same sitting so unchanged objects match. The red-to-purple jar, red-to-yellow flowers and green-to-purple balloon need color copies. If you want black-and-white sheets, replace those changes with a clearly visible pattern change and update the key before playing. Do not leave a color answer in a key for a grayscale sheet.

For two panels on one sheet: two upright 5-by-7-inch panels, a half-inch gap and half-inch outside margins need at least 11.5 inches of width and 8 inches of height. Use landscape legal paper (14 by 8.5 inches) to keep that size. Two panels with those margins do not fit on landscape letter paper at 100 percent.

For letter paper: print each panel on its own sheet at 100 percent and place A and B beside each other. Label both with the scene name and panel letter. Check your printer’s printable area and make one test copy before making the whole set. Card stock is an option if your printer supports it; ordinary paper also lets players circle their finds.

Keep keys separate during play. You can print a key upside down on the back of its scene sheet, as long as it does not show through; players can still turn the paper over, so separate host keys are easier to keep hidden. Compare the test prints yourself and check that all listed differences are visible and no accidental extra changes have appeared.

If guests would enjoy doing the drawing themselves, use the setup ideas in craft party activities and let them exchange their finished pairs after the keys are checked.

How to score two rounds

Tell players to circle the changed object, rather than a whole corner of the picture. Use red or orange pencils so the circles are easy to see. Keep the answer keys with the host until searching ends.

For timed play, use this two-round version with a fresh scene in each round. Swapping completed sheets is for checking answers, not another search of an already marked picture.

  1. Round one: five minutes. Give each player or pair an unmarked scene. Award one point for each correct difference. Wrong circles earn no points.
  2. Check the answers. Players exchange completed sheets with a neighbor while you read the key. Count each listed difference once, even if it has more than one circle.
  3. Round two: five minutes on a fresh scene. Award one point per correct difference and subtract half a point for each wrong circle. A circle that does not identify a changed object counts as wrong. For a harder version, announce before starting that correct finds in this round earn two points; the half-point penalty stays the same.
  4. Check and add the scores. Exchange sheets again and read the second key. Add both round scores. Break a tie by the fewest wrong circles across both rounds; if that is tied too, share the result.

For example, six correct circles and two wrong circles earn 6 points in round one, 5 points in ordinary round two, or 11 points in the harder round-two version. Agree on the version before handing out sheets. For untimed younger players, skip the penalties and enjoy finding the changes together.

An example 45-minute game session

This example includes four scenes: two pairs of five-minute rounds, with time to explain, check and change sheets. Use it for a group that wants timed play; untimed easy scenes need their own pace.

  1. 0:00–0:05 — Explain and demonstrate (5 minutes). Show how to circle one changed object and explain the scoring.
  2. 0:05–0:10 — First scene (5 minutes). Play round one.
  3. 0:10–0:15 — Check and change sheets (5 minutes). Read the key and give out a fresh scene.
  4. 0:15–0:20 — Second scene (5 minutes). Play round two with the announced penalty rule.
  5. 0:20–0:25 — Check and pause (5 minutes). Add the two scores and ask whether everyone wants another pair of rounds.
  6. 0:25–0:30 — Third scene (5 minutes). Begin a new round one.
  7. 0:30–0:35 — Check and change sheets (5 minutes). Score and hand out the fourth scene.
  8. 0:35–0:40 — Fourth scene (5 minutes). Play the new round two.
  9. 0:40–0:45 — Check and finish (5 minutes). Read the last key, add scores and gather the pencils.

That is 20 minutes of searching and 25 minutes for instructions, checking and transitions: 45 minutes total. You can stop after the first two scenes at minute 25. For movement before or after the table game, see Halloween party games for kids.

Get the table ready

Spread the drawing over a few days if that suits your party preparation. Five days before, draw your chosen base scenes. Three days before, trace the twins, add changes and ink them. The day before, color and test the copies. On party day, put out the sheets and pencils.

  • Choose the scenes and difficulty levels you need; one easy, one medium and one hard gives you starting options for different ages.
  • Check every drawing against its answer list before copying it.
  • Print one pair of panels per player or team for each planned round, plus a host copy and any spares you want.
  • Label each pair with its scene name, difficulty and number of differences.
  • Test that color changes remain visible on your copies, or update the pictures and keys for black-and-white printing.
  • Keep the keys face down with the host, away from the playing sheets.
  • Set out one red or orange pencil per player and a timer if you are using timed rounds.
  • Keep a fresh, harder scene ready for players who finish early.

Host notes and scorecard

Print these blank rows with your keys. Use one row per player or pair per scene. Write the point value before starting so everyone uses the same scoring rule.

Host: ____________________ Date: ____________________

Chosen scenes: __________________________________________________________

Players or pairs: __________ Copies per scene: __________

Round-two points per find: __________ Timer or untimed: ____________________

Player or pairScene / roundCorrect findsWrong circlesPoints
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Totals or tied scores: ____________________________________________________

Drawing check — scene: ____________________ Expected differences: ______

Changes checked against key: ______ Test copy checked by: __________________

What to play after spot-the-difference

If the group wants another picture game, Halloween picture bingo uses picture calls, while the Halloween picture-search activity describes hidden-object scenes you can prepare. Check their preparation instructions before deciding what to print or draw.

For a change from searching, try Halloween silly story sheets for collecting words and reading the results aloud, or Halloween word games for guests who enjoy scrambles and puzzles. The Halloween paper puppet craft kit gives children something to make and use in a little show.

When everyone is ready to leave the table, the Halloween hunt around the house offers a clue trail. If you are deciding where the game fits around food, Halloween games and food with not-scary options can help you arrange the rest of the party.

Questions about the sheets

Are these ready-made picture sheets?

No. This page supplies eight drawing plans, all 62 answer-key entries and ideas for extra differences. Draw and trace the panels before copying them for guests.

How many differences should each sheet have?

Use six as an easy starting point, seven or eight for medium scenes, and nine or ten for hard scenes. The suggested age bands are 4–6, 7–9 and 10 and up; adjust the drawing detail and timing to your guests.

How do I make the twin panel without drawing the whole scene twice?

Draw panel A inside a 5-by-7-inch box, secure a fresh sheet over it and trace the scene. Add the listed changes only to panel B, then ink and color both panels together.

Can I fit both panels on letter paper?

Not at 5 by 7 inches each with a half-inch gap and half-inch margins. Use landscape legal paper for a full-size pair, or print each panel on a separate letter sheet at 100 percent.

How long does one round take?

The timed version uses five minutes of searching per round, with checking and sheet changes afterward. The 45-minute example includes four scenes and 25 minutes for instructions, checking and transitions. Easy scenes can be untimed.

What if someone finds a difference that is not in the key?

Compare the printed panels yourself. If an accidental drawing or copying change is real, acknowledge it and use the same ruling for every player. Otherwise the circle earns no point in round one and costs half a point in round two. Update the key before reusing that pair.