How to play charades with the generator
- Split into two teams and type the team names.
- Choose the categories, and a timer if you want one (60 seconds is a good start).
- The actor presses Next word, then taps the card so only they can see it.
- The actor acts it out with no talking and no pointing at objects in the room. Their team guesses.
- Press Got it for a point, or Skip for a new word. With the timer on, the next word comes straight away.
- When time is up, the other team plays. The team with the most points after the last round wins.
Charades rules and signs
The classic rule is simple: no talking, no sounds and no spelling words with your fingers. Most groups also use a few signs everyone knows:
- Number of words: hold up that many fingers.
- Which word you are acting: hold up fingers again (two fingers for the second word).
- Sounds like: tug your ear, then act a word that rhymes.
- Short word (a, the, in): hold your thumb and finger close together.
- The whole idea: sweep your arms in a big circle.
- Right answer: point at the person and touch your nose.
Agree on the signs before you start, so nobody argues later.
Charades for kids, families and parties
- Young kids: use Kids (easy) only, turn the timer off, and let them act with a grown-up.
- Family night: Actions, Animals and Jobs work for every age.
- Parties and adults: add Hard. These are little scenes, like a traffic jam or a magic trick gone wrong, and they are much funnier to act.
- Classrooms: add your own vocabulary under Your own words and tick Only my words. It is a good way to practice verbs and feelings in a new language.
About the word lists
There are 250 charades ideas in 8 categories, all written for this site: Actions, Animals, Jobs, Sports, Objects, Feelings, Kids (easy) and Hard. There are no film or TV titles. If you want movie charades, type your own titles into Your own words. The deck is shuffled with your browser's secure random numbers, and a word does not come back until every word in the pile has been used.
Charades ideas: Actions
- brushing your teeth
- riding a bike
- climbing a ladder
- walking a dog
- making pancakes
- taking a selfie
- washing a car
- flying a kite
- swimming
- fishing
- painting a wall
- playing the guitar
- typing on a computer
- reading a book
- sleeping
- sneezing
- juggling
- jumping rope
- changing a light bulb
- ironing a shirt
- planting a flower
- blowing up a balloon
- opening a present
- eating spaghetti
- drinking hot soup
- carrying heavy bags
- waiting for a bus
- putting on socks
- tying your shoes
- doing yoga
- lifting weights
- rowing a boat
- skiing
- surfing
- baking a cake
- mowing the lawn
- taking out the trash
- building a snowman
- catching a ball
- jumping on a trampoline
Charades ideas: Animals
- elephant
- monkey
- kangaroo
- penguin
- giraffe
- snake
- frog
- crab
- lion
- chicken
- duck
- horse
- cat
- dog
- rabbit
- bear
- owl
- fish
- octopus
- shark
- butterfly
- spider
- bee
- turtle
- crocodile
- flamingo
- gorilla
- peacock
- squirrel
- pig
- cow
- sheep
- dolphin
- bat
- parrot
- snail
- camel
- zebra
- mouse
- eagle
Charades ideas: Jobs
- chef
- firefighter
- doctor
- dentist
- teacher
- pilot
- police officer
- farmer
- astronaut
- mail carrier
- hairdresser
- photographer
- waiter
- lifeguard
- magician
- painter
- plumber
- carpenter
- nurse
- scientist
- taxi driver
- singer
- dancer
- referee
- gardener
- librarian
- mechanic
- clown
- zookeeper
- construction worker
Charades ideas: Sports
- soccer
- basketball
- baseball
- tennis
- golf
- bowling
- boxing
- ice skating
- volleyball
- archery
- fencing
- gymnastics
- hockey
- cycling
- karate
- table tennis
- horseback riding
- rock climbing
- diving
- running
- football
- badminton
- snowboarding
- darts
- skateboarding
- weightlifting
- surfing
- skiing
- swimming
- rowing
Charades ideas: Objects
- umbrella
- toothbrush
- telephone
- scissors
- camera
- hammer
- ladder
- vacuum cleaner
- hair dryer
- backpack
- broom
- sunglasses
- key
- candle
- mirror
- pillow
- clock
- balloon
- piano
- bicycle
- kite
- remote control
- frying pan
- watering can
- lamp
- suitcase
- ball
- book
- glasses
- spoon
Charades ideas: Feelings
- happy
- sad
- angry
- scared
- surprised
- bored
- excited
- tired
- nervous
- proud
- confused
- shy
- jealous
- disgusted
- silly
- grumpy
- relaxed
- lonely
- brave
- embarrassed
Charades ideas: Kids (easy)
- cat
- dog
- bird
- fish
- sleeping
- eating
- crying
- laughing
- jumping
- running
- swimming
- dancing
- clapping
- waving
- car
- train
- airplane
- ball
- baby
- robot
- dinosaur
- monster
- king
- queen
- ghost
- snowman
- rain
- sun
- tree
- rocket
Charades ideas: Hard
- stuck in an elevator
- walking on the moon
- first day at school
- a job interview
- losing your keys
- stepping on a toy
- a surprise party
- a haunted house
- a traffic jam
- a roller coaster
- a lost tourist
- a rainy picnic
- a slow-motion race
- a bad haircut
- a very hot pepper
- a flat tire
- a talent show
- the last cookie
- a spider in the bath
- sleepwalking
- a wedding
- a treasure hunt
- an alarm that will not stop
- a pillow fight
- a magic trick gone wrong
- a tiny kitchen
- conducting an orchestra
- a phone with no signal
- a runaway shopping cart
- a sunburn
Questions
How do you play charades?
One person acts out a word or phrase without talking, and their team tries to guess it before time runs out. Teams take turns, and each correct guess is a point. The generator picks the word, hides it from everyone but the actor, runs the timer and keeps the score.
What are good charades ideas?
Things you can show with your whole body work best: actions like brushing your teeth or flying a kite, animals like a penguin or a kangaroo, and jobs like a firefighter or a magician. For adults, little scenes like being stuck in an elevator are the funniest.
What are easy charades ideas for kids?
Animals, simple actions and things kids know well: cat, dog, sleeping, jumping, a train, a robot, a dinosaur, a snowman. Choose the Kids (easy) category and turn the timer off.
How long should a charades turn be?
60 seconds suits most groups. Use 90 or 120 seconds for young kids or hard words, and 30 seconds for a fast party round where the actor goes through as many words as possible.
Does the generator repeat words?
Not until the pile runs out. The words you chose are shuffled into a pile, and each one comes up once. The count under the card shows how many are left.
Can I add my own charades words?
Yes. Open Your own words and type one word or phrase per line, such as movie titles, class vocabulary or inside jokes. Tick Only my words to play with your list alone. It is saved in this browser, with no account.
What is the act it out game?
It is another name for charades: you act out a word or phrase and the others guess it. This page works for any version, with or without teams.