Charades ideas generator

How to play charades

Form two teams. The actor reads the prompt from the charades generator above (or a slip from a hat) in secret, starts the timer and acts it out for their own team without speaking, mouthing words or pointing at objects that give it away. The team guesses out loud. A correct guess before time runs out scores a point; then the other team sends up an actor. Keep going until everyone has acted at least once.

Start each turn by showing the category, so guessers are not lost: flap your arms for animals, mime a tie or a hard hat for jobs, swing a racket for sports, point at your face for feelings, draw a roof in the air for places, and open your hands like a book for old stories.

The hand signals most groups use

None of these are required, but agreeing on them before the first turn saves a lot of frantic waving.

What the levels mean

• Easy: one clear action or thing, such as brushing your teeth or a elephant. Kids mode uses only these.
• Medium: an action with a twist that needs a bit of acting, like "walking a stubborn dog" or "stepping on a toy".
• Hard: a situation that takes a few steps to get across, like "a slow internet connection" or "a crowded elevator".

All prompts are things you can act indoors in a living room, and none needs touching another player.

Tips for a good game

• Act big. Small movements are hard to read from across a room. Use your whole body.
• Start with the most obvious part. For "a rowboat in a storm", row first, then rock and hold on.
• Mix the teams by age. Pair a younger child with an adult so every team has someone for each kind of prompt.
• Turn off what does not land. If feelings are too hard for your group, untick that category under the levels.

Every charades idea on this page

For a no-phone game, copy these onto slips of paper and draw them from a hat.

Charades questions

What are some easy charades ideas for kids?

Animals and everyday actions work best for young children because they can act them out without thinking about words: cat, dog, frog, elephant, brushing your teeth, jumping rope, climbing a ladder, swimming. Tick "Kids mode" above and the generator only gives easy prompts.

Why are there no movie titles?

Film, show, song and book titles belong to their owners, go out of date quickly, and leave out anyone who has not seen them. Our prompts are things everyone in the room has seen or done. The "Old stories" category has a short set of public-domain folk tales if you want a title round.

How long should each charades turn be?

One minute is the usual turn. Give young kids or hard prompts 90 seconds; use 30 seconds for a quick round with easy prompts. Pick the length on the timer above.

Can I play charades with only two or three people?

Yes. Skip the teams: take turns acting while everyone else guesses, and give a point both to the actor and to the first person who guesses right. Whoever has the most points after everyone has acted three times wins.

Will the same prompt come up twice?

Not until every prompt in the categories and levels you picked has been used. The page remembers what it has shown until you close the tab.