- To set up, split into 2 teams and write words or phrases on paper slips, fold them up, and place them in containers.
- Flip a coin to see which team goes first, then have the first player pick a slip from the opposite team's container.
- Players must act out what’s on their slip without speaking. Once their teammates guess the correct answer, the other team picks a slip.
Setup
Divide players into even teams. Split up your party into equal 2 groups of 3 or more people. If you don’t have an even number of people, don’t sweat it! The game doesn’t need even teams, but it does ensure that each team has the same number of people guessing. Alternatively, you could play a less competitive version of the game where players act out a word or phrase, and anyone can answer. Whoever gets it right will be the next person to act things out.
Write popular phrases or words on slips of paper. Have each team member write a single word or phrase on a piece of paper. What’s written on the slip will be what players from the other team act out during the game, so make them fun and interesting prompts. The more slips of paper you have, the longer your game will be. There are 6 common categories in traditional charades. Take a look at these examples: Book title: Frankenstein Movie: Jurassic Park TV show: Game of Thrones Song title: “Let It Go” Play: Romeo and Juliet Quote: “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Generally, long phrases and foreign phrases aren’t allowed. When in doubt, poll your teammates. If half have heard it before, it should be fine. Avoid writing down a single proper name on the slip. Without context, if a player doesn’t know who the person is, they’ll have a difficult time. Try using an app like Heads Up! or an online charades generator if you don’t want to come up with prompts yourself. This is especially useful if you play without teams, as no one knows the possible outcomes.
Fold each slip of paper in half and put them in a container. Collect all the slips from your team in a bucket, hat, or basket, making sure each is folded to hide the prompt. Swap containers with the other team, so it’s less likely that members of the same team will know the prompts. If you don’t have a bucket or hat, don’t worry! Get creative and use whatever can hold the slips, like a pillowcase, mug, or kitchen bowl. Basically, each team has its own container and will never choose a slip from its own container.
Select the starting team with a coin toss and set a time limit. Flip a coin to determine which team goes first. Each round usually has a set amount of time, but you can adjust this depending on the players' age group and skill level. Set a stopwatch or phone timer for 1 minute and go from there. Time limits aren’t necessary, especially if you’re playing with kids, but they can help the game run more smoothly. If you’re not playing with a time limit, keep acting until the prompt is guessed correctly. Consider agreeing on a penalty for anyone who speaks while gesturing or acting. For instance, teams may get a half-point deduction or forfeit the round.
Gameplay
Have the starting player draw a slip. The team that won the coin toss starts things off. Have a player from the winning team choose a slip from the container of slips the other team made. If you’re unsure which player should gesture first, play a round of rock, paper, scissors—the winner’s team acts first. Keep in mind that all players on a team must act out a slip at least once before taking another.
Convey general info with gestures to help your team guess the prompt. The number one rule of charades: no talking! Things like the category and number of words in the phrase can give your teammates a better idea of what your prompt is. Start with one or more of these simple gestures: Hold up a number of fingers at the start of a turn to indicate the total number of words. Follow with another number of fingers to show which word you’ll act out first. Lay a number of fingers on your arm to share the number of syllables in the word. Sweep your arms broadly through the air to say, “The entire concept.” Unfold your hands as if they were a book to explain that the prompt is a book title.
Act things out until your team gets it right or you run out of time. Make wild gestures to showcase how the given prompt looks, moves, or acts. Don’t be afraid to switch to a new gesture. The more hints you give your team, the more likely they’ll be to figure it out. For example, say you’re acting out The Lion King. Start by holding up 3 fingers to show that the phrase has 3 words. Then, hold up 2 fingers and pretend to roar like a lion so your teammates guess the second word is “lion.” Lastly, show 3 fingers and put your hands on your head like a crown to show that the third word is “king.” When your team guesses the answer, the round ends, and your team gets a point. If your team doesn’t guess the answer and time runs out, your team passes the turn without getting a point, then the other team tries with a new prompt.
Wait for the other team to play their round. Whether you’ve gained a point or not, once the timer goes off or the right word or phrase is guessed, it’s the other team’s turn. Have a member of the other team take a slip of paper from the pile you and your team made. Wait silently as the other team acts out their word or phrase. When the timer goes off or someone yells the correct answer, switch teams again. Only players from the same team can guess what the player is pantomiming. Stay quiet if your team isn’t acting. If you give the other team a clue, they may guess the correct answer and get a point.
Play until you run out of slips, or there’s a clear winner. If you and your friends are having fun, you don’t have to stop when you run out! Split up and write even more slips. You could even mix up the teams to keep things interesting. In the end, the team with the most points wins.
Common Gestures
Express categories with hand gestures. Because every word or phrase will fall into a category, it helps to have standard gestures for these. This way, you can tell your teammates what category your word or phrase is in without too much guessing. Book titles: Unfold your hands as though they were a book. Movies: Pretend to crank an old-fashioned film camera. Plays: Move your hands up and down like you’re on a rope. Song titles: Pretend to sing (without making any noise). Quote: Make air quotes.
Tap your nose or make an “X” if guesses are on the right or wrong track. When a teammate is close to guessing the prompt, smile wide, give them a thumbs up, or tap your nose. If a teammate is guessing incorrectly, point at them and shake your head “no” or cross your arms to make an “X.” If a teammate is on a roll and is close to saying the right word, use a beckoning “come here” gesture or roll your hands in a circle.
Make finger gestures to guide teammates to the tense of the word. In some situations, your teammates might have the right word, but it may not be in the right tense. Similarly, their guess could be a singular version of a plural world. Here’s what you can do to clarify things: Point to who said the right word and link your pinky fingers together to say, “The plural of what you said.” For example, if you’re trying to act out the TV show Dancing with the Stars and a teammate guesses “star,” link your fingers together to show that the word is “stars.” Wave your hand behind you in a “way back” gesture for past tense. Do the opposite of this for the future tense. For instance, say the phrase is “Dancing like no one is watching.” Wave your hand in front of you if someone guesses the word “dance.”
Use similar-sounding words to your advantage. By cupping a hand to your ear, you signal to your team that you’re acting out a word that sounds like the prompt. For instance, if you point to your eye, you’re expressing that the word is “I.” Another example would be lying down on your back to pantomime the word “lying.”
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