Charades Generator

How to play

Split into two teams. The actor takes the phone, taps for a word, and acts it out for their own team — no talking, no mouthing, no pointing at things in the room. Their team shouts guesses until someone gets it.

For a proper game, set the round timer. Tap Start round, act out as many words as you can, and tap Got it for each correct guess or Skip if you are stuck. When the clock hits zero, pass the phone to the next team.

What is charades?

Charades is the party game of acting out a word or phrase without saying a thing. It started as a parlour game in eighteenth-century France, where guests would act out riddles syllable by syllable, and it has survived every generation since because it needs nothing but people and a bit of nerve. One player mimes, the rest guess, and the funniest moments are always the wrong answers shouted halfway through.

The hard part has always been coming up with good things to act out. Write them on slips of paper and someone ends up drawing their own; make them up on the spot and you get stuck with "a cat" for the fifth time. This charades generator fixes that: a shuffled stack of hand-picked words in seven categories, from easy charades for kids to abstract ideas like déjà vu that will defeat even the most theatrical uncle.

Charades hand signals

Number of words: hold up that many fingers.
Which word: hold up fingers again for the word you are acting.
Syllables: lay fingers on your forearm for the number of syllables.
Film: crank an old-fashioned camera beside your head.
TV show: draw a rectangle in the air.
Sounds like: tug your earlobe, then act a rhyming word.
Whole thing: sweep your arms in a big circle.

Tips for better charades

Act the biggest, most recognisable part first — for Jaws, be the shark, not the beach. If your team is stuck, change approach completely rather than doing the same mime harder. Keep rounds short and fast; a 60-second timer keeps everyone watching and stops one shy player from freezing on stage. And for mixed ages, give the youngest players the Easy or Animals categories while adults take Films & TV or Hard.

Ways to play

Classic teams. Two teams, alternate actors, 60 seconds each. Highest total after five rounds wins.
Everyone guesses. No teams — whoever guesses first acts next. Great for kids and big family gatherings.
Hot potato. Set the timer to 30 seconds. Each correct guess passes the phone to the guesser, and whoever holds it at the buzzer loses the round.
Silent film. Play the Films & TV category only, and the actor has to act out the plot rather than the title.

Charades word list

Every word the generator can deal. Use the category buttons above to switch whole groups on or off.

Easy

Brushing your teeth, Riding a bike, Swimming, Sleeping, Eating spaghetti, Blowing out candles, Brushing your hair, Jumping rope, Climbing a ladder, Playing guitar, Throwing a ball, Washing your hands, Reading a book, Taking a photo, Eating ice cream, Flying a kite, Kicking a football, Building a sandcastle, Making a snowman, Walking a dog, Drinking through a straw, Sneezing, Yawning, Waving goodbye, Tying your shoes, Putting on a coat, Blowing bubbles, Hopping on one foot, Clapping, Laughing

Animals

Kangaroo, Elephant, Monkey, Penguin, Snake, Chicken, Frog, Giraffe, Crab, Gorilla, Rabbit, Dog chasing its tail, Cat stretching, Fish, Horse, Butterfly, Bear, Shark, Duck, Owl, Lion, Crocodile, Spider, T-Rex, Flamingo, Octopus, Pig in mud, Bee, Seal, Sloth

Actions

Walking on ice, Juggling, Doing a cartwheel, Changing a light bulb, Waiting for a bus, Missing the bus, Lifting weights, Ironing a shirt, Bowling, Playing tennis, Doing yoga, Shaving, Climbing a mountain, Painting a wall, Taking a selfie, Surfing, Ice skating, Making pizza, Chopping wood, Rowing a boat, Watering plants, Skydiving, Walking a tightrope, Getting stuck in a lift, Stepping on Lego, Opening a stuck jar, Hailing a taxi, Doing the laundry, Carrying heavy shopping, Playing the drums

Jobs

Firefighter, Chef, Pilot, Dentist, Lifeguard, Magician, Teacher, Hairdresser, Astronaut, Plumber, Police officer, Doctor, Waiter, Farmer, Builder, Photographer, Painter, Conductor, Referee, Mechanic, Postman, Taxi driver, Ballet dancer, Window cleaner, Zookeeper, Scientist, Pirate captain, Lumberjack, Rock star, Personal trainer

Films & TV

Titanic, Jaws, The Lion King, Frozen, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Spider-Man, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Ghostbusters, Home Alone, Shrek, The Wizard of Oz, Pirates of the Caribbean, Rocky, Mary Poppins, Back to the Future, Batman, Karate Kid, The Little Mermaid, King Kong, E.T., Superman, Cinderella, Grease, Top Gun, Aladdin, Indiana Jones, Mission: Impossible

Everyday objects

Umbrella, Toothbrush, Scissors, Telephone, Camera, Hairdryer, Vacuum cleaner, Remote control, Washing machine, Ladder, Sunglasses, Stapler, Alarm clock, Hammer, Toaster, Keyboard, Backpack, Shopping trolley, Lawnmower, Microwave, Wheelbarrow, Fan, Clock, Kettle, Tent, Bicycle pump, Torch, Paintbrush, Pogo stick, Trampoline

Hard

Jealousy, Déjà vu, Procrastination, Gravity, Rush hour, Time travel, Global warming, Writer's block, Sleepwalking, Stage fright, First date, Monday morning, Online shopping, A job interview, Losing your keys, Brain freeze, Jet lag, A haunted house, Spring cleaning, Wedding speech, Traffic jam, Thunderstorm, Daylight saving time, Social media, Midlife crisis, Sunburn, Hiccups, Speed dating, Black Friday, Awkward silence

Frequently asked questions

How do you play charades?

Split into two teams. One player draws a word and has to act it out for their own team without speaking, mouthing words or pointing at objects in the room. Their team shouts guesses until someone gets it or time runs out. Then the other team takes a turn, and you keep a running score.

How does this charades generator work?

Choose the categories you want, then tap to get a random word. Words are shuffled and dealt without repeats until the whole list has been used. Set the round timer to 30, 60 or 90 seconds to play timed rounds: the actor taps Got it for each correct guess and Skip to move past a word, and the game counts the score when time runs out.

What are good charades ideas for kids?

The Easy and Animals categories are written for younger players — brushing your teeth, a jumping kangaroo, blowing out birthday candles. They are concrete, physical and quick to guess. Leave Films & TV switched off for small children, since those titles need more reading and pop-culture knowledge.

What are the standard charades hand signals?

Hold up fingers for the number of words, then hold up fingers again to say which word you are acting. Tap your forearm with fingers for the number of syllables. Pretend to crank an old film camera for a film, open your hands like a book for a book, and make a rectangle in the air for a TV show. Tug your ear for 'sounds like'.

Can you play charades over a video call?

Yes. The actor opens this page on their phone, picks a word, and acts it out on camera while everyone else guesses. The timer and score live on the actor's screen, so one person can run the whole round.

Is the charades generator free?

Yes, it is completely free and runs in any browser, with no sign-up and nothing to install. It works on phones, tablets and laptops.

More games to play in the browser

Prefer drawing to acting? Try the Pictionary Word Generator. For a game of bluffing, deal a round of the Imposter Game, or browse all our games.