How does this charades game work? Split into two teams. On each turn one player, the actor, holds the phone and acts out the word on screen without speaking. Their team shouts guesses. The actor taps Got it for a point or Skip for a new word. When time runs out, the other team plays. The team with the most points after the last turn wins.
How to play charades
- Make two teams and type their names.
- Pick decks to match your group: Kids and Animals for young players, Movies and Famous People for a challenge, Adults Party for grown-ups.
- Choose the time per turn (60 seconds is classic) and the number of turns.
- Act. The actor taps start, then acts out each word. No talking, no sounds, no pointing at the answer.
- Score. Each guessed word is 1 point. Skipped words score nothing.
Classic charades gestures
| Signal | Gesture |
|---|---|
| Movie | Crank an old film camera beside your head |
| Book | Open your palms like a book |
| Song | Hand on your chest and mouth open, as if singing |
| TV show | Draw a rectangle in the air |
| Number of words | Hold up that many fingers |
| Which word you're acting | Hold up fingers again: 2 fingers = the second word |
| Number of syllables | Lay that many fingers on your forearm |
| Sounds like | Cup a hand behind your ear |
| Short word (a, the, of) | Hold your thumb and finger close together |
| Whole idea | Sweep your arms in a big circle |
| Close! Keep going | Point at the guesser and nod |
Tips for great charades
- Start with the most obvious part of the word: for "Fishing", cast a rod before anything else.
- Skip fast. A hard word can eat your whole turn; a skip costs nothing.
- Act big. Exaggerated moves are easier to read across a room, and funnier.
- Keep teams mixed by age so every team has a kid-friendly actor and a movie buff.
Charades decks
| Deck | Level | Example words |
|---|---|---|
| π¦ Animals | Easy | Lion, Penguin, Kangaroo, Elephant |
| π Act It Out | Easy | Brushing teeth, Riding a bike, Taking a selfie, Swimming |
| π Food | Easy | Pizza, Sushi, Taco, Spaghetti |
| π¬ Movies | Medium | Titanic, Frozen, Jurassic Park, Star Wars |
| β Famous People | Hard | Taylor Swift, Albert Einstein, BeyoncΓ©, Elvis Presley |
| π©βπ Jobs | Easy | Astronaut, Firefighter, Chef, Dentist |
| β½ Sports | Easy | Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, Baseball |
| π§Έ Everyday Things | Medium | Umbrella, Toothbrush, Vacuum cleaner, Remote control |
| π§ Kids | Easy | Brushing your hair, Eating spaghetti, Jumping rope, Sleeping |
| π Adults Party | Medium | Walk of shame, Karaoke, Hangover, Photobomb |
Want to read through every word first, or print a list? See all 370+ charades ideas.
Charades FAQ
How do you play charades on a phone?
Split into two teams. On your team's turn, one actor holds the phone, sees a word and acts it out without talking. Tap Got it when your team guesses it or Skip to move on. When the timer ends, the phone goes to the other team.
How many people do you need for charades?
At least 4, in two teams of 2. There's no upper limit: big groups just make bigger teams.
Is this online charades game free?
Yes. It's free, needs no app or account and works in the browser on iPhone, Android and computers.
What are the rules of charades?
No talking, no sounds, no lip-syncing the answer and no pointing at an object in the room that is the answer. You can use gestures for the number of words and syllables. Each guessed word scores 1 point.
What are good charades ideas for kids?
Animals, simple actions and characters: Monkey, Brushing your teeth, Superhero, Dinosaur, Eating spaghetti. See the full list of charades ideas for kids.