Charades Rules: How to Play Charades Step by Step

Charades is the classic party game of acting without words. One player mimes a word or phrase while their team shouts out guesses, racing a timer. It needs only paper, pens and a timer, works for kids and grandparents at the same table, and is a favorite at holiday parties and family game nights. This guide covers the standard rules of charades, the traditional hand signals, scoring, popular variations and a list of 360 words and phrases ready to play.

Quick rules

• Split into two teams. Each team writes words or phrases on slips for the other team.
• On a turn, one player draws a slip from the other team's bowl and acts it out silently.
• The actor may not speak, mouth words, spell letters in the air or point at objects that give the answer.
• Teammates guess aloud. The actor has a time limit, usually 2 or 3 minutes.
• Teams take turns, and every player gets a go at acting.
• The team with the most correct guesses, or the lowest total time, wins.

What you need

• Slips of paper and a pen for each player
• Two bowls, hats or bags, one per team
• A timer or phone stopwatch
• Paper or our game scorekeeper to track points

Setup

1. Make two teams. Split the group evenly. The random team generator keeps it fair.
2. Write the slips. Each team writes words or phrases on slips, folds them and puts them in their bowl. These slips will be acted out by the other team. Agree on rules first, such as no more than five words per slip.
3. Swap bowls. Each team gets the other team's bowl.
4. Choose a timekeeper and scorer. Usually someone from the team that is not acting watches the clock.

If you would rather skip writing slips, use the picker below or the charades word generator to serve up words.

How to play charades

Taking a turn

1. The actor draws a slip and reads it silently. Only the actor and the other team should know the answer.
2. The timer starts as soon as the actor begins.
3. The actor gives signals and mimes clues. Teammates call out guesses as often as they like.
4. When a teammate says the exact word or phrase, the actor touches their nose and points at the guesser. The timer stops.
5. If time runs out, the turn ends with no point, and the other team may get one guess to steal it if your group plays that rule.

The standard hand signals

These signals let the actor give structure before acting out the meaning. Most groups use the same core set:

In traditional charades played with titles, actors also start with a category sign, such as opening hands like a book or cranking an old camera for a film. If you play with words and phrases like the list on this page, you can skip category signs, or agree on a simple one for each category, like flapping arms for animals.

Scoring

There are two common ways to score charades. Pick one before you start.

The timed method is the older parlor way of playing. The points method is simpler for kids and big groups.

How to win

Play until every player has acted at least once, or for an agreed number of rounds. The team with the most points, or the lowest total time, wins. If teams are tied, play one sudden death round each.

Variations

• Kids charades: use simple actions and animals, allow sound effects, and skip the timer for very young children.
• Reverse charades: the whole team acts out the word while one player guesses. It is loud, fast and great for shy players.
• Christmas or Halloween charades: use only words from one holiday category. See our Christmas party games and Halloween party games for more seasonal ideas.
• Speed charades: each actor gets 60 seconds to act out as many slips as possible.
• Emotion charades: act out feelings like nervous, proud or bored. It is a great classroom activity.
• Dumb charades: the popular Indian version, with its own signs and traditions. See our dumb charades rules.

Charades word picker

Choose a category and tap for a random word or phrase to act out.

360 charades ideas by category

The list runs from easy words for kids to hard ideas like procrastination and deja vu that challenge experienced players.

Tips and strategy

• Give structure first. Show the number of words, then pick the easiest word to act out rather than going in order.
• Act big. Large, clear movements are easier to read than small gestures.
• Use sounds like. For tricky words, act out a word that rhymes.
• Encourage your team. When someone is close, point at them and beckon so they keep going.
• Guess out loud and often. As a guesser, call out everything that comes to mind. There is no penalty for wrong guesses.

Common mistakes

• Mouthing words. Moving your lips to shape the answer is against the rules.
• Pointing at objects. Most groups do not allow pointing at a lamp in the room to get "lamp". Agree on this first.
• Slips that are too long. Keep phrases to five words or fewer so turns stay fun.
• Forgetting the timer. Without a time limit, turns drag. Two or three minutes is plenty.