Party game classic
Charades: Rules and How the Miming Game Works
Charades is the miming classic for groups. One player acts out a term using only gestures, without speaking or making sounds.
- Players
- 4 to 16
- Duration
- 20 to 40 minutes
- What you need
- Just terms and gestures
- Vibe
- Creative, active, teamwork
Rules
Charades in 4 steps
Their own team guesses against the clock. It needs no equipment beyond a few terms and gets almost any group going straight away.
Teams and terms
Form two teams and collect terms like films, celebrities or activities on paper slips in a bowl.
Act it out without words
One player draws a term and acts it out using only gestures, without speaking or making sounds.
The team guesses against the clock
Their own team guesses. Each term guessed scores a point, usually with a timer of one to two minutes running.
Switch
Then it's the other team's turn. Whoever has guessed more terms after several rounds wins.
Variations
- Set categories, for example only films or only jobs.
- Hard terms count double.
- Break the term into words or syllables up front to make it easier.
Tips for your round
- Clear, big gestures help more than frantic wriggling.
- Show the category first so your team knows what it's about.
FAQ
Charades FAQ
What can't you do in Charades?
How many players do you need for Charades?
Where do I get terms for Charades?
How long does a game of Charades take?
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