No voice? No problem. Charades is the party game that rewards the loudest gestures, the silliest movements, and the most chaotic imagination—all without saying a single word. Whether you’re a seasoned party clown or a first-time mime, understanding the rules makes all the difference between total confusion and hilarious fun.
Charades works across all ages and group sizes, making it the ultimate low-effort, high-impact game. It’s great for warming up a room, breaking the ice, or watching your friends absolutely butcher their way through Titanic without saying “iceberg.”
If you’re wondering how this classic game actually works (or want to settle some heated rule debates mid-party), here’s your go-to guide.
Best Charades Word Generator
Running out of things to mime? We’ve got you covered. Our free Charades word generator is stacked with thousands of movies, books, TV shows, and more to act out—with difficulty levels ranging from “easy win” to “good luck with that.”
Want a pure movie-only experience for Dumb Charades? Just tap, act, laugh, repeat. Download our free app Kabuki from the App Store or Google Play—or try it online now with one click.
How to Play Classic Charades
Charades is simple to learn but endlessly entertaining. Here’s how it goes down:
1. Split into teams
Two teams is standard, but you can add more if you’ve got a crowd or want a chaotic free-for-all.
2. Choose your categories
Movies, books, TV shows, songs—anything goes. For pure dumb charades, stick to films only.
3. Write the prompts
Each team secretly writes down words or phrases for the other team to act out. Keep them tricky, but not impossible (unless you’re into suffering).
4. One player acts
The chosen one from Team A picks a prompt from Team B, and without saying anything, tries to act it out for their team.
Not sure how to mime “sounds like” or “movie title”? Here’s the cheat sheet:
- ✌️ Number of words – Hold up fingers at the start.
- 📽️ Movie/book/song – Mime a camera, turning pages, or singing.
- 👂 Sounds like – Tug your ear.
- 📏 Short word – Pinch your fingers close together.
- 🕵️ Whole phrase – Make a sweeping gesture to show you’re acting the full thing.
- 🤫 Syllables – Tap your forearm for each syllable.
- ⏳ Time’s up – Slash a hand across your neck (in the least threatening way possible).
5. Follow the no-no list
No speaking, mouthing words, or spelling letters in the air. No pointing to objects in the room. Only gestures, expressions, and unhinged energy allowed.
6. Guess it in time
Set a timer (usually 60–90 seconds). If the team guesses the word or phrase before time’s up, they get a point.
7. Keep score
Alternate teams and keep score until you’re tired, someone cries laughing, or the snacks run out.
Charades Rules
You know the rules. Now here’s how to actually win. Or at least not totally flop in front of your friends. These tips will help you milk the most laughs, rack up points, and maybe pull a muscle or two in the name of movie-based glory.
1. Play with people who get you
The game is 50% acting, 50% psychic connection. The better your team knows you, the better their guesses (and the funnier the failures).
2. Act it out like your life depends on it
No one wants to see a shy wave. Go big. Full-body commitment, cartoonish expressions, Oscar-worthy desperation—channel your inner mime.
3. Don’t get stuck
If nobody’s getting it, skip! Spending 90 seconds trying to act out Schindler’s List isn’t worth the existential crisis.
4. Use categories and clues
Start with the basics—number of words, syllables, type of media. Point to your eye for “I”, pretend to shoot a camera for “movie”, etc. It sets your team up to guess faster.
5. Watch your hands
No pointing to actual objects in the room. No spelling, mouthing, or sneaky sound effects. Keep it pure: just you, your limbs, and chaos.
6. Pick a mix of easy and evil
When writing movie titles, balance it out. Titanic gets laughs. My Cousin Vinny triggers panic. It’s all part of the fun.
7. Know your team
Inside jokes are basically cheat codes. If your group has “a thing” with Bee Movie, now’s the time to weaponize it.
8. Overact. Always.
The more dramatic, the better. You’re not acting—you’re performing. Mime like your pride is on the line.
9. Stay calm under pressure
Your team doesn’t get it? Breathe. Keep moving. The flailing only gets funnier when you’re committed.
10. Practice universal signs
Some things always work: fake crying, sword fights, dramatic fainting. Build your go-to toolkit.
11. Keep it moving
Stuck? Don’t dig your heels in. Bail out early and keep the momentum going. New round = new hope.
12. The Ultimate Dumb Charades Twist
If you’re playing Dumb Charades (just movies), use all the tips above—but stick strictly to film titles. Think Inception, Frozen, Snakes on a Plane—and yes, good luck with that last one.
Make it even harder by:
- Banning “sounds like” gestures
- Using only foreign-language or indie film titles
- Challenging your friendships with truly obscure picks
