A charades word, a 60-second timer, and a buzzer — the whole game on one page. Act it out, no talking allowed.
⏱ 60s
One person — the actor — secretly reads the word on screen, then taps ▶ Start 60s round and acts it out. The rules are the classics: no talking, no mouthing words, no pointing at the actual thing. Everyone else shouts guesses until someone nails it or the timer hits zero. Then tap ↻ Next word, pass the phone, and the next actor goes. Easiest scoring: a point per correct guess for the actor and the guesser, play to ten.
🐧 Animals is the warm-up deck and the kids' favourite — everyone can do a penguin. 🏃 Actions and 🪑 Objects are the solid middle: acting out "untangling headphones" or "a revolving door" gets funnier the more committed you are. 👩🚒 Jobs rewards drama (the orchestra conductor always brings the house down). And 🧠 Hard mode is abstract chaos — try acting out "déjà vu", "slow internet", or "Monday morning" and watch your team question everything they know about you.
Before the first round, agree the classic gestures: hold up fingers for the number of words, then a finger for which word you're acting; tug your earlobe for "sounds like"; pinch fingers together for a small word (the, a, of); wave hands in a circle for "keep guessing, you're close". Those five signals turn flailing into strategy — and Hard mode becomes genuinely winnable.
Want to load a paper bowl, run the game off-screen, or just pick your own? Here's every word in all five decks — all original and family-friendly, from easy mimes for kids to abstract Hard-mode brain-benders. The generator above serves them at random; here's the full list to browse:
Charades peaks as a team game: split fairly with the Team Shuffler, alternate actors, and keep score across five rounds. Use the name picker to choose who acts first (no volunteers needed), and when arms get tired, wind down with Never Have I Ever or our full phone-only party games lineup.
How do you play charades with this generator?
The actor secretly looks at the word on screen, taps the timer, and acts it out — no talking, no mouthing words, no pointing at objects. The group shouts guesses until someone gets it or the 60 seconds run out. Tap "Next word" and pass the phone to the next actor.
What kinds of words are there?
Five decks: Animals, Actions, Objects, Jobs, and a Hard mode full of abstract ideas like "déjà vu" and "slow internet". Easy decks are great for kids; Hard mode is where adults start arguing.
Do I need anything besides a phone?
No. The word, the 60-second timer, and the buzzer moment are all on this page — no cards, no app, no sign-up. One phone passed around the room runs the whole game.