310 Fun Charades Ideas List For Kids (Get Your Wiggles Out Game!)
This funny kids charades game is one of my family’s all-time favorites! We love that you don’t need any extra equipment to get a game going. It’s an EASY choice for any kid event or family night.
Plus, it’s free, great for all ages, and you can play it many times using different sets of words.
Grab the free printable at the end of the post!
Charades for Kids Rules
How to play charades:
First, write the kids charade ideas on paper, then put them in a basket.
- If you play individually, everyone can just shout out the answers.
- If you do teams, choose the team with the youngest person to go first. (If several kids are the same age, settle it through a coin flip or rock paper scissors).
In teams, take turns as you play. One player draws an idea from the basket and gestures to try to get their teammates to guess the word or phrase. When the team guesses correctly, they receive a point and the next team has a turn.
The game continues until time runs out, and then the team with the most points wins. Or determine the number of points it takes to win before the game.
Getting More Competitive
To add a little “friendly fire” to the mix, set a time limit and keep score on pencil and paper.
Charades for Kids Game List
These ideas can be used as your entire game, or a springboard to spark your creativity!
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Easy Activity Charades Ideas Kids Love
This category works great for preschool kids or a group that has a wide age range.
1. Brushing teeth
2. Brushing hair
3. Waking up
4. Singing
5. Cooking
6. Watering flowers/plants
7. Fishing
8. Doing the dishes
9. Drinking
10. Eating
11. Washing dishes
12. Tying shoes
13. Taking a bath
14. Drawing
15. Painting
16. Walking a dog
17. Sleeping
18. Driving a car
19. Making a bed
20. Reading
21. Vacuuming
22. Reading a book
Need a “prize” for the winners? Grab 8 free kids coupons here >>
Food Charade Ideas For Kids
Next, food is both fun and hilarious to act out!
1. French fries
2. Ice cream
3. Apple
4. Pizza
5. Lollipop
6. Peas
7. Broccolli
8. Hot dog
9. Banana
10. Cereal
11. Donut
12. Goldfish
13. Orange
14. Spaghetti
15. Sandwich
16. Taco
17. Chips and salsa
18. Birthday cake
19. Gum
20. Carrots
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Funny Charades For Kids Ideas
These charades for kids are a bit silly and will get everyone laughing.
1. Blowing a kiss
2. Hula hooping
3. A Creeper walking in Minecraft
4. Scolding someone
5. Doing “the Worm”
6. Slipping on a banana
7. Sitting on Santa’s lap
8. The Easter Bunny
9. The Tooth Fairy
10. Riding a hoverboard
11. Doing a pogo stick
12. Robots
13. Pinata
14. Being a clown
15. Doing karaoke
16. Trick or Treating
Animal Charades For Kids
These kids charade ideas will be hit. Just remember that you can’t do sounds! (Unless that’s a cheat you decide on together for young kids)
1. Chicken
2. Goat
3. Horse
4. Pig
5. Dog
6. Cat
7. Turtle
8. Frog
9. Monkey
10. Kangaroo
11. Elephant
12. Cow
13. Dinosaur (T-Rex)
14. Bird
15. Snake
16. Alligator
17. Giraffe
18. Elephant
19. Lion
20. Penguin
21. Sloth
22. Ant
23. Spider
24. Wolf
25. Gorilla
26. A Donkey
Related: Kids Trivia Questions Quiz & Family Feud Questions Game
Emotions Charades
Feelings make for great gestures and also build social awareness in kids.
1. Happy
2. Sad
3. Excited
4. Surprised
5. Angry
6. Scared
7. Embarrassed
8. Frustrated
9. Bored
10. Tired
Object Charades For Kids Game
Objects can be more difficult, so these charade ideas are great for older elementary kids and teens.
1. Ipad/tablet
2. Pillow
3. Scissors
4. Shoes
5. Backpack
6. A key
7. A book
8. A pencil
9. Lunchbox
10. A chair
11. Phone
12. Camera
13. Car
14. Lawnmower
15. Bed
16. Remote control
17. Clock
18. Swing
19. Park bench
20. Toothbrush
21. Table
22. Homework
Related: Team building Games & Activities For Kids
Places Ideas List For Gestures
Where are all the fun places you can go?
1. Library
2. Restaurant
3. School
4. Church
5. Zoo
6. Amusement park
7. Museum
8. Movie theater
9. Arcade
10. Pool
11. Aquarium
12. Train station
13. Airport
14. Garden
15. Sports stadium
16. Mall
17. Beach
18. Farm
19. Doctor’s office
20. Dentist’s office
Related Question Posts:
Disney Charades (& Kids Shows Too)
Next, these popular movies and shows may be difficult, or not. It depends on the group!
1. Lion King
2. Frozen
3. Moana
4. Paw Patrol
5. Encanto
6. Home
7. Curious George
8. Wild Kratts
9. Spongebob Square Pants
10. Captain Underpants
11. Cat in the Hat
12. Daniel Tiger
13. My Little Pony
14. PJ Masks
15. Cinderella
16. Sing
17. Beauty and the Beast
18. Zootopia
19. Raya and the Last Dragon
20. Mulan
21. Winnie the Pooh
22. Toy Story
23. The Incredibles
24. Finding Nemo
25. Mickey Mouse
26. Aladdin
27. Princess and the Frog
28. Wall-E
Related: Fun Frozen Trivia Questions
Sports Charade Ideas for Kids
Sports are already physical activities, so these make for easy kids charades.
1. Playing baseball
2. Playing basketball
3. Playing soccer/football
4. Playing football (American)
5. Gymnastics
6. Playing golf
7. Doing ultimate frisbee
8. Playing volleyball
9. Swimming
10. Ice skating
11. Cheerleading
12. Rollerblading
13. Diving (off a diving board)
14. Playing tennis
15. Riding a bike
16. Skateboarding
17. Jumping rope
18. Skiing
19. Running over hurdles
20. Hiking
Musical Instruments Charades
Test your knowledge of different instruments with this kids charades list.
1. Guitar
2. Violin
3. Cello
4. Flute
5. Drums
6. Piano
7. Saxophone
8. Tuba
9. Recorder/clarinet
10. Trumpet
Hard Charade Ideas For Family
Now, these charades are a bit random, but were specifically selected because they will challenge you.
1. Popcorn popping
2. Giving a Valentine
3. Discovering the North Pole
4. Whisking eggs
5. Putting on rash cream
6. Getting pricked by a spindle
7. Popping a poppit (the fidget toy)
8. Spray painting
9. Petting a tiger
10. Daydreaming
12. Seeing a ghost
13. Seeing your crush
Charade Ideas For Teens
The following charades for kids work well with older ages and teenagers. They are both more complex and include more outside cultural ideas.
Teenagers Books Charades List
These popular books are known by many, making them great candidates for teen charades!
1. The Hobbit (or the Lord of the Rings)
2. Harry Potter
3. The Hunger Games
4. The Fault in Our Stars
5. To Kill a Mockingbird
6. Ender’s Game
7. The Book Thief
8. A Wrinkle in Time
9. Holes
10. The Giver (series)
11. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
12. The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe
13. The One & Only Ivan (One of the best 10 year old books)
14. Percy Jackson
15. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
*Related:
Movie Charade Ideas For Teens
Many of these movies are actually series, so there are plenty of options to pick from.
1. Avengers (in general or pick a movie)
2. Star Wars (in general or pick a movie)
3. Spiderman
4. Jumanji
5. Hamilton
6. Jurassic Park
7. Batman
8. X-Men
9. Wonder Woman
10. Titanic
Related: Inspirational Teen Movies To Watch
Harder Action Phrases For Teenagers
These activity charades for teens will get them thinking and using their imaginations.
1. Putting on makeup
2. Opening a can
3. Doing laundry
4. Making a bed
5. Grocery shopping
6. Ringing a bell
7. Putting on pajamas
8. Packing a lunch
9. Changing a diaper
10. Cooking pancakes
11. Lighting candles
12. Sharpening a pencil
13. Watching tv
14. Suntanning
15. Chopping wood
16. Shaving
17. Digging a hole
18. Climbing a tree
19. Getting into a fight
20. Giving a gift
21. Achieving a goal
22. Riding in a plane
Related Posts: Fun 2 Truths & Lies Ideas & Who Knows Me Better Questions for Family
Older Kids Sports & Leisure
These kids charades get a lot more specific, and get you thinking outside of the box.
1. Tap dancing
2. Playing lacrosse
3. Playing croquet
4. Water skiiing
5. Bowling
6. Gaming
7. Salsa dancing
8. Playing pool
9. Cycling
10. Surfing
11. Bobsledding
12. Snowboarding
13. Playing badmitton
14. Playing ping-pong
15. Juggling
16. Ice hockey
17. Boxing
18. Rowing
19. Wrestling
20. Archery
Occupations Charades List For Kids & Teens
1. Chef
2. Policeman
3. Fireman
4. Scientist
5. Trash collector
6. Teacher
7. Artist
8. Doctor (or do surgeon to make it harder)
9. Athlete
10. Writer
11. Journalist
12. Movie director
13. Actor
14. Geologist
15. Plumber
16. Hairstylist
17. Lifeguard
18. President
19. Waiter/waitress
20. Computer coder
More great teen posts:
Pop Song Charades Ideas For Kids & Teens
1.”Firework” by Katy Perry
2. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
3. “Levitating by Dua Lipa
4. “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles
5. “Like A Prayer” by Madonna
6. “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus
7. “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen
8. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston
9. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
10. “Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears
11. “Single Ladies” by Beyonce
12. “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran
13. “Hello” by Adelle
14. “Telephone” by Lady Gaga
15. “Dynamite” Taio Cruz
Related: Whiteboard Interactive Games
Free Printable Charades List
Need something to keep the kids busy? Have them use the printable list below to create cards to play for the game!
Good Tips for Charades With Kids
Playing with kids is different than playing with adults. Here are a few things that are good to keep in mind.
Adjust for Age & Reading Ability
Young kids may not know what everything is or be able to read cards. For them, stick to picture flashcards or read the card to them (help them). Also, avoid longer phrases and objects that might give them trouble acting out.
To make it easier for young ones, you can also…
- Describe the category to the group first (object, animal, activity, etc.)
- Describe what “gestures” and “miming” means
- Play in teams (instead of individually)
- Give extra clues (hold up your fingers to say how many words are in it)
What’s Next?
As a side note, playing games with your kids is great for your mental health! Playing helps reduce stress, stimulate creativity, improve your connections, and help you feel energetic (source).
So, enjoy this kids charades game on your next family game night!
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