Charades for kids is a perfect first party game: no reading needed for the youngest players if an adult whispers the word. Here are 120 ideas, from “elephant” and “brushing your teeth” to “stuck in a lift”, sorted easy, medium and hard.
Charades for kids cards to print (PDF)
These four pages show the charades for kids cards: the easy level with 12 cards on a page, the hard level with 8 big cards, a small 20-card page in black and white, and the matching card backs. Click any picture for the PDF, or use the generator above to choose the deck, the level and the number of cards.
Print the charades for kids cards
- Choose the deck, the level and how many cards fit on a page (8 big cards, 12, or 20 small ones).
- Add your own cards at the bottom: family names, inside jokes, films your group loves.
- Tick Card backs to add a matching back page (print double-sided, flip on the long edge).
- Press Download PDF or Print, cut along the dotted lines, and shuffle.
Play it now on a phone or a TV
No cards to cut? Use the game below. Pick a level, set the timer and let the game keep score for two teams. Put it on full screen on a laptop or TV for the whole room, and press Copy link to send the same shuffled deck to friends on a video call so everyone follows along.
How to play charades for kids
- One child draws a card (or an adult whispers it) and acts it out with no words and no sounds.
- Everyone else shouts guesses. The first to guess acts next, or play in two teams for points.
- Give 60 seconds per card. For under-5s, turn the timer off and allow animal noises!
- Easy cards are animals and everyday actions; medium are jobs and sports; hard cards are feelings and tricky actions for 8-year-olds and up.
Why charades for kids is a good game
Acting out a word builds vocabulary, body awareness and confidence, and guessing trains listening and quick thinking. Teachers use the easy level as a brain break or a warm-up for drama, and the feelings cards (“proud”, “grumpy in the morning”) open up nice conversations about emotions.
Charades ideas for kids
Easy (40)
- Elephant
- Monkey
- Kangaroo
- Penguin
- Snake
- Rabbit
- Frog
- Lion
- Dog
- Cat
- Chicken
- Duck
- Horse
- Fish
- Butterfly
- Crab
- Tortoise
- Giraffe
- Bear
- Owl
- Brushing your teeth
- Sleeping
- Eating noodles
- Riding a bike
- Swimming
- Skipping rope
- Reading a book
- Flying a kite
- Kicking a football
- Taking a photo
- Blowing bubbles
- Washing your hands
- Combing your hair
- Crying baby
- Sneezing
- Yawning
- Eating an ice cream
- Blowing out birthday candles
- Walking a dog
- Driving a car
Medium (40)
- Doctor
- Teacher
- Chef
- Firefighter
- Police officer
- Pilot
- Farmer
- Astronaut
- Dentist
- Magician
- Clown
- Superhero
- King
- Queen
- Robot
- Pirate
- Ghost
- Mermaid
- Dinosaur
- Monster under the bed
- Batting in cricket
- Bowling in cricket
- Badminton
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Ice skating
- Surfing
- Boxing
- Yoga
- Karate
- Golf
- Climbing a ladder
- Rowing a boat
- Planting a seed
- Painting a picture
- Building a snowman
- Playing the drums
- Playing the guitar
- Playing the piano
- Opening a present
Hard (40)
- Tying your shoelaces
- Carrying a very heavy bag
- Walking on ice
- Chewing sticky toffee
- Stuck in a lift
- Hiccups that won’t stop
- Catching a butterfly
- Waiting for the school bus in the rain
- Popcorn popping
- Washing machine
- Umbrella in the wind
- Alarm clock
- Scissors
- Toothpaste tube
- Volcano erupting
- Melting ice cream
- Balloon losing air
- Spider making a web
- Bee finding a flower
- Tired after a race
- Surprised
- Scared of the dark
- Proud of a good mark
- Grumpy in the morning
- Shy at a party
- Excited for a holiday
- Brave knight
- Sleepy owl in the day
- Juggler
- Tightrope walker
- Photographer at a wedding
- Referee blowing the whistle
- Orchestra conductor
- Hairdresser
- Lifeguard
- Zookeeper feeding animals
- Baker making bread
- Postman delivering letters
- Chasing a runaway hat
- Trying not to laugh
Charades ideas for kids by age
Charades for kids works from age three to twelve, but the best level changes with age. This table shows how to match the cards and the turn length to the children in your group:
| Age | Level | Turn length | How to help |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 to 4 | Easy animals only | No timer | An adult whispers the card, and animal noises are allowed |
| 5 to 6 | Easy | 60 seconds | Play as one big team so no one loses |
| 7 to 8 | Easy and medium | 60 seconds | Two teams, with points for the first right guess |
| 9 to 12 | Medium and hard | 45 seconds | Add a rule such as no pointing, or an acting-only “freeze” at the end |
| Teens | Hard, then the adult deck | 30 to 45 seconds | Move on to charades ideas for adults |
Charades words for kids: how the 120 cards are built
The deck has 120 cards in three levels, and each level mixes two or three types of card, so you never get a long run of one kind:
| Level | Cards | What is in it | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 40 | 20 animals and 20 everyday actions | Elephant, penguin, brushing your teeth, flying a kite |
| Medium | 40 | 20 jobs and characters, and 20 sports and hobbies | Firefighter, pirate, ice skating, playing the drums |
| Hard | 40 | Tricky actions, objects and feelings, and people at work | Walking on ice, popcorn popping, grumpy in the morning, lifeguard |
Easy charades: how to act ten animals
Children who are new to charades for kids often freeze, because they do not know where to start. These are the easy charades that work for almost every child, with a quick tip for each:
| Animal | How to act it (no sound!) |
|---|---|
| Elephant | Bend over, hold one arm as a trunk and swing it |
| Monkey | Scratch under your arms and hop from foot to foot |
| Kangaroo | Hop with both feet and hold your hands like small front paws |
| Penguin | Keep your arms stiff by your sides and waddle |
| Snake | Make a wavy line with your arm and slide along the floor |
| Rabbit | Hop with two fingers up as long ears and wiggle your nose |
| Frog | Crouch low and leap, with your tongue out for a fly |
| Lion | Make claws with your hands and shake a pretend mane |
| Butterfly | Link your thumbs and flap your hands as wings |
| Tortoise | Hunch your shoulders and move very slowly |
After the animals, move on to the action cards of charades for kids. Tell the child to show what the body does, such as scrubbing the teeth with a pretend brush, before they worry about the details.
Kids charades: five game variations
- Freeze charades: the actor acts until the music stops, and then everyone guesses.
- Relay charades: two teams line up, and the actors run to a card, act it out for their team, and tag the next actor.
- Whisper pass: an adult whispers the word to the child on the left, who acts it, and the next child guesses.
- Safari walk: the whole group acts a different animal as they walk across the room.
- Mirror charades: two children face each other, and one copies the other’s actions as they guess.
Charades cards printable: how many pages to print
The charades cards printable can be set to 8, 12 or 20 cards per page, in color or black and white, with an optional back page so that the cards are the same on both sides. This table shows how many sheets you need for the whole deck:
| Cards per page | Pages for all 120 cards | Pages with card backs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 (big) | 15 | 30 | Young children and classroom displays |
| 12 | 10 | 20 | A good all-round size |
| 20 (small) | 6 | 12 | Saving paper and a pocket deck |
For the history of the game, from parlor games in the 1700s to modern party versions, Wikipedia’s charades article is a good read for older children.
Frequently asked questions
5 quick answers
What age is charades for kids good for?
From about 4 with the easy cards and an adult helper, and up to 12 and beyond with the hard level.
Can I add my own words?
Yes. Type them in “Add your own cards” before printing: classmates’ favorite animals, words from this week’s spelling list, or characters from a class book.
Do you have charades for adults as well as charades for kids?
Yes: see our charades ideas with films, idioms and harder actions, and Bollywood dumb charades.
How do I teach charades to young children?
Start with animals and let the child make noises while a grown-up helps. Show one example first, then let the child try. Keep turns short and cheer every attempt, whether or not the guess is right.
How many charades cards do I need for a party?
About 10 cards for each child is plenty for an hour. The deck has 120 cards, and you can print the easy level only for the youngest group.