Dumb Charades
One player acts out a word without speaking, and the player's own team has to guess it before the time is up. It needs no equipment and suits every age.
- Players
- 4 or more, in two teams
- Time
- 20 to 30 minutes
- You need
- Chits of paper, a timer
- Ages
- 8 and above
- Type
- Party games
How to play
- Make two teams. Each team writes words or phrases on chits for the other team, or uses the list below.
- A player takes a chit and acts it out for their own team. No speaking, no lip movement, no pointing at objects in the room.
- The actor may first show the number of words with fingers, and tug an ear for "sounds like".
- The team has 90 seconds to guess. A right guess is one point.
- The teams take turns until every player has acted once.
Words to act: actions
- Flying a kite
- Making tea
- Catching a bus
- Brushing teeth
- Threading a needle
- Riding a scooter
- Rolling chapatis
- Taking a selfie
- Bowling in cricket
- Milking a cow
- Ironing clothes
- Drawing water from a well
Words to act: people at work
- Traffic police
- Tailor
- Barber
- Postman
- Farmer
- Dentist
- Bus conductor
- News reader
- Potter
- Wedding photographer
- Chaat seller
- Astronaut
Words to act: animals
- Monkey
- Peacock
- Camel
- Frog
- Elephant
- Snake
- Crab
- Kangaroo
- Owl
- Butterfly
- Crocodile
- Hen
Words to act: things
- Umbrella
- Ceiling fan
- Pressure cooker
- Ladder
- Mirror
- Alarm clock
- Hand pump
- Swing
- Washing machine
- Harmonium
- Lift
- Fishing rod
Tips and variations
- For children, use only animals and everyday actions.
- For mixed groups, avoid film names that only one generation knows. Everyday things make a fairer game.
More party games
- Antakshari 20 to 40 minutes
- Musical Chairs 10 to 15 minutes
- Passing the Parcel 15 minutes
- Whisper Chain 10 minutes
- Tambola (Housie) 30 to 45 minutes
- One-Minute Games 1 minute for each player
- Draw and Guess 20 minutes
- Who Am I? 15 minutes
Need fair teams or someone to go first? Use the team maker. See all 43 games.