Group GamesDumb 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
Who it suits and when to play
Dumb Charades suits mixed groups of all ages in one room: house parties, family functions, class picnics and office outings. Children from about eight can act, and younger ones enjoy guessing. Pick words and titles that every age present will know. Shy guests may refuse to act; let them be the timekeeper or the scorer for the first round.
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.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The actor mouths words or makes sounds. One warning, then the turn is lost. Say this before the game begins.
- The chits are too hard. Have a neutral person write the chits for both teams, and mix easy and hard ones.
- The same loud people guess everything. Rotate a "captain of guesses" each turn; only the captain's final answer counts.
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 45 games.