How to play charades

Charades survives because it needs nothing but paper and nerve. The only thing that ruins it is a room arguing about the signals halfway through a turn.

Here are the rules as most UK families play them, plus the signals worth agreeing on before you start.

Setup

• Two teams, roughly even. Four or more players total.
• Everyone writes two or three titles on slips and folds them into a bowl.
• Agree the categories first: films, books, TV, songs, people.
• One minute per turn, timed out loud.

The rules

• The actor takes a slip and may not speak, mouth words or point at written words.
• Their own team guesses. If they get it inside the minute, that team scores a point.
• If the minute runs out, play passes to the other team - no steal unless you agreed one.
• Play a fixed number of rounds so it ends cleanly.

The standard signals

• Category: mime cranking a camera for a film, open hands for a book, draw a rectangle for TV.
• Number of words: hold up that many fingers.
• Which word: hold up fingers again, then mime that word alone.
• Syllables: fingers laid on your forearm.
• Sounds like: tug your earlobe.
• Close: wave your hand to say keep going.
• The whole thing: sweep your arms in a wide circle.

Word list ideas

• Easy for kids: The Lion King, Peppa Pig, Frozen, Paddington.
• Mixed family: Mary Poppins, Gogglebox, Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off.
• Harder for adults: The Shawshank Redemption, Line of Duty, Fleabag, Pulp Fiction.

Party supplies

How to write it so it lands

• Agree the signals out loud before the first turn.
• Cap the title length at five words or turns drag.

Where to shop next

• Printable charades lists
• Card message templates you can fill in
• Birthday card wording templates
• Thank you card templates
• Gift ideas by occasion
• Last minute gift ideas
• Party game instructions
• How to play pass the parcel
• Card guides
• Gift guides
• Party game guides
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas

Frequently asked questions

How long do you get in charades?

One minute is standard. Two minutes for younger children or very long titles.

Can you point at things in charades?

You can point at objects and people in the room, but not at written words - that is the one rule everyone breaks.