In charades, one person acts out a prompt while teammates guess. Before anyone performs, decide who can see the prompt and what kinds of clues are allowed.

These house rules suit 4–12 people in two teams. You can use the same structure while seated, with hands and facial expressions rather than full-body movement.

Show the prompt only to the performer

With one phone, the host shows the prompt to the performer and then lowers or turns the screen. Check the guessing team’s sightline. Ask the other team not to leak clues even if it happens to see the answer.

A projected prompt may reveal the answer to the guessing team. Use a large display for time and scores and a smaller device for prompts when available. If an answer is revealed during setup, replace it without awarding points.

Agree on speech, mouthing and props

For the first round, try no voice, no silently mouthing words, no writing letters and no pointing at a real object. To act out brushing teeth, mime holding a toothbrush rather than picking one up.

  • Start with 5 cards and a 60-second round. Reading prompts is part of that time. Each correct prompt is worth one point.
  • Passing a difficult prompt costs no points.
  • The host judges answers using a meaning-based rule agreed in advance.
  • Both teams get the same number of turns; change performers each time.
  • No touching other people, running or jumping is required.

A twelve-minute game for eight people

Form two teams of four. Spend two minutes explaining and demonstrating. Play team A for 60 seconds, allow a 30-second changeover, then team B for 60 seconds and another 30-second changeover. Repeat that three-minute sequence once. Use the remaining four minutes to check scores and solve a final prompt together.

Correct +1 and Pass both advance immediately. A round ends when all 5 cards are handled, even if time remains. Transfer the result to a scoreboard open in another tab for team totals. Stop the current performance when the timer ends. An answer shouted after the end does not count toward the completed turn.

Host: “Use gestures and expressions, without sound. You can pass immediately if a prompt is uncomfortable. We will start 60 seconds now and stop when the clock ends.”

Play seated or perform in pairs

For a seated round, everyone uses hands and upper-body movements. Making this the shared format avoids singling out one participant. Skip any prompt that does not fit the space or the people present.

Two willing people can perform the same prompt together as a gentle introduction. They check the answer privately before starting. A correct guess still earns one point; adding a performer does not double the score.

Resolve close answers without a long debate

Decide whether “bicycle” counts for “riding a bicycle.” We suggest accepting an answer that clearly identifies the intended action. If the meaning stays uncertain, cancel that prompt and replace it.

Avoid sending the strongest performer up every time. Ask for volunteers and offer guessing or timekeeping as equally useful roles. Passing a prompt does not require an explanation, and the group should not make someone’s discomfort the joke.

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