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How to play charades with the wheel
The wheel replaces slips of paper in a bowl. The one trick: only the actor may see the result, so spin on a phone or laptop turned away from the guessers, or have the host spin and show the actor.
- Make teams and pick a levelSplit into two teams of 2–6 (the random group generator does it in one click). Load Easy for ages 4–7, Medium for mixed ages and Hard for older kids and adults.
- Spin where guessers can't seeThe actor spins on a device the guessers can't see, or the host spins and quietly shows the actor. Turn on Instant result in Options for quicker turns.
- Start one minute on the clockStart the 1-minute preset on the classroom timer. The host announces the category from the note ("It's an animal") so the team knows where to start.
- Act it out, no talkingNo words, no mouthing, no sounds and no pointing at things in the room. Teammates shout guesses; the actor nods, points at whoever is close, or uses the hand signals in the FAQ below.
- Score and switchA correct guess in time earns 1 point. Remove winner keeps used prompts off the wheel. Teams take turns with a new actor each time, until everyone has acted at least once.
Playing with 3- to 6-year-olds?
Drop the teams and the timer. Let the actor make animal sounds, and have everyone guess together. The Easy and Animals lists keep every prompt something young children have seen.
Charades ideas by difficulty and category
Easy, medium and hard sets mix animals, actions, jobs, sports and everyday objects; each note gives the category to announce and an acting tip. An animals-only set and a category wheel round it out. There are no movies, TV shows, songs or brands, so nobody gets stuck on a title they've never seen.
| Prompt | Category and acting tip | On the wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Dog | Animal. Pant, wag a pretend tail, then sit and beg. | |
| Cat | Animal. Lick a paw, stretch, and curl up for a nap. | |
| Elephant | Animal. Swing one arm from your nose like a trunk. | |
| Monkey | Animal. Scratch your sides and swing from branch to branch. | |
| Frog | Animal. Squat low, then hop. | |
| Bird | Animal. Flap your arms and peck at seeds on the ground. | |
| Fish | Animal. Make fish lips and swim with your hands. | |
| Brushing teeth | Action. Brush up and down, spit, rinse. | |
| Sleeping | Action. Rest your head on your hands and close your eyes. | |
| Eating spaghetti | Action. Twirl a fork and pull up long noodles. | |
| Jumping rope | Action. Swing an invisible rope and hop over it. | |
| Riding a bike | Action. Hold the handlebars and pedal while sitting. | |
| Baby | Person. Rub your eyes, then crawl. | |
| Firefighter | Job. Pull on boots, then aim a big, heavy hose. | |
| Chef | Job. Stir a big pot and taste from the spoon. | |
| Basketball | Sport. Dribble, then shoot. | |
| Swimming | Sport. Hold your nose, then pull your arms through the water. | |
| Umbrella | Object. Open it over your head and look up at the rain. | |
| Ice cream cone | Object. Lick it, then catch a drip. | |
| Snowman | Object. Roll big snowballs, stack them and add a carrot nose. |
| Prompt | Category and acting tip | On the wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Kangaroo | Animal. Tuck your hands up and bounce with your feet together. | |
| Penguin | Animal. Arms stiff at your sides, then waddle. | |
| Giraffe | Animal. Stretch your neck high and nibble leaves from a tall tree. | |
| Crab | Animal. Pinch with both hands and walk sideways. | |
| Flying a kite | Action. Run a few steps, then hold the string and look up. | |
| Building a sandcastle | Action. Scoop, pack a bucket and flip it over. | |
| Washing a dog | Action. Scrub, then wipe your face when it shakes itself dry. | |
| Blowing up a balloon | Action. Puff your cheeks, grow the balloon with your hands, then it pops. | |
| Making a sandwich | Action. Bread, spread, layer, close it and cut it in half. | |
| Doctor | Job. Listen with a pretend stethoscope and tap a knee. | |
| Mail carrier | Job. Carry a heavy bag and drop letters into mailboxes. | |
| Teacher | Job. Write on a board, then call on a raised hand. | |
| Photographer | Job. Look through a camera, wave people closer, snap. | |
| Bowling | Sport. Swing back, roll, and watch the pins fall. | |
| Tennis | Sport. Bounce the ball, serve, then run for the return. | |
| Ice skating | Sport. Glide with your hands behind your back, then spin. | |
| Fishing | Sport. Cast, wait, then reel in a big one. | |
| Vacuum cleaner | Object. Plug it in and push it back and forth. | |
| Washing machine | Object. Load clothes, close the door, then shake like the spin cycle. | |
| Alarm clock | Object. Shake to show it ringing, then pretend to hit snooze. |
| Prompt | Category and acting tip | On the wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Octopus | Animal. Wave both arms and legs as eight arms, then hide in a rock. | |
| Sloth | Animal. Hang from a branch and move in super slow motion. | |
| Chameleon | Animal. Freeze, look around slowly, then flick out a long tongue. | |
| Peacock | Animal. Strut, then fan out a huge tail with your arms behind you. | |
| Changing a flat tire | Action. Jack up the car, unscrew the nuts, swap the tire, tighten. | |
| Wrapping a present | Action. Fold the paper, tape it, curl a ribbon. | |
| Walking a tightrope | Action. Arms out, one foot in front of the other, wobble. | |
| Assembling furniture | Action. Read the instructions, turn them upside down, then build. | |
| Parallel parking | Action. Look over your shoulder, turn the wheel, inch back. | |
| Hiccups | Action. Silent hiccups that make your whole body jump. | |
| Beekeeper | Job. Put on a suit and veil, then lift out a frame of bees. | |
| Orchestra conductor | Job. Tap a baton, raise both arms, keep the beat. | |
| Dentist | Job. Tilt the chair back and look into a mouth with a tiny mirror. | |
| Astronaut | Job. Float in zero gravity, then bounce across the moon. | |
| Lifeguard | Job. Scan the water, blow a whistle, swim to the rescue. | |
| Figure skating | Sport. Glide, spin on one foot, and land a jump. | |
| Rock climbing | Sport. Reach for holds, test each foothold, look down. | |
| Surfing | Sport. Paddle lying down, pop up, and balance on a wave. | |
| Hot air balloon | Object. Fire the burner, rise, and peer over the basket's edge. | |
| Lawn mower | Object. Pull the cord three times, then push. |
| Prompt | Category and acting tip | On the wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Bunny | Easy. Two fingers up for ears, twitch your nose and hop. | |
| Cow | Easy. Chew slowly, swish a tail and munch grass. | |
| Snake | Easy. Press your palms together and slither. | |
| Duck | Easy. Tuck your hands under your arms as wings and waddle. | |
| Horse | Easy. Gallop and toss your mane. | |
| Bear | Easy. Stand tall with claws out, then scoop up honey. | |
| Lion | Medium. A silent roar and a shake of the mane. | |
| Owl | Medium. Big round eyes, turn your head slowly, flap once. | |
| Turtle | Medium. Crawl slowly, then pull your head into your shell. | |
| Gorilla | Medium. Beat your chest and walk on your knuckles. | |
| Squirrel | Medium. Nibble a nut fast, then dart up a tree. | |
| Flamingo | Medium. Stand on one leg with your neck curved. | |
| Eagle | Medium. Soar with wide arms, then dive and grab. | |
| Bat | Hard. Wrap your arms around you like folded wings, then swoop. | |
| Jellyfish | Hard. Float, opening and closing your arms slowly. | |
| Porcupine | Hard. Curl up and stick your fingers out like quills. |
| Prompt | Category and acting tip | On the wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Animals | Any creature. Start by showing how it moves. | |
| Actions | Something people do: chores, hobbies, the morning routine. | |
| Jobs | Show the tools first, then the task. | |
| Sports | Show the equipment, then one key move. | |
| Everyday objects | Something in a house or classroom. Show how you use it, not what it looks like. | |
| Feelings | Happy, surprised, nervous or proud, shown with your face and body. | |
| Foods | Show how you eat it: peel, crack, twirl or slurp, silently. |
7 ways to use the charades wheel
Mixed-age family charades
Give each player the level that fits: younger kids spin from Easy, adults from Hard. Open the page in two browser tabs, one per level, so the host can switch fast.
Animal charades for little ones
For ages 3–6, play together instead of in teams: one child acts out an animal, everyone guesses, and then the whole group acts it out at once.
Whole-class charades brain break
Show the wheel to everyone in presentation mode and spin. The whole class acts out the prompt at once for 20 seconds: no guessing, no teams, just movement between lessons. There are no ads in presentation mode.
Verb charades for vocabulary
Act out verbs that are close in meaning, like tiptoe and sneak or stomp and gallop. Guessers have to name the exact word, which makes students notice the differences.
Pick the category first
Older players can spin the category wheel, then act out anything they think of in that category. It's harder for the guessers and gives the actor the fun of choosing.
Charades relay
Each team sends one actor to the host, who shows them all the same prompt. They head back and act it out for their own team, and the first team to guess wins the point.
Career day warm-up
Act out jobs before a career day talk: students guess the job, then name one tool that worker uses.
Charades wheel: frequently asked questions
How do you play charades?
Players split into two teams. On each turn, one player gets a word or phrase and acts it out without speaking while their team guesses before time runs out, usually one minute. A correct guess scores a point, then the other team goes. The actor may not talk, mouth words, make sounds or point at objects in the room. The team with the most points after everyone has acted wins.
What are the hand signals in charades?
Hold up fingers to show how many words, then fingers again to show which word you're acting. Lay fingers on your forearm to show syllables. Cup a hand behind your ear for "sounds like". Pinch a finger and thumb together for a short word like "a" or "the". Sweep your arms in a big circle for "the whole thing", and touch your nose when someone guesses right.
What are good charades ideas for kids?
Things young players have seen and can show with their whole body: animals (dog, frog, elephant), everyday actions (brushing teeth, jumping rope, sleeping) and familiar jobs (firefighter, chef). Skip movie and book titles, which only work if a child has seen them. The Easy list here suits ages 4–7; switch to Medium once they're guessing within 30 seconds.
How long should each charades turn be?
One minute works for most family and classroom games. Give children under 7 up to two minutes, or drop the timer altogether. For a fast party round, try 30 seconds. Keep the time the same for every team so the scoring stays fair.
How many people do you need to play charades?
Three is the minimum: one actor and two guessers, playing together without teams. With four or more, split into two teams. A big group like a class of 25 can play in teams of 5 or 6, or everyone can act out the same prompt at once as a warm-up with no score.
How do I keep the guessers from seeing the prompt on the wheel?
Spin on a phone or tablet that only the actor holds, or have the host spin with the screen turned away and show it to the actor. Save presentation mode for whole-class rounds where everyone acts at once, since it puts the prompt on the big screen. Remove winner is on, so a used prompt won't come back in the same game.
How the randomness works
When you press Spin, ChalkSpin asks your browser's Web Crypto generator for a random number and uses it to choose the winning slice before the wheel starts turning. The animation then lands on that slice. Each slice's chance is its share of the wheel: 20 equal prompts means a 1 in 20 chance each.
Weights are always visible: a prompt marked *2 gets a slice twice as wide, so everyone can see why it comes up more. With Remove winner on, a prompt can't come up twice in one round.
- Generator
- Web Crypto (
crypto.getRandomValues), in your browser - Odds
- Equal to each slice's size on the wheel
- Weights
- Shown openly as wider slices, never hidden
- Repeats
- Off when Remove winner is on
- Your list
- Stays in this browser unless you share or save it