Charades is a guessing game where one player acts out a word and their team tries to name it. No talking, no pointing at objects in the room and no mouthing words. The tricky part used to be writing all those words on slips of paper. This charades wheel handles that step. Spin it and you get a random prompt to perform.
The default words are everyday actions, animals and objects that are fun to act out. Young kids can manage most of them, and adults still find them tricky to guess against the clock. You can switch the list to a theme, such as sports, jobs or holidays, by typing your own words into the entry box, one per line.
How to play charades with a wheel
The actor needs to see the word, but the guessers should not. Here is an easy way to manage that.
- Split into two teams and pick a timer, such as 60 seconds.
- The actor spins while their team looks away.
- The actor reads the word, then turns the screen down.
- Their team guesses until time runs out or they get it.
- Remove the word and pass the device to the other team.
Charades hand signals
A few shared signals make the game smoother. Hold up fingers to show how many words are in the prompt. Tap your forearm with fingers to show syllables. Cup your ear for "sounds like". Wave your hands in a circle to tell your team they are close and should keep going. Agree on these before the first round.
Theme ideas for your own list
Custom lists make the game feel new each time. Try one of these sets:
- Jobs: chef, pilot, dentist, firefighter.
- Sports: golf, bowling, tennis, skiing.
- Holidays: wrapping a gift, carving a pumpkin.
- Classroom: vocabulary words from this week.
Frequently asked questions
Is this charades wheel good for kids?
Yes. The default words are simple animals, objects and actions like riding a bike or making pancakes. Younger kids can act them out without help. For very young players, keep the list short and use only animals they know well.
How do I keep the word secret from guessers?
Have the guessers look away while the actor spins. After reading the result, the actor can turn the device face down or close the result. Using remove-winner also helps, since the word leaves the wheel before anyone sees the list again.
Can I use movie or book titles?
You can type any words you like into the entry box. Titles work well as long as everyone playing knows them. Keep each entry under about 40 characters so it fits on the wheel and stays readable.
How do teams keep score?
Give one point for each correct guess within the time limit. Write scores on paper or use the results history, which lists every spin. Play a set number of rounds and the team with the most points wins.