Charades and Drawing Game: Guess the Word in Teams
Draw random words to act out, sketch, or describe without saying them. With teams, a timer, a scoreboard, and family-friendly words.
Team 1's turn
Hand the phone to the player acting out the words. When they're ready, press Start turn.
Gestures only: no talking, no sounds, and no pointing at objects.
Scoreboard
- Team 10 points
- Team 20 points
Settings
How to play
- Split into two, three, or four teams and give them names if you like. Choose the word categories and the time per turn.
- Choose how to play: charades, drawing, describing, or mixed, where every word comes with its own way to play.
- One player from the team in turn takes the phone and presses Start turn, then taps the card to see the word without the others seeing it.
- Their team tries to guess. If they get it, press Got it! to score a point and move on; if a word is too hard, press Skip.
- When the timer runs out, the next team plays. The team with the most points after the agreed number of rounds wins.
Three ways to play
| Mode | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Charades | Gestures, movement, and facial expressions | Talking, making sounds, or pointing at things in the room |
| Drawing | Drawing on paper, a whiteboard, or a tablet | Writing letters or numbers, or talking |
| Describe it | Explaining with words, examples, and hints | Saying the word, part of it, or a translation |
A game for holiday parties, family nights, and classrooms
Guessing words in teams is one of the games that works best when people of every age get together: kids act without shyness, adults laugh at their own drawings, and nobody needs to know the rules in advance. All you need is a phone and, for drawing, a sheet of paper or a whiteboard.
The words are original and family friendly, split into animals, food, actions, objects, jobs, and holidays. Actions and animals tend to be easiest to act out; objects and food are best for drawing. For a holiday party, the holidays category adds a seasonal touch.
- In class, the describe mode is great for practicing vocabulary and speaking.
- With young kids, use 90 or 120 seconds per turn and only the animals and actions categories.
- At a big party, put the scoreboard and timer on the TV and let the actor read the word on another phone.
- For an extra challenge, play mixed: nobody knows whether they'll act, draw, or describe.
Suggested house rules
- Agree beforehand on how many rounds you'll play or how many points win.
- Only the team in turn guesses; everyone else stays quiet.
- If someone breaks the mode's rule (talks during charades, writes while drawing), the word doesn't count.
- Skipping is fine: a fresh word beats a stuck turn.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need one phone per team?
No. One is enough: pass it to whoever is acting each turn. The word stays hidden until that person taps the card.
Do words repeat?
Not until every word in the chosen categories has come up. Then the list starts over.
Are the words family friendly?
Yes. They're all original, with nothing for adults only, and meant for family, friends, or the classroom.
Can I play without sound?
Yes. Turn off Sound when time runs out in the settings; the timer stays visible on screen.
How are the words chosen?
At random, with your browser's cryptographic generator, among the words in the chosen categories that haven't come up yet.