Easy Charades Words for Beginners and Young Players
Easy charades words are short, familiar things anyone can act with one clear movement: everyday actions like Eating, Yawning and Brushing your teeth, animals like Dog, Rabbit and Shark, and simple household tasks like Making the bed. They’re perfect for beginners, young kids and relaxed family rounds. Below are easy picks grouped by category, with quick acting tips.
What makes a charades word easy?
A good easy card ticks three boxes:
- It’s familiar. Everyone in the room has seen it or done it.
- It’s one idea. One or two words, no long titles.
- It has one obvious action. You can show it in a few seconds.
“Brushing your teeth” is easy. “Dentist appointment” is harder, because you have to show a place, a person and a situation.
Easy action charades words
These come mostly from the free Act It Out deck, which runs from easy everyday actions up to harder scenes.
| Word | How to act it |
|---|---|
| Eating | Fork to mouth, chew, rub your tummy |
| Getting dressed | Pull on a jumper, step into trousers |
| Opening a window | Unlatch, push up, breathe in fresh air |
| Drinking from a straw | Pinch the straw, suck, cheeks in |
| Exhausted | Droop, drag your feet, collapse on the sofa |
| Shaking your head no | Exactly that, with a big frown |
| Scratching your back | Reach behind, wriggle, look relieved |
| Blowing up a balloon | Big breaths, cheeks puffed, hands growing apart |
| Texting | Thumbs tapping fast on a pretend phone |
| Looking up a word | Flick through a big book, run a finger down a page |
More easy actions: Swimming, Running, Jumping, Clapping, Waving, Sleeping, Crying, Laughing, Dancing, Reading, Writing, Painting, Sweeping, Fishing, Skipping, Juggling, Climbing a ladder, Riding a bike.
Easy animal charades words
Animals are the classic starter category. The free Animals deck has plenty, including:
- Pets and farm: Dog, Cat, Rabbit, Ram, Horse, Cow, Pig, Chicken, Duck, Sheep
- Wild animals: Chimpanzee, Rhino, Elephant, Lion, Monkey, Kangaroo, Giraffe, Bear
- Water and air: Shark, Fish, Octopus, Owl, Eagle, Penguin, Fly, Butterfly
- Creepy crawlies: Snake, Spider, Snail, Frog, Crab
Acting tips:
- Elephant: swing one arm from your nose like a trunk.
- Kangaroo: hop with your hands tucked in front.
- Giraffe: stretch your neck up and nibble leaves from a tall tree.
- Penguin: waddle with your arms stuck to your sides.
- Crab: scuttle sideways with pincer hands.
Easy daily life charades words
These come from the Daily Life deck, all moments from an ordinary day.
| Morning | Daytime | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| Brushing your teeth | Packing a lunch | Watching TV |
| Taking a shower | Paying at the till | Washing your hands |
| Making toast | Watering the plants | Locking the door |
| Making the bed | Answering the door | Yawning |
| Putting on makeup | Doing homework | Snoring |
Tip: for Making toast, put bread in, push the lever down, wait, then jump as it pops up. The jump is the giveaway.
Easy people, object and food words
People and characters
Characters with one famous trait are easy to show:
- Robot: stiff arms, jerky steps.
- Ninja: sneaky tiptoe, chop the air.
- Ghost: arms out, float about, silent “boo” face.
- Magician: wave a wand, pull a rabbit from a hat.
- Firefighter: hold a heavy hose, spray.
- Teacher: point at a board, write, tap a ruler.
- Baby: suck your thumb, rub your eyes, crawl.
- Grandma: knitting needles and a cup of tea.
Objects and food
Objects work when you use them, not just shape them.
- Objects: Umbrella, Phone, Toothbrush, Glasses, Clock, Camera, Guitar, Ball, Kite, Scissors
- Food: Pizza, Ice cream, Banana, Spaghetti, Popcorn, Sandwich, Apple, Corn on the cob
Tip: for Spaghetti, twirl a fork in a spoon and slurp. For Corn on the cob, nibble side to side like a typewriter.
How do you run a round with easy charades words?
Easy words are ideal for a warm-up before harder cards, or for a whole relaxed game with mixed ages.
- Put 40 to 60 easy cards in a bowl, mixing actions, animals and daily life.
- Split into two teams with a mix of ages on each.
- Set the timer to 60 seconds and let each actor get through as many cards as they can.
- Score one point per card. No passes for the first round, so everyone has a go at every word.
- Swap teams after each turn and play three rounds each.
Once everyone is warmed up, shorten the timer to 45 seconds or start mixing in medium cards like Flipping a pancake and Ironing a shirt.
How can beginners get better quickly?
- Act big and slow. Easy words fail when the actor rushes.
- Start with the obvious. For Dog, start with a wagging tail, not a sniff.
- Use your face. Exhausted, happy and scared all start in the eyes and mouth.
- Stop and restart if your team heads the wrong way.
When your group is breezing through these, step up to hard charades words for a proper challenge.
