200+ awesome charade ideas for adults in different categories

200+ awesome charade ideas for adults in different categories

Charade is a simple game in which one player uses facial or physical actions and props to act out a scenario while the other players attempt to guess what the scenario is. The actor can choose various topics to act out, from famous individuals to fictional characters, books, plays and even films. Discover creative charade ideas to entertain and impress any group!

Three mimes acting out 'Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil'.
Charades is an engaging game that can be played between a few or more friends. Photo: David Sacks (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

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When bringing together family and friends, it is necessary to have every resource available to keep the fun levels at an all-time high. The ultimate resource for party entertainment is games such as charades. Level up your next gathering with this collection of easy and hard charade ideas.

Cool charade ideas for adults

This game does not have any age restrictions. However, it is best to avoid controversial topics such as politics, religion and sexuality. Below are creative charade ideas on topics that will keep your parties lively and memorable.

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Book title charades ideas

Book-based games will be popular among literary fans and enthusiasts. Here are twenty ideas to jog your knowledge of books.

  • Pretend to use a Sorting hat, wear an invisibility cloak and fly on a broom. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • Act as a cat in a big hat, cheering up two bored children with mischievous antics. — The Cat in the Hat
  • Pretend to step into a magical wardrobe that transforms into a magical snowy land. — The Chronicles of Narnia
  • Act like a pig that makes friends with a spider. — Charlotte's Web
  • Act as a girl whose size changes unexpectedly. Pretend to grow to the height of the house and shrink to about 3 inches. Pretend to eat a mushroom to stay a small size. — Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
  • Pretend to be a honey-obsessed bear. — Winnie the Pooh
  • Act like a caterpillar that eats everything in sight. Pretend to have a stomach ache after eating unhealthy food and relief after eating a leaf. — The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  • Pretend to be stranded on an island with a group of boys after a plane crash. — Lord of the Flies
  • Act like a small creature obsessed with a magical ring. — The Hobbit
  • Act like a teenage boy with demi-god powers. Pretend to wield a sword and slay monsters. — Percy Jackson and the Olympians
  • Pretend to wear a red cape and skip through the woods, where you meet a wolf. - Little Red Riding Hood
  • Act out the adventures of a young boy. Pretend to find a treasure map and go on a quest to search for treasure. — Treasure Island
  • Pretend to survive a shipwreck and be lost at sea in a lifeboat with wild animals, such as a tiger, zebra, hyena, and an orangutan. — Life of Pi
  • Act like a bear who works with a panther to care for a young human boy. — The Jungle Book
  • Act out the journey, a girl, her dog, a scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion take to defeat a witch. — The Wizard of Oz
  • Pretend to be an investigator on a train solving a murder. — Murder on the Orient Express
  • Pretend to be a young boy who wins a ticket to tour a chocolate factory. — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • Act as a young school-going child who finds out she is the princess of a distant country. — The Princess Diaries
  • Pretend to be at an extravagant fancy party held by a mysterious millionaire in the 1920s. — The Great Gatsby
  • Act like a Rabbit, sneaking and stealing food on a neighbour's farm. — The Tale of Peter Rabbit

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Best charade ideas for movie titles

Charade ideas for movie titles
Charade games are easy and fun making them perfect for all friend groups. Photo: Georgi Fadejev
Source: Getty Images

There are thousands of options for charade ideas in movies and films. Here are some of the most interesting movie-based charade ideas.

  • Use to portray Dorothy, her loyal dog, an empathetic Tin Man, a brave Scarecrow, a cowardly lion, and a wicked Witch. — The Wizard of Oz
  • Pretend to raise a lion cub on a raised chair. — The Lion King
  • Act as a clever boy and set up booby traps to catch intruders. — Home Alone
  • Act like a scared mother who left her son behind and mouth the classic 'Kevin shout'. — Home Alone
  • Make the classic 'Kevin' face. — Home Alone
  • Pretend to be a parent fish looking for its fry. — Finding Nemo
  • Act like Buzz Lightyear, or do the gestures accompanying the phrase, 'To infinity and beyond!' — Toy Story
  • Pretend to build a snowman that comes to life. — Frozen
  • Pretend to be a scary ogre on a journey with his friend, a Donkey. — Shrek
  • Pretend to do a roar to scare children. — Monsters, Inc.
  • Pretend to be a baby with ferocious superpowers. — The Incredibles
  • Walk with Captain Jack Sparrow’s swagger and mannerisms. — Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Act like a boy raised by gorillas in Africa. — Tarzan
  • Act like a bear singing the 'Bear Necessities' song to a human child, Mowgli. — Jungle Book
  • Pretend to be a fairy godmother, turning a pumpkin into a carriage. — Cinderella
  • Act like Cinderella running down a staircase with one slipper. — Cinderella
  • Pretend a spider bites you, shoots webs and climbs walls. — Spider-Man
  • Pretend to be a robot hunting down a woman, Sarah Conner. — The Terminator
  • Pretend to walk up and down a runway, making Derek and Hansel's signature modelling faces. — Zoolander
  • Act like a single-minded retired hitman whose companion is a beagle puppy. — John Wick

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Charade ideas for TV show titles

Charade ideas for TV show titles
As the ultimate party game, charades will have the whole crew laughing in no time. Photo: Bogdan Malizkiy
Source: Getty Images

With TV consumption widespread among adults, your guests will enjoy this topic. Have a look and try these TV title charade ideas.

  • Dance out the Friend's song — Friends
  • Carry a backpack and pretend to look for things like Dora. — Dora the Explorer
  • Pretend to ride a bike or act like a Demogorgon. — Stranger Things
  • Pretend that you are a fire-breathing dragon. — Game of Thrones
  • Pretend to be Bart writing 'write it 100 times' on the chalkboard. — The Simpsons
  • Pretend to be a happy fry cook like SpongeBob at the Krusty Krab. — SpongeBob SquarePants
  • Pretend to be Sheldon, a child genius with an unwavering commitment to schedules. — The Big Bang Theory orYoung Sheldon
  • Act like a resident doctor operating on a patient. — Grey’s Anatomy
  • Pretend to be a demon hunter holding a salt shotgun. — Supernatural
  • Act like a zombie. — The Walking Dead
  • Pretend to time travel in the TARDIS. — Doctor Who
  • Act like the queen of England. — The Crown
  • Pretend to be a superhero who can run incredibly fast. — The Flash
  • Act like a happy-go-lucky woman who was rescued from a cult. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
  • Pretend to be a member of the London high society in the Regency era in the quest for marriage. — Bridgerton
  • Pretend to be trapped in a glass dome. — Under the Dome
  • Act like a builder, building and rep[airing various things around town. — Bob the Builder
  • Imitate the interpretive opening dance for water, earth, fire and air benders. — Avatar
  • Pretend to be a British detective solving crimes with his doctor friend Dr Watson. — Sherlock
  • Pretend to give the audience flowers. — The Bachelorette

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Charade ideas for song titles

Charade ideas for song titles
Charades are the perfect game to encourage everyone in your family or friend group to participate. Photo: Prostock-Studio
Source: Getty Images

This party game idea includes modern and classic songs, which will have your guests dancing and singing along as the music plays. Here are some of the best selections.

  • Twirl or spin around in a dance while wearing a tiara. — Dancing Queen
  • Hold your hand to your face as if showing off a ring. — Single Ladies
  • Moonwalk while holding your fedora with your right hand. — Billie Jean
  • Pretend to dance with unadulterated joy. — Happy
  • Dance happily in a bright, sunny mood. — Walking on Sunshine
  • Act like you are dancing in jail or like a rock star in prison. — Jailhouse Rock
  • Pretend to be poisoned. — Toxic
  • Do the 1920s old-school twisting dance style. — The Twist
  • Pretend to be Shakira and shake your hips with exaggerated moves. — Hips Don't Lie
  • Pretend to give your whole self to someone in an emotional and heartfelt moment. — All of Me
  • Pretend to call out a dance partner as you are dancing. — I Wanna Dance with Somebody
  • Act like you’re stressed out or feel the weight of a situation. — Under Pressure
  • Act out a long walking scene. — A Thousand Miles
  • Mime the words sorry as you dance. — Sorry
  • Mime and act out the actions of the gambler. — The Gambler
  • Role your hands to show a wheel. — The Wheels on the Bus
  • Clap with straight hands and pretend to be a shark. — Baby Shark
  • Pretend to be an animal. — Old McDonald
  • Reach and touch your head, shoulders, knees and toes. — Head and Shoulders
  • Move your fingers and pretend to be a spider. — The Itsy Bitsy Spider

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Charade ideas for play titles

Charade ideas for play titles
Charades ideas for adults can include abstract ideas. Photo: SolStock
Source: Getty Images

Like film, movie, and book ideas, this idea may be best suited for players who are knowledgeable about theatre productions. Have a look at this list of fun ways to test your knowledge of plays.

  • Act like a grumpy old man fishing. — The Old Man and the Sea
  • Pretend to be an angry lawyer in a dramatic court scene. — 12 Angry Men
  • Pretend to wear a crown like royalty. — Hamlet
  • Act out a fatal love triangle. — Romeo and Juliet
  • Act like a magician who creates a storm to cause a shipwreck. — The Tempest
  • Pretend to be a king who punishes loyalty and rewards flattery. — King Lear
  • Pretend to be in love and in conflict with the one you love. — A Streetcar Named Desire
  • Imitate a British detective intent on solving a murder on a train. — Murder on the Orient Express
  • Act out a child flying. — Peter Pan
  • Act out a scene between two people who start out disliking each other and end up marrying. — Pride and Prejudice
  • Act out a big family dinner or an argument at the dinner table. — A Raisin in the Sun
  • Pretend to be a trickster or mischievous character. — Twelfth Night
  • Pretend to be a scarred musical genius who abducts a young soprano. — The Phantom of the Opera
  • Act out a conflict scene between two rival witches. — Wicked
  • Pretend to be an escaped convict who reforms but is relentlessly pursued by an inspector. — Les Misérables

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Charade ideas about places

Charade ideas for places
Charade ideas for adults can include abstract and real ideas. Photo: vgajic
Source: Getty Images

Test your guest's geographic knowledge with these location-based ideas. You can use famous landmarks or local sites that they may be familiar with, like:

  • Amazon Rainforest
  • Alps
  • Paris
  • Hawaii
  • Egypt
  • Amazon River
  • Sahara Desert
  • Marrakech
  • Venice
  • New York City
  • Scotland
  • Wyoming
  • Tokyo
  • Niagara Falls
  • Africa
  • Istanbul
  • Iceland
  • Napa Valley
  • Machu Picchu
  • Disneyland

Charade ideas about famous quotes

Charades ideas about famous quotes
Charades is the perfect entertaining tool for all ages, it can be played at any time and in any place. Photo: SolStock
Source: Getty Images

What are some hard and funny charades? Quotes are some of the hardest charade ideas. Challenge your friends to act their best with this list of famous quotes from films.

  • I feel the need... the need for speed. (Top Gun)
  • You had me at 'hello'. (Jerry Maguire)
  • Nobody puts Baby in a corner. (Dirty Dancing)
  • Run, Forrest, run! (Forrest Gump)
  • Here's looking at you, kid. (Casablanca)
  • I am your father. (Star Wars)
  • To be or not to be, that is the question. (Hamlet)
  • The name’s Bond, James Bond. (James Bond)
  • I'm the king of the world! (Titanic)
  • It's alive! (Frankenstein)
  • The force will be with you, always. (Star Wars)
  • To infinity and beyond! (Toy Story)
  • Houston, we have a problem. (Apollo 13)
  • You can’t handle the truth! (A Few Good Men)
  • There is no place like home. (The Wizard of Oz)
  • Keep the change, ya filthy animal! (Home Alone)
  • Just keep swimming. (Finding Nemo)
  • Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. (Forrest Gump)
  • I am Groot. (Guardians of the Galaxy)

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Charade ideas about famous people

Charade ideas about famous people
Charades is a classic icebreaker game that requires little to no equipment at all, Photo: 10'000 Hours
Source: Getty Images

This indoor game idea may be the surest way to get all your guests laughing as you imitate famous individuals as well as you can. Have a look at this list of hard charade ideas about influential characters to try.

  • Cleopatra
  • William Shakespeare
  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • Joan of Arc
  • Beyonce
  • Marie Curie
  • Queen Elizabeth I
  • Kanye West
  • Barack Obama
  • Donald Trump
  • Winston Churchill
  • Margaret Thatcher
  • John F. Kennedy
  • Nelson Mandela
  • Indira Gandhi
  • Angela Merkel
  • Vladimir Putin
  • Oprah Winfrey

Charade ideas about famous fictional characters

Charade ideas about famous fictional characters
Any day of the year is perfect for a fun night of games with your family and friends. Photo: Connect Images
Source: Getty Images

Fictional characters, such as actors and literary characters, can have a profound impact on society and everyday life. This charade idea is a great way to let your friend know which fictional character you like or dislike.

  • The Thing
  • Green Lantern
  • Frodo Baggins
  • Dr. Frankenstein
  • Captain America
  • Sherlock Holmes
  • Harry Potter
  • Indiana Jones
  • Wonder Woman
  • Darth Vader
  • Spider-Man
  • Thor
  • Rocket Raccoon
  • Captain Jack Sparrow
  • Optimus Prime
  • Superman
  • The Flash
  • Lara Croft
  • Katniss Everdeen

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Charade ideas about everyday situations

Charade ideas about everyday situations
Put your dramatic acting skills to the test with these easy, hard, and downright funny charade topics. Photo: Morsa Images
Source: Getty Images

Everyone has a degree of improv talent in them. With these funny charade ideas for adults and children, you will be amazed and amused at each other's talents.

  • Trying to fix the WiFi
  • Ordering coffee at a coffee shop
  • Applying makeup
  • Cooking food and burning it
  • Going on a blind date
  • Losing your keys
  • Losing your wallet
  • Getting stuck in traffic
  • Running late for work
  • Carrying grocery bags
  • Snoozing an alarm clock
  • Folding clothes
  • Losing something in your hand
  • Running out of toilet paper
  • Dropping ice cream
  • Playing video games
  • Starting a fire poorly
  • Watering plants
  • Changing a light bulb
  • Switching on a light

Charade ideas about hobbies

Charade ideas about hobbies
Charades are suitable for large and small crowds. Photo: Monkeybusinessimages
Source: Getty Images

Take a creative route when getting to know one another with these charade ideas. Have one friend introduce themselves by describing a hobby or favourite pastime, which the rest of the group will attempt to guess.

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  • Hiking
  • Cycling
  • Fishing
  • Running
  • Photography
  • Painting
  • Knitting
  • Pottery
  • Singing
  • Drumming
  • Playing the guitar
  • Dancing
  • Cooking
  • Gardening
  • Reading
  • Watching TV
  • People watching
  • Bird watching
  • Doing the Sudoku
  • Playing chess

What are the 4 categories of charades?

Famous categories of charade options require players to guess film, book, play, song or TV show titles. Other funny charade ideas include abstract concepts and everyday activities.

How do you make charades interesting?

To increase the stakes of the charades game, you can play reverse charades. In this game, one player guesses the true identity of what is being acted out by the rest of the players. Other options include introducing a timer or using props. Alternatively, if playing in a group, you could divide the team into two rival groups.

Charades is more than just a game—it is a creative way to connect, laugh, and challenge each other in a fun environment. Whether you’re acting out a classic book, a hit movie, or a famous quote, these charade ideas will keep the energy alive at any gathering. Pick your favourites and make your next party unforgettable!

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Authors:
Ciku Njuguna avatar

Ciku Njuguna (Lifestyle writer) Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with four years of experience in content creation working with Sports Brief and CyberSchool technologies. She has a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics (2018) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Nairobi (2022). Ciku joined Legit.ng in 2024, where she currently covers lifestyle content. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. In 2024, she participated in the Google News Initiative training program. Email: ciku.njuguna1@gmail.com

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