Having a word list on hand when playing the game of Charades can be very beneficial, so that you have plenty of words to go around and the game does not have to end quickly. If you pick the topics and words in advance, you will not waste any time getting a list together when you could be playing.
Compiling a Word List
When picking a word list for Charades, make sure to pick words that will be familiar to everyone in the group. For example:
- If the reason for you and your friends to be getting together is a special occasion (like retirement, a wedding shower or a new home), then pick words that go with the festivities.
- If you are having a kids birthday party and Charades is one of the games you intend on playing, compile a list of words that would be suited for children the age of the invitees.
- Charades is a great learning tool because it gives students a chance to use words in a fun setting. It is a great way to reinforce and practice words that have been used in recent lesson plans.
- Birthdays, holidays and seasons are also good sources for ideas for word lists.
Don't forget the rules when playing: You are to act out all the words. There is no talking, except for those guessing what you are attempting to act out. Whoever guesses the word correctly is the next contestant to act out the next word on the list.
Word Lists for Kids
Book titles are a good route to go when making a Charades word list for children. Also titles of children’s movies, names of famous people and geographical locations all make great sources for Charade words for kids.
Books
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
- Babe
- The Cat in the Hat
- Charlotte’s Web
- Harry Potter
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- The Elephant’s Magician
- Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
- Where the Wild Things Are
- The Bridge to Teribithia
Movies
- Babe
- Bambi
- Beetlejuice
- A Bug’s Life
- Charlotte’s Web
- Cats and Dogs
- Cinderella
- Finding Nemo
- The Lion King
- Scooby Doo
- Mary Poppins
- Wizard of OZ
- Superman
- The Secret Garden
Famous People
- Abraham Lincoln
- Mark Twain
- Amelia Earhart
- Helen Keller
- Justin Bieber
- Hannah Montana
- Miley Cyrus
Geographic Locations
- Niagra Falls
- Washington, D.C.
- Myrtle Beach
- Mount Rushmore
- Statue of Liberty
- Space Needle
- Smokey Mountains
- Eiffel Tower
Adult Word Lists
Charades is not just a game for the children. It is also great fun for adults. Books, movies and television are the usual categories of words that fill up a Charades word list for adults. However, you can use some of items on the children’s list, especially if you feel young at heart and want to reminisce from your childhood.
Books
- The Art of War
- Misery
- Bridges of Madison County
- The Catcher in the Rye
- War and Peace
- The Road
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Death on the Nile
- The Tale of Two Cities
- The House of the Spirits
- Marley and Me
- Sea Biscuit
- The Art of Racing in the Rain
- Emma
- Mansfield Park
- Great Expectations
- Old Man and the Sea
- 50 Shades of Grey
Movies
- Psycho
- Superman
- Clash of the Titans
- Star Wars
- Reign of Fire
- Pearl Harbor
- The Green Mile
- Rose Red
- Pride and Prejudice
- Rambo
- The Blind Side
- Twilight
- New Moon
- Eclipse
Television
- Friends
- NCIS
- Criminal Minds
- Bones
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
- Highlander
- The War of the Worlds
- Shogun
- David Copperfield
- Seinfeld
- CSI: Miami
- ER
Charades can be a fun and entertaining game for all ages. Families, friends, neighbors and people who are just meeting one another can play this game to help interact and socialize with each other.
Charades can be played at birthday parties, sleepovers, bridal shower, family reunions and in the classroom. You don't need a special occasion to play Charades. Just get a group together, team up and start playing.