Action Charades: 90 Verbs and Activities to Act Out
The Easiest Charades Category There Is
If charades had a "starter" category, this would be it. Action words — verbs and activities — are the simplest to act out because they're literally actions. There's no abstract concept to convey, no title to spell; you just do the thing. That makes action charades perfect for beginners, young kids, warm-up rounds, and anyone who wants fast, frustration-free fun.
This guide gives you 90 action charades words sorted by difficulty, plus how-to-act-it-out tips, fun variations, and a plan for any crowd. Ready, set, act!
Easy Action Charades (Everyday Actions)
Simple actions everyone does — instantly guessable:
Running · Jumping · Sleeping · Eating · Drinking · Walking · Crying · Laughing · Dancing · Singing · Cooking · Driving · Reading · Writing · Waving · Clapping · Sneezing · Yawning · Brushing teeth · Washing hands
Medium Action Charades (Activities)
A step up — activities that take a fuller mime:
Swimming · Fishing · Painting · Skateboarding · Rock climbing · Bowling · Boxing · Juggling · Gardening · Knitting · Hiking · Surfing · Cycling · Skiing · Doing yoga · Lifting weights · Jumping rope · Playing guitar · Chopping wood · Vacuuming
Hard Action Charades (Tricky Activities)
Trickier or more specific actions for competitive groups:
Tightrope walking · Threading a needle · Conducting an orchestra · Performing surgery · Doing a magic trick · Milking a cow · Building a sandcastle · Blowing up a balloon · Wrestling · Skydiving · Parallel parking · Assembling furniture · Folding laundry · Untangling headphones · Catching a fly
Funny Action Charades (Comedy Gold)
Actions that are inherently hilarious to perform:
Tripping over · The worm · The chicken dance · A dramatic faint · Slipping on a banana peel · Doing the robot · A slow-motion run · Sneaking around · A bad dance move · Flexing in a mirror · Stretching like a cat · Tickling someone · An air guitar solo · Pretending to fly · A victory dance
Charades Action Ideas by Theme (80 More)
Want a themed round? Here are 80 more action charades ideas sorted into sports, hobbies, jobs, chores, and music. Together with the lists above, that is 150 actions to act out, so you can play a whole night without repeating a single card. When you are ready to switch categories, our animal charades and movie charades lists make great next rounds.
Sports Action Charades
Big, athletic moves that are fun to act out and easy to spot:
Shooting a basketball · Hitting a home run · Kicking a field goal · Serving a tennis ball · Golfing · Ice skating · Snowboarding · Diving off a board · Rowing a boat · Throwing a football · Pitching a baseball · Doing a cartwheel · Archery · Fencing · Hula hooping · Playing ping-pong
Hobby Action Charades
Things people do for fun on a free afternoon:
Taking a photo · Baking a cake · Flying a kite · Doing a jigsaw puzzle · Sewing on a button · Building with blocks · Bird watching · Playing video games · Planting seeds · Sculpting with clay · Playing chess · Roller skating · Pitching a tent · Making a snowman · Blowing bubbles · Drawing a picture
Job Action Charades
Act out a job by doing its most famous task:
Directing traffic · Delivering mail · Flipping burgers · Cutting hair · Teaching a class · Putting out a fire · Taking a temperature · Typing on a keyboard · Painting a wall · Fixing a flat tire · Scanning groceries · Walking dogs · Waiting tables · Hammering a nail · Reading the news · Flying a plane
Chore Action Charades
Everyone knows these moves, which makes them quick wins for all ages:
Washing dishes · Mopping the floor · Making the bed · Taking out the trash · Sweeping · Ironing a shirt · Raking leaves · Mowing the lawn · Watering plants · Dusting shelves · Feeding the dog · Washing the car · Shoveling snow · Changing a light bulb · Putting away groceries · Cleaning windows
Music Action Charades
Play an instrument or move to the beat, no sound required:
Playing the drums · Playing the piano · Playing the violin · Playing the trumpet · Playing the flute · Strumming a ukulele · Singing in the shower · Whistling a tune · Beatboxing · Tap dancing · Doing ballet · Spinning records as a DJ · Marching in a band · Playing the tuba · Ringing a bell · Playing the harp
How to Act Out Action Charades
Actions are easy — but these tips make them lightning-fast to guess:
| Action | How to Act It Out |
|---|---|
| Swimming | Big freestyle arm strokes, hold your breath |
| Fishing | Cast a line, wait, then reel in a big one |
| Juggling | Toss three invisible balls in a steady loop |
| Tightrope walking | Arms out, wobble carefully along a "line" |
| Threading a needle | Squint, hold tiny thread, poke carefully |
| Conducting | Wave a baton, cue the orchestra sections |
| The worm | Drop down, ripple your body floor-to-head |
| Parallel parking | "Steer" back and forth, crane your neck, sigh |
| Blowing up a balloon | Big breaths, "stretch" it, then tie it off |
| A dramatic faint | Hand to forehead, sway, collapse theatrically |
Pro tip: Lead with the single biggest, clearest motion. Action words are guessed in seconds when you commit fully to the obvious gesture — no need to overthink it.
How to Act Out the Themed Actions
| Action | How to Act It Out |
|---|---|
| Shooting a basketball | Dribble twice, bend your knees, and flick your wrist at a high "hoop" |
| Flying a kite | Look up, tug a string in both hands, and run a few steps backward |
| Directing traffic | Blow a whistle, hold up one palm to stop, wave the other arm to go |
| Raking leaves | Pull a long handle toward you in short strokes, then jump in the pile |
| Playing the drums | Hit the air with two sticks and tap your foot on a bass pedal |
| Making the bed | Shake out a sheet, tuck the corners, and fluff a pillow |
| Fencing | One hand behind your back, lunge forward with a thin sword |
| Cutting hair | Snip with two fingers, comb, then hold up a mirror |
Charades Signals for Actions
Most actions are guessed from the mime alone, but a few standard charades signals help when your team gets stuck. Agree on them before you start so everyone is speaking the same silent language. Our full charades hand signals guide covers every gesture in detail.
| Signal | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Hold up fingers | How many words are in the phrase (three fingers = three words) |
| Hold up fingers again | Which word you are acting out right now |
| Lay fingers on your forearm | How many syllables are in the word |
| Cup or tug your ear | "Sounds like" - the next mime rhymes with the answer |
| Touch your nose | "On the nose" - someone just said it exactly right |
| Beckon with both hands | Keep going, you are getting close |
| Push your palms away | Wrong direction, try something different |
| Pull your hands apart | Make the word longer (for example, "run" to "running") |
For action words, that last signal is the most useful one. If your team shouts "swim!" and the card says "swimming," just stretch your hands apart and they will get there.
Fun Action Charades Variations
- Speed Action Round: 30 seconds to blitz through as many actions as possible.
- Slow-Motion Round: Every action must be performed in slow motion.
- Sports Round: Only athletic actions — see our sports charades guide.
- Funny Round: Only the comedy actions (the worm, a dramatic faint).
- Copycat Chain: After guessing, everyone copies the action together.
How to Make Your Own Action Charades Cards
Prefer paper cards? Making a deck of action charades cards takes about ten minutes:
- Pick your lists. Choose the difficulty levels and themes that suit your group. Easy and chores for little kids, hard and jobs for adults.
- Write one action per card. Index cards or cut-up paper both work. Use a thick marker so the word is easy to read at a glance.
- Color-code by difficulty. Use a different color for easy, medium, and hard cards, or give harder cards more points.
- Fold and mix. Drop the cards into a bowl or hat so nobody can peek.
- Keep a timer handy. One minute per turn is a good start for most groups.
Short on time? The free charades generator skips the prep entirely and hands you a fresh action word with a built-in timer and scoring.
Action Charades for Every Group
- Young kids (ages 4 to 7): Stick to easy everyday actions and simple chores like sweeping and brushing teeth. Let a grown-up whisper the word for kids who are still learning to read. More ideas in our charades words for kids guide.
- Big kids and tweens: Mix medium activities with sports and music. They love the funny list too.
- Teens and adults: Use the hard list and the jobs theme, and shorten the timer to 45 seconds for pressure. Want a real challenge? Try our hard charades words.
- Family game night: Pair a younger and an older player on each team so everyone gets a turn to act and to guess.
- Classrooms: Action charades is a great way to practice verbs. Students act out a verb, and the class guesses it in a full sentence.
Why Action Charades Is Perfect for Beginners & Kids
- The easiest category — actions act themselves, no abstraction.
- Instant confidence — quick wins keep new players engaged.
- Great warm-up — ease everyone in before harder categories.
- Perfect for kids — simple, physical, and screen-free.
- Burns energy — the big movements are practically exercise.
Tips for the Best Action Charades
- Lead with the biggest motion — commit fully for fast guesses.
- Use it as a warm-up before harder word categories.
- Match difficulty to your crowd — running for kids, surgery for pros.
- Try the slow-motion round for extra laughs.
- Use a generator for instant action words with no prep.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good action charades words?
Everyday actions like running, swimming, eating, and dancing for beginners, plus trickier activities like juggling, tightrope walking, and parallel parking.
Why are action words easiest for charades?
Because they're literally actions — there's no abstract idea or title to convey. You just do the thing, which makes them instantly guessable.
What are easy action charades for kids?
Running, jumping, sleeping, eating, and brushing teeth — simple actions kids do every day and can mime with their whole body.
How do you act out swimming in charades?
Do big freestyle arm strokes, kick your legs, and hold your breath — the swimming motion is one of the clearest mimes there is.
Is action charades good for beginners?
Perfect — actions are the easiest category, giving new players quick confidence-building wins before you move to harder words.
What's a fun action charades variation?
The "Slow-Motion Round" — every action must be performed in slow motion, which is both a fun challenge and absolutely hilarious to watch.
How many actions do you need for a game of charades?
Plan on about 10 to 15 actions per player for a game that lasts close to an hour. A group of six needs roughly 60 to 90 cards, which is why this page has 150 ideas to choose from.
How do you show that a charades word is an action?
Most of the time you do not need to. Just start doing the action and your team will guess the verb. If they say the right word in the wrong form, like swim instead of swimming, pull your hands apart to signal that the word needs to be longer.
Can you make sounds in action charades?
In classic charades the actor stays silent, so no sound effects, words, or mouthing. Some families allow sounds for very young kids to keep it easy. Decide on the rule before the first round.
What are good action charades for adults?
Adults enjoy the trickier actions: conducting an orchestra, parallel parking, fencing, flipping burgers, ironing a shirt, or untangling headphones. Themed rounds such as jobs or music also work well for grown-up groups.
More Charades Guides
Ready for the Easiest Game Night?
You've got 90 actions, commit-to-the-motion tips, and five fun variations — now get moving and let the action charades begin. Make it effortless:
👉 Open the free Charades Generator — instant action words, a timer, and team scoring. No app, no signup. 🏃
Start with "swimming" — the big arm strokes are a guaranteed quick win to warm up any group!
