Charades Word Generator
- brushing teeth
The charades word generator draws from 48 prompts across three difficulty bands, 16 in each. The bands are defined by how the prompt has to be acted rather than by how obscure the words are, which is the distinction that actually determines whether a round is fun or stalls.
How it works
- Easy. A single physical action one person can mime directly: brushing teeth, flying a kite, tying shoelaces.
- Medium, a scenario with a sequence or a situation to establish: parallel parking, stuck in a lift, assembling flat-pack furniture.
- Hard, an abstract concept with no physical form: nostalgia, inflation, imposter syndrome, planned obsolescence.
The hard band needs a house rule agreed in advance, because concepts cannot be mimed directly. Most groups allow acting out a scene that implies the concept, which changes the game from mime to improvisation.
Examples
An easy prompt
Difficulty
Easy
How many
1
Result
flying a kite
One person, one recognisable action, no setup required, which is what makes the easy band work with mixed ages.
Five hard prompts
Difficulty
Hard
How many
5
Result
Five of the sixteen abstract prompts, all distinct
These take two to three minutes each rather than thirty seconds, so five is a full round rather than a warm-up.
Frequently asked questions
How are the difficulty bands decided?
By how the prompt has to be acted, not by vocabulary. Easy prompts are single physical actions, medium prompts are scenarios needing a setup, and hard prompts are abstract concepts with no physical form at all. That is what predicts whether a round moves.
How do you act out something abstract like inflation?
You cannot mime it directly, so most groups allow acting a scene that implies it, paying more for less, a shrinking packet. Agree the rule before you start, because half the group assuming strict mime and half assuming improvisation is where hard rounds fall apart.
Can I draw enough prompts for a whole game?
Yes. Each band holds 16 prompts and you can draw up to 10 at once, so two draws cover a band. Prompts do not repeat within a draw.