Charades for kids
Draw a charades card
Only the actor looks. Press the button, read the card, and act it out.
36 cards in this set. Print puts them on cards to cut out.
Charades cards by level
| Level | What it is | Cards | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pictures | A picture and a word, for children who are not reading yet. Single, easy-to-show things. | 36 | Ages 3 to 5 |
| Easy | One short word, one clear move. | 36 | Ages 6 to 8 |
| Medium | A few steps, or a thing that needs a small story. | 36 | Ages 8 to 11 |
| Hard | Longer ideas that need several moves, for older kids and grown-ups. | 24 | Ages 11 and up, and grown-ups |
The 132 cards are all written for Peabody, in six themes: animals, actions, feelings, jobs, sports, school. Pick a level and a theme in the box above, draw a card on screen, or press Print to get the set as cards to cut out.
How to play charades with kids
- Pick a level. For a mixed group, use the lowest level in the room and give the older ones a harder card as a turn of their own.
- One actor at a time. The actor draws a card and reads it silently. Only the actor looks.
- No talking, no sounds, no pointing at things in the room. The actor uses the body and face only.
- Everyone else guesses out loud. The first right guess becomes the next actor.
- No score needed. Many groups play for the laughing. If you want a challenge, count how many cards the group guesses before a minute is up.
Charades for the youngest children
Children who can't read yet can still play: the Pictures cards show the word as a picture, and a grown-up can whisper the word to the actor. Keep the pictures simple things to show, such as an animal or a movement. Two or three cards is a good game for a 3 or 4 year old, and a hug is a fine prize.
Charades for a class or a party
Print the level you want and cut along the dashed lines. Put the cards face down in a bowl. For a class, split into teams of four and give each team one card at a time to act for the others; a team of silent actors is also a quiet-down game. No theme asks anyone to talk about home, family or beliefs.
Every card, by theme
🐾 Animals
| Level | Cards |
|---|---|
| Pictures | 🐶 dog, 🐱 cat, 🐸 frog, 🐘 elephant, 🐵 monkey, 🐟 fish |
| Easy | bunny, snake, bird, lion, duck, bear |
| Medium | kangaroo, penguin, giraffe, butterfly, crab, sloth |
| Hard | a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, a cat chasing its tail, a bear catching a fish, a puppy learning to swim |
🏃 Actions
| Level | Cards |
|---|---|
| Pictures | 🏃 run, 😴 sleep, 🦘 jump, 👏 clap, 🍽️ eat, 🧼 wash hands |
| Easy | wave, spin, tiptoe, stretch, hop, crawl |
| Medium | brush your teeth, tie your shoes, blow bubbles, climb a ladder, pour a drink, build a tower |
| Hard | put on a coat in a windstorm, carry a tray full of cups, walk a dog that pulls, sneak past a sleeping giant |
😊 Feelings
| Level | Cards |
|---|---|
| Pictures | 😀 happy, 😢 sad, 😠 grumpy, 😲 surprised, 😴 sleepy, 😨 scared |
| Easy | excited, proud, shy, silly, worried, calm |
| Medium | nervous, lonely, jealous, embarrassed, grateful, curious |
| Hard | trying not to laugh, waiting for good news, feeling better after a long day, being brave at the dentist |
🧑🍳 Jobs
| Level | Cards |
|---|---|
| Pictures | 🧑🍳 cook, 🧑🚒 firefighter, 🧑⚕️ doctor, 🧑🌾 farmer, 🧑🏫 teacher, 🎨 painter |
| Easy | bus driver, dentist, mail carrier, baker, gardener, pilot |
| Medium | plumber, librarian, photographer, carpenter, vet, lifeguard |
| Hard | an air traffic controller, a scientist at a microscope, a conductor leading an orchestra, a tailor measuring a suit |
⚽ Sports
| Level | Cards |
|---|---|
| Pictures | ⚽ soccer, 🏀 basketball, 🏊 swimming, 🚴 biking, ⛸️ skating, 🏐 volleyball |
| Easy | tennis, baseball, bowling, jump rope, karate, running |
| Medium | golf, gymnastics, archery, table tennis, rowing, skiing |
| Hard | a goalie saving a penalty kick, a pitcher striking someone out, a diver doing a flip, a runner crossing the finish line |
🎒 School
| Level | Cards |
|---|---|
| Pictures | 📖 reading, ✏️ writing, 🎒 backpack, 🎨 painting, 🎵 singing, ✂️ cutting paper |
| Easy | raise your hand, line up, sharpen a pencil, open a book, lunch time, recess |
| Medium | do a science experiment, feed the class pet, take a spelling test, pack your backpack, play the recorder, water the plants |
| Hard | a fire drill, presenting a project to the class, the bell rings and everyone rushes out, a substitute teacher who can't find the roll |
Free online games for after charades
When the acting is done, these are free Peabody games that ask a reading or math question as you play, start easy enough for kindergarten and follow the grade your child picks.
Pet Hatch
Hatch eggs, care for and breed pets, and ride them through nine 3D worlds.
- making ten
- adding
- first sounds
Build World
Build your own world, block by block. Fly, swim, and find the glowing Wonder blocks.
- counting
- making ten
- first sounds
Astro Rescue
Jump through space and free the lost bots.
- counting
- adding
- first sounds
Deep Dig
Read the word on the block to dig deeper.
- phonics
- sight words
| Game | What you do | Practises |
|---|---|---|
| Pet Hatch | Hatch eggs, care for and breed pets, and ride them through nine 3D worlds. | making ten, adding, first sounds, rhymes |
| Build World | Build your own world, block by block. Fly, swim, and find the glowing Wonder blocks. | counting, making ten, first sounds, rhymes |
| Astro Rescue | Jump through space and free the lost bots. | counting, adding, first sounds, sight words |
| Deep Dig | Read the word on the block to dig deeper. | phonics, sight words |
Every other game is in the arcade. A Just play mode in each game turns the questions off. More things to do away from a screen are on the bored page, and for the car there are road trip games for every age.
Questions parents ask
What are good charades words for kids?
Things a body can show in a few moves: animals (frog, elephant), actions (jump, brush your teeth), feelings (happy, shy) and jobs (firefighter, baker). Start with one word and one move, and move up a level when the group is guessing fast.
What are easy charades for toddlers and preschoolers?
The Pictures level: dog, cat, frog, run, sleep, jump, happy and sad. Show the picture to the actor only, and let the guessers shout as many answers as they like.
How do you play charades with a big group?
Use teams. One team member draws and acts while their team guesses, and a sand timer or a song gives each turn about a minute. Or play everyone-guesses, which needs no teams.
Can kids who can't read play?
Yes. The Pictures cards pair a picture with the word, so a child can act out the picture, or a grown-up can whisper the word.
Can I print the cards?
Yes. Pick a level and a theme in the box, press Print, and only the cards print, three across, with dashed lines to cut along. They're free to print for home or class.
Does it cost anything or need an account?
Free through the end of 2026, with no ads and no sign-up. The page keeps nothing about who drew a card.
Play one now
Teacher? Share this page to Google Classroom. Children open it with no sign-up.
Checked against how Peabody works on 29 October 2026. Written with help from AI, from Peabody's own code and library. Peabody is a learning app, not an assessment: if you're worried about your child's learning, talk to their teacher. How Peabody's pages are made.