A raised hand in a blurred church congregation listening to a speaker
For hosts, youth leaders and teachers

Charades for teens

Teenagers are quick to call a game babyish, so these 710 ideas skip the farm animals: films and shows teens actually watch, songs, idioms, and phone-life actions like "photobombing" and "searching for Wi-Fi".

For a sleepover or a youth group, try reverse charades (the whole team acts, one person guesses). It gets the quieter ones involved.

SportsHard

BMX

 

Teen favourites

This set has 33 ideas. Start with "Texting", "The Outsiders", "The Hunger Games" — give each actor 60 seconds; it mixes quick single-word turns with longer scenes, so swap easy and hard cards to keep the pace even.

Best for: young children, classrooms and first rounds · 33 in this set, shown below

  • TextingMedium
  • The OutsidersMedium
  • The Hunger GamesMedium
  • Spill the teaMedium
  • Drivers LicenseMedium
  • ParkourHard
  • Outer BanksMedium
  • Taking a selfieMedium
  • The GiverMedium
  • DivergentMedium
  • Hannah MontanaMedium
  • Scrolling on a phoneMedium
  • The Fault in Our StarsHard
  • The Maze RunnerMedium
  • iCarlyMedium
  • Doing a viral danceMedium
  • Percy Jackson and the OlympiansHard
  • High School MusicalMedium
  • Wizards of Waverly PlaceMedium
  • Recording a videoMedium
  • Freaky FridayMedium
  • VictoriousMedium
  • Searching for Wi-FiHard
  • Mean GirlsMedium
  • RiverdaleMedium
  • PhotobombingHard
  • CluelessMedium
  • Gossip GirlMedium
  • The Princess DiariesMedium
  • Pretty Little LiarsHard
  • Legally BlondeMedium
  • The Vampire DiariesHard
  • 10 Things I Hate About YouHard

Movie charades for teens40 of 141

This set has 141 ideas. Start with "Ratatouille", "Zootopia", "Encanto" — give each actor 60 seconds; it mixes quick single-word turns with longer scenes, so swap easy and hard cards to keep the pace even.

Best for: young children, classrooms and first rounds · 141 in this set, shown below

  • RatatouilleMedium
  • ZootopiaMedium
  • EncantoMedium
  • Mary PoppinsMedium
  • The Wizard of OzMedium
  • Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryMedium
  • AnnieMedium
  • Snow White and the Seven DwarfsMedium
  • Sleeping BeautyMedium
  • Lilo & StitchMedium
  • MulanMedium
  • PinocchioMedium
  • 101 DalmatiansMedium
  • BraveMedium
  • WALL-EMedium
  • Big Hero 6Medium
  • Wreck-It RalphMedium
  • Hotel TransylvaniaMedium
  • Cloudy with a Chance of MeatballsMedium
  • MegamindMedium
  • StorksMedium
  • BoltMedium
  • LucaMedium
  • Honey, I Shrunk the KidsMedium
  • Flushed AwayMedium
  • Over the HedgeMedium
  • Arthur ChristmasMedium
  • KlausMedium
  • The Muppet Christmas CarolMedium
  • The Empire Strikes BackMedium
  • Return of the JediMedium
  • Raiders of the Lost ArkMedium
  • Top Gun: MaverickMedium
  • The Dark KnightMedium
  • AquamanMedium
  • Black PantherMedium
  • The AvengersMedium
  • Captain AmericaMedium
  • Guardians of the GalaxyMedium
  • Ant-ManMedium

TV and song charades for teens40 of 171

This set has 171 ideas. Start with "London Bridge Is Falling Down", "Thomas & Friends", "Under the Sea" — give each actor 60 seconds; it mixes quick single-word turns with longer scenes, so swap easy and hard cards to keep the pace even.

Best for: young children, classrooms and first rounds · 171 in this set, shown below

  • London Bridge Is Falling DownMedium
  • Thomas & FriendsMedium
  • Under the SeaMedium
  • Sofia the FirstMedium
  • Hakuna MatataMedium
  • Doc McStuffinsMedium
  • We Don't Talk About BrunoMedium
  • Phineas and FerbMedium
  • You've Got a Friend in MeMedium
  • The Magic School BusMedium
  • Deck the HallsMedium
  • Hey Arnold!Medium
  • Santa Claus Is Coming to TownMedium
  • The Muppet ShowMedium
  • Here Comes Santa ClausMedium
  • Fraggle RockMedium
  • The Twelve Days of ChristmasMedium
  • LassieMedium
  • Up on the HousetopMedium
  • FlipperMedium
  • Bohemian RhapsodyMedium
  • CocomelonMedium
  • Billie JeanMedium
  • OctonautsMedium
  • Hey JudeMedium
  • PJ MasksMedium
  • Let It BeMedium
  • The Powerpuff GirlsMedium
  • Hotel CaliforniaMedium
  • Johnny BravoMedium
  • Stairway to HeavenMedium
  • The Loud HouseMedium
  • Sweet CarolineMedium
  • Teen Titans Go!Medium
  • Don't Stop Believin'Medium
  • Ben 10Medium
  • Livin' on a PrayerMedium
  • SeinfeldMedium
  • Don't Stop Me NowMedium
  • Parks and RecreationMedium

Funny actions40 of 101

This set has 101 ideas. Start with "Doing a cartwheel", "Doing a somersault", "Pretending to be a statue" — give each actor 60 seconds; it mixes quick single-word turns with longer scenes, so swap easy and hard cards to keep the pace even.

Best for: young children, classrooms and first rounds · 101 in this set, shown below

  • Doing a cartwheelMedium
  • Doing a somersaultMedium
  • Pretending to be a statueMedium
  • Eating corn on the cobMedium
  • Opening a jarMedium
  • Raking leavesMedium
  • Mowing the lawnMedium
  • VacuumingMedium
  • Folding laundryMedium
  • Ironing clothesMedium
  • Changing a light bulbMedium
  • Sawing woodMedium
  • Cracking an eggMedium
  • Chopping vegetablesMedium
  • Making popcornMedium
  • Slurping noodlesMedium
  • Pushing a strollerMedium
  • Rocking a babyMedium
  • Burping a babyMedium
  • JugglingMedium
  • Pulling a rabbit out of a hatMedium
  • Walking a tightropeMedium
  • Riding a unicycleMedium
  • BreakdancingMedium
  • MoonwalkingMedium
  • Doing the robotMedium
  • Playing air guitarMedium
  • Conducting an orchestraMedium
  • Singing karaokeMedium
  • Giving a speechMedium
  • Rocking out at a concertMedium
  • Doing the waveMedium
  • Tug of warMedium
  • LimboMedium
  • Conga lineMedium
  • Posing for a group photoMedium
  • Riding a roller coasterMedium
  • Playing leapfrogMedium
  • Marching bandMedium
  • Walking the plankMedium

Phrases, books and feelings40 of 200

This set has 200 ideas. Start with "Where the Wild Things Are", "Nervous", "Break the ice" — give each actor 60 seconds; it mixes quick single-word turns with longer scenes, so swap easy and hard cards to keep the pace even.

Best for: young children, classrooms and first rounds · 200 in this set, shown below

  • Where the Wild Things AreMedium
  • NervousMedium
  • Break the iceMedium
  • Goodnight MoonMedium
  • ConfusedMedium
  • Spill the beansMedium
  • Charlotte's WebMedium
  • EmbarrassedMedium
  • Piece of cakeMedium
  • James and the Giant PeachMedium
  • JealousMedium
  • Raining cats and dogsMedium
  • The BFGMedium
  • LonelyMedium
  • Let the cat out of the bagMedium
  • The Tale of Peter RabbitMedium
  • DisgustedMedium
  • Hit the sackMedium
  • Alice in WonderlandMedium
  • WorriedMedium
  • Cold feetMedium
  • Diary of a Wimpy KidMedium
  • RelievedMedium
  • Under the weatherMedium
  • The GruffaloMedium
  • GratefulMedium
  • Cost an arm and a legMedium
  • Captain UnderpantsMedium
  • FearlessMedium
  • Butterflies in your stomachMedium
  • Frog and ToadMedium
  • CuriousMedium
  • Head in the cloudsMedium
  • The Giving TreeMedium
  • FrustratedMedium
  • Walking on eggshellsMedium
  • CorduroyMedium
  • ShockedMedium
  • Elephant in the roomMedium
  • Clifford the Big Red DogMedium

More charades for teens

This set has 64 ideas. Start with "Archery", "Fencing", "Wrestling" — give each actor 60 seconds; it mixes quick single-word turns with longer scenes, so swap easy and hard cards to keep the pace even.

Best for: young children, classrooms and first rounds · 64 in this set, shown below

  • ArcheryMedium
  • FencingMedium
  • WrestlingMedium
  • Sumo wrestlingMedium
  • WeightliftingMedium
  • RowingMedium
  • KayakingMedium
  • SailingMedium
  • Water skiingMedium
  • Scuba divingMedium
  • SnorkelingMedium
  • DivingMedium
  • Rock climbingMedium
  • SkydivingMedium
  • Bungee jumpingMedium
  • Horse racingMedium
  • RodeoMedium
  • Bull ridingMedium
  • RugbyMedium
  • BadmintonMedium
  • Table tennisMedium
  • DartsMedium
  • Playing poolMedium
  • Mini golfMedium
  • KickballMedium
  • Sack raceMedium
  • Egg-and-spoon raceMedium
  • Three-legged raceMedium
  • Relay raceMedium
  • MarathonMedium
  • HurdlesMedium
  • High jumpMedium
  • Long jumpMedium
  • Pole vaultMedium
  • Figure skatingMedium
  • Beach volleyballMedium
  • Kung fuMedium
  • Arm wrestlingMedium
  • CheerleadingMedium
  • Go-kartingMedium
  • Synchronized swimmingHard
  • Hang glidingHard
  • ParaglidingHard
  • PoloHard
  • CricketHard
  • LacrosseHard
  • SquashHard
  • JavelinHard
  • Shot putHard
  • DiscusHard
  • TriathlonHard
  • DecathlonHard
  • Speed skatingHard
  • CurlingHard
  • BobsledHard
  • Ski jumpingHard
  • LugeHard
  • Water poloHard
  • Tai chiHard
  • JudoHard
  • TaekwondoHard
  • BMXHard
  • MotocrossHard
  • PilatesHard

64 cards from this list, eight to a page with cut lines and card backs for double-sided printing. Free PDF.

US Letter PDFA4 PDF

Questions

What are good charades ideas for teenagers?

Films and series they know (The Hunger Games, Stranger Things), current songs, idioms, and modern situations like taking a selfie or a phone battery dying.

How do you get teenagers to play charades?

Play in teams with a timer and a score, so it feels like a competition. Reverse charades, where a whole team acts at once, takes the pressure off individuals.

Are these ideas appropriate for a youth group?

Yes. The teen list leaves out anything rated for adults, so it suits church youth groups and school clubs.

Is charades good for a sleepover?

Yes. One phone, no set-up, and the pass-the-phone mode stops anyone peeking. Use the 90-second timer for late-night rounds.

Can we mix in harder words?

Yes. Set the generator's difficulty to Hard, or use the hard charades words page for idioms and long titles.