Charades Actions Generator: 150 Verbs to Act Out

150 actions to act out and nothing else, in three levels: one verb, an everyday phrase, a small scene.

Charades Actions Generator: 150 Verbs to Act Out

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Press Next card or the Space key to browse. Press Start round to play against the clock.

Chores · Easy

Mopping

See all 150 charades actions

Print gives slips to cut apart, up to 120 cards at a time.

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How it works

This charades actions generator deals 150 actions and nothing else: no animals, objects or people. Easy is one verb, such as Hopping. Hard is a small scene, such as Running after a rolling coin. Press Next card, or Print cards for slips.

Three levels, 50 actions each

Easy is one plain verb, such as Digging or Giggling. Medium is an everyday phrase, such as Twirling spaghetti on a fork. Hard is a small scene with a beginning and an end, such as Stepping in a puddle in your socks. Choose a level and Print cards gives those 50 as slips to cut apart.

Five topics for a class or a warm-up

For PE, Sports and play has 32 actions, from Skipping to Throwing a javelin. A drama warm-up can start with Feelings in motion, such as Pacing up and down. On a Two-person card the actor pulls in a silent partner, as a house rule. The full charades actions list sits under the tool, with an acting hint for each.

Tips

  • Agree before you start whether orange is enough for Peeling an orange. In a language class, ask for the whole phrase.
  • Mime the big ones on the spot. The hint under Pole vaulting in the full list has you rise on your toes and no higher.

Questions and answers

What are good actions for charades?

Ones with a motion the whole room can see and name: Hopping, Sweeping, Casting a fishing line. A good harder action has a small story, such as Unwrapping a candy quietly in a theater. All 150 are listed under the tool.

How do you play charades with actions only?

Like the usual game, but every answer is something you do. One actor takes the phone, presses Start round and acts in silence while teammates guess. A correct guess is +1, then Next card, and Skip passes. Rules vary widely, so agree yours first.

Can I print the actions as charades slips?

Yes. Pick a level and press Print cards for those 50 actions as slips to cut apart. With Any level, one press prints 120 of the 150, picked at random, and a second press prints the other 30. Copy the list copies the same cards.

Can a language class use these actions?

Yes. Acting out verbs is close to total physical response, a teaching method organized around the verb, in which learners answer commands with whole-body actions. Print the 50 Easy verbs, let one student act, and have the class guess in the language they are learning.

More tools

Random tool Browse Acting and Drawing

All 150 charades actions

Everyday 38

  • Biting into a lemon Bite with confidence, then let your whole face fold in on itself and shudder.
  • Blowing on hot food Lift a spoonful, blow across it, test it on your lip, flinch, and blow again.
  • Buttering toast Catch the toast as it pops, scrape butter corner to corner, and crunch.
  • Carrying a cup that is too full Walk heel to toe with your eyes on the rim, and stop dead whenever it sloshes.
  • Chewing Take a big bite of nothing and work your jaw in slow circles.
  • Drying your hair with a towel Bend forward, rub hard with both hands, and flip your head back.
  • Fastening a seat belt Reach over your shoulder, pull the belt across, click it in, and tug twice to check.
  • Getting gum off your shoe Step, feel it stick, lift your foot to look, and scrape the sole on a curb.
  • Hiding Crouch behind a chair, cover your eyes, and peek to see if you were found.
  • Hunting a mosquito in the dark Lie still, track the whine with your eyes, slap your own arm, and listen again.
Show all 150 charades actions (140 more)

Everyday, continued

  • Knocking Rap on a door made of air, wait, lean in to listen, and rap again.
  • Nodding Listen hard to nobody and nod slowly, then faster and faster.
  • Packing a suitcase Fold, stack, press the lid down, and sit on it to close the zipper.
  • Peeking Cover your face with both hands and open one gap between your fingers.
  • Peeling an orange Dig in a thumbnail, pull the peel off in pieces, split it open, and get squirted in the eye.
  • Pointing Point at something far away, then at three more things, and follow your own finger.
  • Putting on a backpack Swing it up, find the second strap behind you, and hitch it higher with a hop.
  • Ringing a doorbell Press, step back, rock on your heels, and press again for longer.
  • Rolling up your sleeves Fold one cuff back twice, then the other, push both past your elbows, and rub your hands.
  • Running after a rolling coin Drop it, watch it roll, chase it bent double, stamp on it, miss, and stamp again.
  • Scratching Find an itch between your shoulder blades that you cannot quite reach.
  • Shaking out a wet umbrella Step indoors, close it, shake it hard at arm's length, and wipe your face.
  • Sipping Hold a cup with two hands, take tiny sips, and sigh after each one.
  • Sniffing Lift your nose, sniff left and right, and follow a smell across the room.
  • Stepping in a puddle in your socks Walk across the kitchen, stop, lift one foot slowly, look down, and peel off a wet sock.
  • Stretching Reach for the ceiling, lean to each side, and roll your shoulders.
  • Stubbing your toe in the dark Feel your way along, kick a table leg, hop in a circle holding one foot, and shout without a sound.
  • Tossing a coin Balance it on your thumb, flick it up, catch it, slap it on your wrist, and peek.
  • Tripping, then turning it into a jog Walk, catch a toe, stumble, and jog on a few steps as if you had meant to all along.
  • Twirling spaghetti on a fork Spin the fork against a spoon, lift a huge tangle, and chase the last strand.
  • Unlocking a door Try one key, then another, turn it, and shoulder the door open.
  • Untangling a necklace chain Hold it up close, pick at a tiny knot with your fingernails, and lose your patience slowly.
  • Unwrapping a candy quietly in a theater Look around, untwist the wrapper a little at a time, and freeze at every crackle.
  • Walking barefoot across gravel Take short wincing steps with your arms out and your shoulders up by your ears.
  • Walking up a down escalator Climb on the spot and get nowhere, speed up, and arrive out of breath.
  • Waving Spot a friend far off and wave with your whole arm until they see you.
  • Winking Turn to one guesser at a time and close one eye with a big tilt of the head.
  • Yawning Stretch your arms wide, open your mouth, and pat it with one hand.

Sports and play 32

  • Balancing Walk a line on the floor heel to toe, arms out, and wobble on one leg.
  • Bouncing Feet together, small springy jumps, as if the floor were a mattress.
  • Casting a fishing line Tip the rod back over one shoulder, flick it forward, and wind the reel.
  • Catching a fly ball with the sun in your eyes Shade your eyes with the glove, drift backward, lose it, find it, and squeeze.
  • Climbing a rock wall Reach for a hold overhead, test it, bring a foot up high, and look down once.
  • Diving Hands together over your head, bend your knees, and lean out over your toes.
  • Doing a belly flop Stride to the end of the board, spread your arms wide, tip forward, and come up wincing and rubbing your front.
  • Dribbling a soccer ball Tap the ball from foot to foot in small touches, look up, and swerve.
  • Galloping One foot always leads: step, close, step, close, holding a pair of reins.
  • Hopping Tuck one foot up behind you and hop in a circle, arms out for balance.
  • Jumping hurdles Sprint on the spot, kick a lead leg up and over, snap the trail leg through, and repeat.
  • Jumping on a trampoline Bounce on the spot, a little higher each time, arms circling, and wobble on the last landing.
  • Lifting weights Chalk your hands, grip a bar, strain it up to your chest, and hold it there shaking.
  • Paddling Kneel, dip a paddle on one side, then the other, and look ahead over the water.
  • Pedaling Sit back on a chair, grip handlebars of air, and circle your feet faster and faster.
  • Playing hopscotch Toss a stone, hop one foot, two feet, one foot, turn, and pick it up on the way back.
  • Pole vaulting Run on the spot with a long pole held low, plant it, rise on your toes, arch over a bar, and wave to the crowd.
  • Rowing Sit on the floor, reach forward with both hands, and pull back together.
  • Serving a tennis ball Bounce it twice, toss it high, arch back, and snap the racket over the top.
  • Shooting a free throw Bounce the ball twice, bend your knees, flick your wrist, and hold the follow-through.
  • Sinking a long putt Crouch to read the green, line it up, tap, walk after the ball, and urge it in.
  • Skipping Step and hop, step and hop, swinging your arms across the room.
  • Sliding Climb a ladder of air, sit at the top, push off, and throw your arms up on the way down.
  • Spinning Arms out, turn on the spot, stop, and sway as if the room kept going.
  • Swimming the backstroke Lean back, reach one straight arm past your ear, then the other, and flutter your feet.
  • Swinging Sit on air, grip two chains, lean back with legs out, then tuck them under.
  • Swinging a baseball bat Tap the plate, lift the bat behind your shoulder, swing level, and watch it fly.
  • Taking a penalty kick Place the ball, step back, stare down the keeper, run up, and watch where it goes.
  • Throwing a frisbee Curl your wrist in across your chest and flick it away flat.
  • Throwing a javelin Run with one arm drawn back level with your ear, plant, throw, and hop to stay behind the line.
  • Touching your toes Reach up tall, fold forward, stop at your shins, bounce, and strain for the last inch.
  • Windsurfing Haul a sail up out of the water hand over hand, lean back against it, and skim away.

Chores 30

  • Cleaning the gutters Climb a ladder, scoop out handfuls of wet leaves, drop them, and move the ladder along.
  • Clearing the table Stack plates up one arm, gather the forks in a fist, and back out through a swing door.
  • Defrosting the freezer Open the door, chip at the ice, catch the drips with a towel, and warm your fingers.
  • Digging Push a spade in with one foot, lever it back, and toss the dirt over your shoulder.
  • Dusting a high shelf Reach up on tiptoe with a duster, sweep along, and sneeze without a sound.
  • Folding Hold a shirt by the shoulders, fold in both sides, fold it in half, and pat the pile.
  • Giving a cat a bath Lower a stiff cat toward the water, lose your grip, and chase it with a towel.
  • Hammering Hold a nail between finger and thumb, tap, tap, swing, and shake your thumb.
  • Hosing down the driveway Aim a hose with your thumb over the end, sweep side to side, and hop over the stream.
  • Loading the dishwasher Rinse a plate, slot it in, rearrange everything, fit one more, and shut the door with a hip.
  • Matching socks Hold one sock up, hunt through a pile for its partner, roll the pair, and hold up an odd one.
  • Mopping Dunk the mop, wring it out, and push it in figure eights, walking backward.
  • Painting Dip a brush, wipe it on the rim, and make long strokes up and down a wall.
  • Pouring Tip a heavy jug slowly with two hands and watch the glass fill to the top.
  • Pull-starting a lawn mower Brace a foot on the deck, yank the cord, yank again, rest, and leap back when it catches.
  • Pulling weeds Kneel, grip low, tug until it gives, fall back, and toss it in a bucket.
  • Raking Reach out and pull in with long strokes, and gather the pile with both arms.
  • Scrubbing On your knees with a brush in both hands, lean in hard on one stubborn spot.
  • Scrubbing a pot Peer into it, scour the bottom with your whole arm, rinse, and peer again.
  • Scrubbing a stain out of a carpet Spot it, dab it, scrub it, stand back, move a chair over it, and walk away.
  • Sewing on a button Lick the thread, poke it at the needle, pull it through, stitch, and bite off the end.
  • Shaking out a rug Carry it outside, grip one end, snap it up and down, and turn your face from the dust.
  • Sorting the recycling Hold up a bottle, drop it in one bin, flatten a box with your foot, and drop it in another.
  • Stirring Hug a big bowl in one arm and circle a spoon until your arm gets tired.
  • Sweeping Short strokes toward a pile, then hold a dustpan with one foot and sweep into it.
  • Unclogging a sink Stare at the standing water, pump a plunger with both hands, and watch it drain away.
  • Untangling a garden hose Pull, meet a kink, walk back to undo it, pull again, and find a knot.
  • Washing a window Spray, wipe in circles, pull a squeegee down in strips, and breathe on a missed spot.
  • Wiping down the counter Spray, wipe in wide arcs, sweep the crumbs into a cupped hand, and rinse the cloth.
  • Wrestling a new trash bag open Rub the edge between your fingers, try the other end, blow on it, and whip it through the air.

Feelings in motion 26

  • Biting your nails Nibble one finger after another, eyes darting, and sit on your hands to stop.
  • Cheering Both arms up, jump on the spot, and clap over your head without a sound.
  • Counting to ten to stay calm Clench your fists, close your eyes, count on your fingers, breathe out, and smile tightly.
  • Creeping toward a strange noise at night Sit up in bed, pick up a slipper as a weapon, edge along a wall, and fling a door open.
  • Dragging your feet Shoulders down, arms hanging, and scuff along as slowly as you can toward something dull.
  • Gasping Eyes wide, hand to your chest, and a sharp breath in.
  • Getting the giggles at the wrong moment Sit up straight and solemn, catch someone's eye, shake, snort, and pull a straight face again.
  • Giggling Hand over your mouth, shoulders shaking, and try and fail to stop.
  • Jumping at a loud noise Read calmly, leap out of your skin, clutch your chest, and look for the cause.
  • Jumping for joy Read some good news, leap with both fists up, spin, and leap again.
  • Pacing up and down Hands behind your back, five steps, turn, five steps, and check your watch at each turn.
  • Pouting Lower lip out, arms folded, chin down, and turn away from everyone.
  • Pretending you are not scared Whistle without sound, stroll, flinch at nothing, laugh it off, and check behind you.
  • Remembering you left the stove on Walk along happily, stop dead, widen your eyes, pat your pockets, turn, and run.
  • Rolling your eyes Listen with a fixed smile, then send your eyes to the ceiling with your whole head.
  • Sighing Let your shoulders rise, then drop them with a long breath out and a slump.
  • Sobbing Face in your hands, shoulders heaving, and wipe your eyes on a sleeve.
  • Stepping onto a stage with stage fright Peek around a curtain, get pushed on, stare at the lights, swallow, and wave a small wave.
  • Stomping March in a circle, bringing each foot down hard, with your fists at your sides.
  • Stomping off in a huff Fold your arms, turn your back, march three hard steps, and glance over your shoulder.
  • Storming off, then coming back to say one more thing March out, stop, spin round, raise a finger, march back, make the point, and march out again.
  • Tapping your foot impatiently Arms crossed, toe tapping, look at your wrist, and blow out your cheeks.
  • Trembling Knees knocking and hands shaking, and look behind you.
  • Waiting in a line that does not move Shift from foot to foot, lean out to look ahead, shuffle one step, and sag.
  • Watching your team lose in the last second Lean forward on a seat, rise with your arms half up, freeze, and sink with your head in your hands.
  • Working up the nerve on the high diving board Edge out along the board, look down, back up, edge out again, hold your nose, and go.

Two-person 24

  • Being someone's mirror image Face each other, and one leads with slow hands while the other matches every move.
  • Carrying a couch up the stairs One at each end, lift on a nod, back up the steps, get stuck on the turn, and tilt.
  • Chasing One runs on the spot looking back, and the other reaches out just behind.
  • Copying One scratches, stretches and sits, and the other does each thing a beat later.
  • Dodging someone on the sidewalk Walk toward each other, both step left, both step right, stop, and one waves the other by.
  • Doing a secret handshake Slap, backhand, bump fists, wiggle fingers, spin around, and finish with a pose you both hold.
  • Folding a bed sheet between two people Take two corners each, step apart, shake it, walk together to fold, and swap hands.
  • Guiding a driver into a tight parking space One steers and cranes to look back, and the other beckons, beckons, and throws up both hands: stop.
  • High-fiving Both raise a hand, swing, meet in the middle, and shake out the sting.
  • Playing a clapping game Face each other and clap your own hands, then each other's, faster until it falls apart.
  • Playing rock paper scissors Pump your fists three times, throw a shape, and one of you celebrates. Best of three.
  • Playing table tennis Stand at each end of a table, rally with tiny fast paddles, and one smashes.
  • Pulling off someone's stuck boot One sits and holds on to the chair, the other tugs at a foot, and both stagger back when it gives.
  • Racing Crouch side by side, go on a silent signal, run on the spot, and lean for the line.
  • Sawing a log with a two-handled saw Stand either side of a log, pull in turn, never push, and wipe your brows together.
  • Shaking hands Walk up, reach out, shake three times, and neither of you knows when to let go.
  • Sharing One breaks a cookie in half, compares the halves, and hands over the bigger one.
  • Sharing an umbrella Huddle under one umbrella, each tugging it your own way, and one shoulder gets wet.
  • Taking someone's picture One poses and fixes their hair, and the other frames the shot and waves them to the left.
  • Teaching someone to ride a bike One wobbles along on a saddle of air, the other jogs behind holding on, and then lets go.
  • Thumb wrestling Hook fingers, tap thumbs side to side to count in, circle, and one pins the other.
  • Tugging Both grip a rope of air, lean back, dig in your heels, and one slides forward.
  • Waltzing with a partner who steps on your toes Take hold, count three, step, wince, smile politely, step, and wince again.
  • Whispering One cups a hand at the other's ear, and the listener's eyes grow wide.

How this list was compiled: Written for this site by the editors; nothing was copied from another list. Every card is an action, written as a verb or a verb phrase, and nothing else: the deck holds no animals, objects, jobs, people or titles as cards. The three levels are three lengths, 50 cards each: Easy is one plain verb a young child knows (Hopping), Medium is an everyday verb phrase (Twirling spaghetti on a fork) and Hard is a small scene with a beginning and an end (Tripping, then turning it into a jog). The five topics are 38 Everyday, 32 Sports and play, 30 Chores, 26 Feelings in motion (a feeling shown through what the body does) and 24 Two-person, where the actor brings in a partner. The line under each card in the full list is the editors' acting hint, not a rule. Every hint is silent, and the jumps, dives and vaults are mimed on the spot. The rules of the usual game follow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charades, read on 2026-09-20, which says that the rules can vary widely, that the performance is silent, that a clock limits the guessing and that a correct guess scores one point; it says nothing about two actors sharing a card, so that is a house rule. The note for language classes follows https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_physical_response, read on 2026-09-20, which describes a teaching method organized around the verb, in which students respond to commands with whole-body actions and are not forced to speak. Overlap with the rest of this site was measured on 2026-09-20. One card, Yawning, has the same text as a card in the site's main charades deck, and no card has the same text as a card in the kids, funny, team or telephone charades decks. The first draft shared 23 cards with those decks, and the other 22 were replaced. Ten single verbs (Digging, Hopping, Sharing, Sweeping, Whispering, Yawning, Painting, Waving, Winking, Rowing) and two phrases (Packing a suitcase, Matching socks) also appear in this site's drawing, word game or this-or-that lists, which no plain list of verbs can avoid. The main charades deck names some sports as nouns (Pole vault, Table tennis) that appear here as actions (Pole vaulting, Playing table tennis), and the kids deck holds six of the same plain verbs in another form (Hop, Dig, Sweep, Wave, Slide, Yawn). Licence: own work