This emotional charades game deals 63 feelings to act out without words. Easy is one word, such as Grumpy. Hard is a small moment, such as Dropping your ice cream, and the room names the feeling in it.
Read the full guide
Emotion charades for kids
Choose Easy for the youngest players: 20 feeling words, starting with the six basic emotions, Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Surprised and Disgusted. The hint under each card in the full list shows the face, such as eyebrows up and mouth in an O.
Feelings charades slips to print
Pick a topic, such as Scared and worried, or a level. When a round ends, Print these gives those cards as slips to cut apart. With all topics and Any level, one press prints all 63.
Tips
On a Hard card the room guesses the feeling, not the moment: Dropping your ice cream is Sad.
Questions and answers
How do you play emotional charades?
One player draws a card and shows the feeling with face and body, no words. The others call out feelings until someone names it, and a correct guess scores a point. On a Hard card the answer is the feeling inside the moment.
What emotions are good for charades?
Ones with a clear face: Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Surprised and Disgusted, the six basic emotions of well-known facial-expression research. Next come feelings the whole body shows, such as Bored, Proud and Embarrassed. All 63 are listed under the tool.
Can preschoolers play emotion charades?
Yes, on the Easy level: one feeling word each. A grown-up can read the card quietly to the actor and show the face first. Leave the Hard moments for older players, because each asks for a whole small scene.
A puppy licks your faceScrunch your face, laugh, wipe your cheek.
CalmSlow breaths, soft shoulders, eyes half shut.
CheerfulSwing your arms and smile at everyone.
ContentLean back, hands behind your head, a slow smile.
ExcitedBounce on your toes and clap fast.
Finding a lost toy under the bedReach under, pull it out, hug it.
GigglyHand over your mouth, shoulders shaking.
GratefulHand on your heart, a small nod and a smile.
HappyA big smile, bright eyes, a little bounce.
HopefulCross your fingers and look up.
OverjoyedArms up, spin round, grin as wide as you can.
Seeing snow out the window in the morningPull back a curtain, gasp, press your hands to the glass.
SillyCross your eyes and wobble your head.
Sad and let down 10
DisappointedHopeful face, then let your whole body sag.
Dropping your ice creamLick, wobble, watch it fall, stare down.
Getting socks when you hoped for a toyTear the paper fast, then hold up the socks slowly.
GlumChin down, drag your feet, a long sigh.
LonelySit alone, hug your knees, look around.
Losing a race by one stepRun, lean, stop, hands on your head.
Missing a friend who moved awayWave at nobody, then hug yourself.
SadDroop your shoulders and look at the floor.
TiredHeavy eyelids, a slow yawn, slump.
UpsetWobbly lip, rub one eye.
Show all 63 feelings to act out (40 more)
Scared and worried 10
BraveTake a deep breath, chin up, step forward.
First day at a new schoolHold your bag straps tight and peek round a door.
Hearing a creak on the stairsFreeze, turn your head slowly, listen.
Hearing thunder at bedtimePull the covers up to your eyes.
JumpyFlinch at every little sound.
NervousFidget, shuffle your feet, glance around.
ScaredHands up by your face, step back.
StartledJump, both hands flying up.
Waiting for your name to be calledSit on your hands and bounce one knee.
WorriedBite your lip and wring your hands.
Cross and grossed out 11
AngryFists tight, stomp, frown hard.
AnnoyedTap your foot and puff out your cheeks.
DisgustedWrinkle your nose and push something away.
FrustratedTry, fail, throw your hands up.
FuriousRed face, shaking fists, steam from your ears.
GrumpyArms folded, bottom lip out.
JealousWatch someone else, cross your arms, narrow your eyes.
RestlessShift in your seat, check a pretend watch again and again.
Smelling milk that has gone offSniff a carton, pull back, hold your nose.
Stuck on the last piece of a puzzleTurn the piece every way, then groan.
Your brother eats the last cookieReach for the jar, find it empty, glare.
Surprised and amazed 8
A magic trick you cannot work outWatch hands closely, then shake your head.
AmazedMouth open, step closer, stare.
CuriousTilt your head and lean in to look.
Friends jump out at a surprise partyOpen a door, leap back, then laugh.
Opening a box and something jumps outLift a lid slowly, then jump back.
Seeing a rainbow after the rainPoint up and pull someone by the sleeve.
ShockedFreeze with both hands on your cheeks.
SurprisedEyebrows up, mouth in an O.
Proud, shy and in between 11
A gold star on your drawingHold up a paper and show everybody.
BoredChin in your hand, sigh, drum your fingers.
ConfusedScratch your head, shrug, look both ways.
DeterminedRoll up your sleeves, set your jaw.
EmbarrassedCover your face, peek through your fingers.
Getting a question right in front of everyoneHand shoots up, answer, then a small fist pump.
GuiltyHands behind your back, eyes darting away.
ProudChest out, hands on hips, big grin.
Saying sorry after breaking a cupLook at the pieces, then hold out a hand.
ShyHide half your face and look down.
Tripping in front of the classStumble, look around, pretend it was on purpose.
How this list was compiled: Every card is a feeling to act out without words. Easy is one feeling word a young child knows, Medium is a harder feeling word, and Hard is a small everyday moment the actor plays so that the room names the feeling in it. The Easy level holds the six emotions that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotion (read 2026-09-23) names as the six basic emotions of a well-known line of facial-expression research: anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise, here as Angry, Disgusted, Scared, Happy, Sad and Surprised. The same article lists later cross-cultural evidence for amusement, awe, contentment, embarrassment, relief, boredom, confusion, interest, pride and shame, and several of those are Medium and Easy cards. The line under each card in the full list is the editors' acting hint, not a rule. The rules of the usual game follow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charades (read 2026-09-23): rules can vary widely, the performance is silent, and a correct guess scores one point. Overlap with the rest of this site was counted on 2026-09-23 with a leading a, an or the dropped: 14 of the 63 cards (22%) are single feeling words that also appear in the site's main charades deck, 9 (14%) in the kids charades deck, and no other list shares more than 3. Licence: own work