Play Charades

These are our house rules for charades on one shared phone or tablet. If your group has its own rules, those are fine too.

1. Make two or more teams, with an actor and a guesser on each team, then choose Play a game. The default is two teams, three turns each, and 60 seconds per turn.
2. Pass the device to the actor and tap Reveal prompt, then Cover & start before anyone else sees it. This starts the timer.
3. Start with the category gesture, then act out the prompt with no words and no sounds. You can tap the card to check your prompt while the clock runs.
4. Tap Guessed it when your team gets the answer. This gives your team one point and ends the turn.
5. Skip prompt gives you another prompt with the time left, with no penalty by default. End turn moves on without adding a point.
6. Pass the device to the next team and change actors each turn. The highest score after all turns wins; equal scores are a tie.
7. Open Game options for Undo last turn, House rules or End game.

The signals

• Movie: pretend to crank an old film camera.
• TV show: draw a box in the air.
• Song: pretend to sing without making a sound.
• Book: open your hands like a book.
• Play or musical: pretend to pull open curtains.
• Saying: make quote marks with your fingers.
• Number of words: hold up one finger for each word.
• Which word: hold up its number, then act it out.
• Syllables: place one finger on your forearm for each syllable.
• Sounds like: cup or tug your ear, then act out a word that sounds similar.
• Small word: pinch your finger and thumb together.
• The whole thing: sweep your arms in a circle.

Agree on gestures for the other categories before you start. For a situation or saying, decide whether you need the exact words or just the same idea.