Components

• 50 Charade cards
• Sand timer
• Score pad
• Dice
• Pencil
• Rulebook

Object of the Game

In this game, players attempt to perform and guess a whole host of fun charades. The first player or team to cross off its row of dice on the score pad wins the game.

Setup

This game requires three or more players or teams. There can be a maximum of seven players or teams. We recommend playing in teams whenever possible.

Write the player names/team names in the left-hand column on the score pad. The score pad has rows of dice numbered from 1 to 6 to the right of each player's name. Dice are crossed off as each charade is successfully acted and guessed.

Shuffle the pack of charade cards and place them within easy reach of all the players.

Game Play

To begin, select a player or team to go first. We recommend starting with the youngest player (or team with the combined youngest age). If playing in teams, one player must be selected to be the first "actor".

The cards have three charades on each side, numbered 1 to 3 on the face and 4 to 6 on the back. The charades cover the following categories:

• Roll of 1 or 4: People or Characters
• Roll of 2 or 5: Animals or Objects
• Roll of 3 or 6: Actions or Phrases

It is important that all players know what the various categories are. It will make guessing the charades easier.

The "actor" who is to go first must roll the dice to see which charade he/ she will act. For example, if the player rolled a 4, the actor would attempt to act the "People or Characters" charade from the back of the card.

The actor should always draw a card from the bottom of the pile, so nobody else can see the charade. After the actor has looked at the card, another player should turn over the sand timer. The actor has just under one minute to act the word or phrase for all the other players to guess.

The actor must not:

1. Talk, sing, or hum
2. Draw letters in the air
3. Mouth words or letters or give any verbal clues
4. Cheat!

In order to guess a charade correctly, a player must call out the complete charade. For example, if the charade is "hitting a homerun" and someone yells out "homerun", the charade has not yet been guessed correctly.

When a charade is guessed correctly by one of the other players, the appropriate dice is crossed off beside the actor's name (or actor's team name) on the score pad.

The charade card is placed on top of the pile, and the next turn is taken by the player who correctly guessed the charade. If playing in teams, the player who guessed the charade might be a member of the actor's team - in this situation the team retains the turn and another member of the team becomes the new actor, rolls the dice, and takes a new card.

If a charade is not guessed before the sand timer runs out, no dice are crossed off the score pad, and the turn passes to the player or team to the actor's left.

If a player rolls a number that has already been crossed off beside their name or team name on the score pad, the player may roll the dice again.

If after two rolls the player has not rolled a number that has yet to be crossed off, play continues with the player or team to the left, and no charade is acted out.

Mime Symbols

Charades are sometimes acted by splitting the word or phrase into simpler words or syllables. The following symbols represent four key actions used in charades. Feel free to use other gestures of your own!

End of the Game

The game ends when a player or team manages to cross off all six of their dice on the score pad. The first player or team to do so is the winner.

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