Animal charades words
The easiest charades category there is, and the one to start a young group on. Every animal has a walk, a noise or a shape, so there is always something to do with your body — which is exactly what a four-year-old needs and a self-conscious adult appreciates.
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Why animals are the deck to start with
Most charades categories fail with a mixed group for the same reason: they assume shared references. Film titles need everyone to have seen the film; celebrities need everyone to know what the person is famous for. Animals need nothing. A lion is a lion whether you are six or sixty, and the mime is physical rather than cultural.
That makes this the right deck for a first round, for children, for a classroom and for any group where you do not yet know what everyone has in common.
How to mime an animal so people actually get it
Lead with the shape, not the sound. Charades is silent, so the giraffe's neck, the elephant's trunk and the crab's sideways walk do the work. Then add one distinctive behaviour — a kangaroo hops, an owl turns its head, a snake has no arms. Guessers lock on faster to two clear signals than to a full performance.
The ones that reliably stall: insects (they all look the same mimed), fish that are not sharks, and anything where your only idea is "it is big".
Easy, medium and hard animals
Easy — elephant, monkey, kangaroo, snake, rabbit, penguin, crab. One gesture each, no ambiguity.
Medium — koala, hedgehog, flamingo, seahorse, peacock. Recognisable, but you have to commit to the performance.
Hard — ant, bee, butterfly and most insects, because the mime for one is the mime for all. Save them for a tie-breaker or drop them with younger players.
In the classroom
This deck doubles as vocabulary practice, which is the difference between a game that is a break and a game that is a lesson. For an ESL group, run it as the describing version rather than silent miming — the clue-giver has to produce target language under time pressure, which is the whole point. More classroom formats here.
The 105 words
Free to read, print or play. Tap play this deck and the game deals them on your phone with a timer and team scoring — no app, no sign-up, and no word repeats in the same session.
🐾 Animals — 105 words
The deck we would hand to a group that has never played before. Almost every entry can be mimed — you have a sound, a walk or a shape to work with — and nobody needs to have watched the right film or grown up in the right country. It is also the easiest list to play with children, who tend to be better at animals than the adults are.
- Lion
- Elephant
- Giraffe
- Penguin
- Kangaroo
- Crocodile
- Turtle
- Octopus
- Dolphin
- Shark
- Butterfly
- Bee
- Ant
- Eagle
- Owl
- Peacock
- Zebra
- Panda
- Koala
- Monkey
- Bat
- Hedgehog
- Fox
- Wolf
- Bear
- Deer
- Squirrel
- Snake
- Lizard
- Spider
- Crab
- Seahorse
- Flamingo
- Turkey
- Rooster
- Rabbit
- Tiger
- Leopard
- Rhino
- Hippo
- Camel
- Llama
- Seal
- Goose
- Crow
- Frog
- Snail
- Scorpion
- Parrot
- Sparrow
- Seagull
- Whale
- Otter
- Raccoon
- Cheetah
- Bison
- Goat
- Mouse
- Horse
- Cow
- Pig
- Sheep
- Duck
- Swan
- Chimpanzee
- Gorilla
- Hamster
- Cat
- Dog
- Chicken
- Donkey
- Ostrich
- Platypus
- Sloth
- Armadillo
- Skunk
- Beaver
- Porcupine
- Moose
- Jaguar
- Meerkat
- Hyena
- Walrus
- Polar bear
- Jellyfish
- Starfish
- Lobster
- Shrimp
- Squid
- Stingray
- Dragonfly
- Ladybug
- Grasshopper
- Mosquito
- Caterpillar
- Firefly
- Woodpecker
- Pelican
- Vulture
- Hummingbird
- Chameleon
- Iguana
- Cobra
- Tarantula
- Guinea pig
More word lists
Every list on the site (2,400+ words across 33 decks), the charades game itself, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Halloween word lists.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best animal charades words for kids?
Large, physical animals with one obvious gesture: elephant, monkey, kangaroo, snake, rabbit, penguin, crab, bear. Avoid insects — mimed, an ant and a bee look identical, which is frustrating for a young player.
How do you act out an animal in charades?
Lead with the shape rather than the sound, because charades is silent: the giraffe's neck, the elephant's trunk, the crab's sideways walk. Then add one distinctive behaviour. Two clear signals beat a long performance.
Can you play animal charades online?
Yes — the deck on this page is playable in the browser with a timer and team scoring, free and with nothing to install. Tap any word list below to start it.
How many animal charades words do I need?
Around 30-40 per round is plenty; a quick group gets through 15-25 in a 60-second round. The list on this page holds enough for a full evening without repeating.
More game ideas
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