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Things to Act Out in the Game of Charades

As a popular party game, charades gets people up, moving, talking and laughing with one another. It's often used as a party-starter. However, it's best to have ideas for your guests to act out before they arrive. Prepare three-by-five cards with phrases, movies, famous people or use ideas centered on the theme of the party.

Mad as a Wet Hen
- Facial expressions are key for giving good clues.
  
  This phrase will certainly give the participants plenty to work with. There are so many facial expressions to show anger to get team mates to the word, "mad." Then using fingers to show rain coming down on a shivering person who's wringing out their clothes should bring out the word, "wet." Watching the miming of a hen strutting around the room should provide many laughs until the team comes up with the last word of "hen" and puts the phrase together.
Monkey See, Monkey Do
- Acting like a monkey will make people laugh.
  
  This charades phrase should be easy to guess - if you can get your team mates to stop laughing at your impersonation of a goofy ape. Jumping up and down, scratching your chin and swinging your arms back and forth should get them to the first word, "monkey." Pointing to your eyes and looking around should extract the word, "see." Repeating the ape routine may confuse your team mates, but keep it up until they say "monkey" again. Give them a hint at the last word by holding up two fingers to let them know it's a two-letter word, then run around doing different tasks until they guess the word "do" and put it all together.
Queen for a Day
- Acting like royalty could bring you a win.
  
  A nose in the air with a stiff upper lip, followed by shaping your fingers like a crown around your head should get you off to a good start for the first word, "queen." If just holding up four fingers doesn't get an immediate answer from your team mates, put them up one at a time - like you're counting to four to get the second word, "for." Miming the sun coming up at the beginning of a day should complete the phrase and score you a win with the last word, "day."
Fish Out of Water
- Pucker up or swim to get the word, "fish" out first.
  
  If puckering your lips like a fish doesn't get your team mates to guess the first word, start swimming through the air to get them to say, "fish." Next, acting out opening a door and going out of it should give them the second word, "out." Then get your fingers ready to make it rain or start swimming through the air again to lead them to the last word, "water" for a win.

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