Charades Telephone

In lines of five, the first student reads an action card and mimes it to the second, who copies it for the third, and so on until the last student, who must guess it. Students practice observation, remembering gestures and precise mime.

How to play

1. Form 5 lines of 5 students, all facing the wall with their backs to the front of their line (2 min).
2. The first player in each line reads a card (washing a dog, pitching a tent, baking a cake) and taps the second player's shoulder so they turn around (2 min to explain).
3. The first player mimes the action once for 15 seconds; the second taps the third and repeats what they remember, and so on (3 min per round).
4. The last player says their guess out loud and compares it with the card; then each student shows their version to see where it changed (2 min per round).
5. The first player moves to the end of the line, and you play four rounds so everyone tries different spots (9 min).

Rules

• No talking or sound effects during the mime.
• While waiting, do not turn around early.
• Nobody laughs at mistakes: the message changing is the fun part.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: choose actions that can be mimed seated and set the line up in chairs.
• Hearing impairment: the game is visual; just make sure the student knows the shoulder tap means turn around.
• Shyness: the student starts in the last spot, where they only have to guess.

Learning goals

• Watch a partner's gestures closely.
• Repeat a mime sequence accurately.
• Enjoy mistakes as part of the game.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cards: 20

Teacher tip

Write cards with three clear parts; very simple actions never change and very long ones fall apart right away. Showing each student's version at the end gets lots of laughs.

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