Mime the Job Charades

In teams of five, one student mimes a job from a card and the team has 40 seconds to guess it. Students practice expressive gestures, careful observation and communicating without words.

How to play

1. Warm up in a circle: the teacher mimes three actions (sweeping, hammering, driving) and everyone copies them, exaggerating the movement (3 min).
2. Form 5 teams of 5, each in its own area, and place a face-down pile of 30 cards with jobs drawn or written on them in the middle (1 min).
3. One player from each team takes a card, goes back to the team area and mimes the job without talking or pointing at real objects (2 min to explain).
4. The team has 40 seconds to guess; if they get it, they keep the card and the next teammate goes for a new one (8 min).
5. When everyone has mimed at least twice, each team picks its best mime and performs it for the whole class (3 min).
6. Count each team's cards and discuss which gestures made guessing easier (1 min).

Rules

• The mime does not talk, make sounds or spell letters in the air.
• Walk to the card pile; never run between teams.
• Call out guesses in a normal voice without yelling at your teammate.
• If nobody guesses, the card goes back in the pile and no points are lost.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: jobs can be mimed seated using the torso, arms and face.
• Hearing impairment: the team writes its guess on a small whiteboard or uses agreed signs.
• Shyness: the student can mime with a trusted partner for the first turns.

Learning goals

• Express ideas with clear, exaggerated gestures.
• Read classmates' body language to interpret a message.
• Manage the nerves of performing in front of a group.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cards: 30

Teacher tip

Make cards with both a picture and a word so they work for every reader. If a team gets stuck, give a hint such as 'show us where they work' or 'what tool do they use?'

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