Drawing Charades Ideas

Not everyone has to be good at drawing for this version of charades to work. A few simple lines can be enough to show any idea you have in mind and the guessing can get pretty funny when the drawing doesn’t look quite like the original idea.

We’ve designed the prompts below with quick sketches in mind. They include animals, foods, objects, places, vehicles, actions, and other things that can be drawn without spending several minutes on the artwork.

Want to get the game moving right away? Use the drawing charades generator above to get a prompt and start sketching.

If you want to try a different style of charades, check out our charades ideas generator for random prompts. You can also try Preschool Charades for simple kid-friendly ideas, Telephone Charades, Dumb Charades, Emoji Charades, or Reverse Charades for a different twist on the classic game.

Animals

Animals are some of the easiest subjects to draw and guess. Here are some familiar creatures that can usually be sketched with a few simple shapes.

• Cat
• Dog
• Elephant
• Lion
• Monkey
• Giraffe
• Penguin
• Rabbit
• Fish
• Turtle
• Frog
• Butterfly
• Snake
• Horse
• Elephant

Food & Drinks

Many familiar foods can be quickly turned into recognizable drawings. Keep the sketches simple and see how fast everyone can guess them.

• Pizza
• Hamburger
• Ice cream
• Apple
• Banana
• Donut
• Cake
• Hot dog
• Sandwich
• Popcorn
• Watermelon
• Cupcake
• Coffee
• Juice
• Taco

Everyday Objects

Common objects make excellent drawing prompts because players already know what they look like.

• Phone
• Chair
• Table
• Clock
• Umbrella
• Backpack
• Book
• Pencil
• Key
• Glasses
• Lamp
• Toothbrush
• Camera
• Scissors
• Wallet

People & Characters

Draw a person, character, or familiar figure using a few key details. These prompts give players plenty of room to be creative without requiring detailed artwork.

• Baby
• Pirate
• Princess
• King
• Queen
• Clown
• Cowboy
• Superhero
• Robot
• Witch
• Wizard
• Mermaid
• Santa
• Astronaut
• Ghost

Places

Places can be represented with a few recognizable features, making them fun to draw and guess. Here you can add familiar locations and destinations that players are likely to know.

• House
• School
• Hospital
• Beach
• Park
• Farm
• Airport
• Restaurant
• Zoo
• Castle
• Playground
• Library
• Supermarket
• Cinema
• Lighthouse

Nature

Trees, flowers, mountains, and other natural features are great for quick sketches.

• Tree
• Flower
• Mountain
• Sun
• Moon
• Star
• Cloud
• Rainbow
• Volcano
• Mushroom
• Leaf
• Palm tree
• Waterfall
• River
• Snowflake

Vehicles

Vehicles have distinctive shapes that make them easy to draw. These prompts are ideal for fast-paced rounds.

• Car
• Bus
• Train
• Airplane
• Boat
• Bicycle
• Motorcycle
• Truck
• Taxi
• Helicopter
• Tractor
• Ambulance
• Fire truck
• Rocket
• Sailboat

Sports & Games

Sports and games can often be shown with a ball, piece of equipment, or simple action.

• Soccer
• Basketball
• Baseball
• Tennis
• Golf
• Bowling
• Swimming
• Boxing
• Volleyball
• Hockey
• Skateboarding
• Baseball bat
• Playing cards
• Chess
• Jump rope

School & Classroom

Think of things your group might see or use at school, such:

• Pencil
• Eraser
• Notebook
• Backpack
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Crayon
• Blackboard
• Desk
• Chair
• Book
• Globe
• Calculator
• Lunchbox
• School bus

Home & Household

Everyday household items are perfect for simple drawings. Include familiar objects and scenes that players can recognize without much detail.

• Bed
• Sofa
• Television
• Refrigerator
• Bathtub
• Toilet
• Lamp
• Broom
• Vacuum
• Plate
• Cup
• Spoon
• Pillow
• Blanket
• Washing machine

Jobs & Professions

A few simple clues can make a job easy to identify, such as a chef’s hat or a firefighter’s helmet. These prompts let players use visual details to communicate the answer.

• Doctor
• Teacher
• Chef
• Firefighter
• Police officer
• Farmer
• Pilot
• Dentist
• Builder
• Baker
• Mail carrier
• Mechanic
• Artist
• Photographer
• Astronaut

Weather

Weather can be represented with simple symbols and scenes, such as clouds, rain, sunshine, or snow.

• Rain
• Sunshine
• Snow
• Rainbow
• Thunder
• Lightning
• Cloud
• Wind
• Snowman
• Umbrella
• Raindrop
• Snowflake
• Tornado
• Storm
• Fog

Actions

Some actions can be shown through a simple stick figure or a few movement lines. These prompts challenge players to communicate an activity without using words.

• Running
• Jumping
• Sleeping
• Eating
• Drinking
• Swimming
• Dancing
• Reading
• Writing
• Singing
• Clapping
• Walking
• Cooking
• Brushing teeth
• Riding a bike

Funny Things to Draw

Not every drawing has to be serious or perfect. These prompts feature silly, unusual, or amusing ideas that can make the guessing process even more entertaining.

• Giant banana
• Dancing dog
• Flying pig
• Sleeping elephant
• Cow in a car
• Monkey with a hat
• Cat on a skateboard
• Fish with legs
• Chicken wearing shoes
• Penguin at the beach
• Dog with sunglasses
• Giant ice cream
• Banana phone
• Flying hamburger
• Dancing cactus