Pantomime
Pantomime Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
48 picture cards, 7 blank cards (you can write on these ones), 1 sand timer (used for the timed variation), 1 set of instructions.
Hint: You can draw pictures or write down words on the blank cards. It is best to use a permanent marker, so that your words or drawings stay intact. Remove any unlabelled blank cards before you start to play.
Preparation
Divide into two groups of roughly the same size. Each group must take turns to guess or referee. Place all of the cards face down and shuffle them well. Agree on the number of cards to be used for the game, and set the length of the game (i.e. the number of rounds for each team). You can play with twelve cards, for example, for the first game. Count out the appropriate number of cards and place them face down to form a deck. Put all of the other cards back into the box.
How to Play
Take turns to play. The group with the shortest person begins and will be the first group to guess. The members of the other group will be the referees. The guessing group chooses one of their own players to act out the charades.
The actor takes the top card from the deck, looks at the picture in secret, and then gives it to the group of referees.
The actor's task is to act out the image so that the other members of the guessing group can figure out the answer as quickly as possible. The actor can make faces, move their body and describe things using their hands; however, they are not allowed to make a sound!
Warning: The referee committee makes sure that the person acting out the charades is being as quiet as a mouse. If they fail in this regard, the card is immediately forfeited to the referee group.
The members of the guessing group are allowed to guess and shout out their guesses at the same time.
Hint: We are only looking for nouns such as animals, food or other objects.
When one of the guessing group guesses the right answer, the referees have to immediately call out "That's correct!" and the guessing group wins the card. If the guessing group fails to guess the word despite their best efforts, the actor can give up. The referee group then shows them the card and puts it back into the box.
Then the groups switch roles and a new round of charades begins.
Important: The players in the group should take turns at being the actor.
End of the Game
The game ends when the deck of cards runs out. The group with the most cards wins.
Timed Variation
The basic rules of the game apply, but with the following changes:
- The guessing time is limited to 45 seconds. The referees check the time limit using the sand timer.
- If the guessing group doesn't guess the word within the time limit, then the card goes back into the box.
- If the guessing group guesses the word before the time runs out, then the actor can take a new card and act that one out, and even another one etc., until the time runs out.