New Year Charades: An Acting Game for the Whole Family

Colorful rules page for New Year charades with a penguin, a dancing girl, a rocket and an elephant and three blank cards, printable

Waddle like a penguin, blow a party horn, or build a snowman – all without saying a word! In New Year charades, one player draws a card and acts it out while everyone else guesses. Since every card has a big picture, even preschoolers can play.

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What's in the PDFs

Both PDFs, color and coloring, have 3 pages: one page with the rules and 3 blank cards for your own ideas, and two sheets with 24 charades cards. Each card (about 2.3 × 2.3 in) shows a picture with a word below – animals, winter fun, party moments, and everyday things.

At a Glance

Players
3+ players
Age
ages 3+
Pages
3 × A4 + 3 × A4
Time
about 15–30 minutes

📄 What’s on the Pages

Page 1: Rules + your own ideas
Five rules, sample pictures, and 3 blank cards with a writing line.
Page 2: Charades cards 1–12
Penguin, elephant, kangaroo, giraffe, build a snowman, ice skating, dancing, being sleepy, rocket, brushing teeth, playing soccer, jumping in puddles.
Page 3: Charades cards 13–24
Sledding, throwing confetti, blowing a party horn, ringing a bell, chimney sweep, alarm clock ringing, blowing up a balloon, eating pizza, riding a bike, swimming, baking a cake, reading a book.

How to play New Year charades

1
Print all pages, cut out the 24 cards, and draw your own ideas on the blank cards.
2
Shuffle the cards and put them face down in a pile.
3
On your turn, draw a card, look at it secretly, and act it out.
4
Whoever guesses first keeps the card and goes next.

How to play

1
Act it out with your hands, feet, and face only – no words.
2
Little ones can make sounds, like "Moo!" or "Toot!"
3
Older kids get a sand timer or 1 minute per card.
4
Whoever has the most cards at the end wins – or everyone works together to finish the pile before midnight.

💡 Tips

  • A grown-up can quietly help preschoolers act out their card.
  • Cardstock or lamination keeps the cards sturdy – they get handled a lot.
  • Store the cards in a small tin so they're ready again next year.
  • The active cards make a great movement break between calmer activities.

What kids practice

Acting out the cards builds body language, facial expression, and confidence in front of a group. The guessers watch closely and search for the right words. Quieter kids often shine at charades because they don't have to talk.

🔄 Variations & Ideas

Team charades
Two teams compete and only your own team guesses – who gets more cards in 5 minutes?
Sound round
Make only the sounds instead of acting: alarm clock, party horn, elephant.
Act it out in pairs
Two kids act out the same card together, like playing soccer.

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Why families love PureSketchy:

  • Completely free: Every template with no sign-up, no newsletter, no subscription.
  • Color and B/W: Ready in full color or as a coloring version to make it your own.
  • Print-ready: Clean PDF pages – print on US Letter or A4 and get started.
  • Made to go together: Printables, games, crafts and 92 coloring pages all about New Year's Eve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many players do you need?
At least 3: one acts and two or more guess. It's especially fun with a big classroom group.

What are the blank cards for?
Kids draw their own ideas and write the word on the line, like favorite animals or highlights from the past year.

Can kids who can't read play?
Yes, every card has a big picture. The word underneath is just a help for older kids and grown-ups.

Is the download free?
Yes, all templates on PureSketchy are 100% free for personal, preschool and classroom use – no sign-up needed.

Is there a German version?
Yes! You can find the German version here: Neujahrs-Scharade.