Animals Charades, Medium

35 words to act out

Medium animal charades is where posture stops being enough and detail starts to matter. An octopus, a flamingo, a sloth, a meerkat, a hedgehog and a woodpecker each need one very specific gesture to separate them from a nearby animal the room will guess first. The list is also full of deliberate near-neighbours: cheetah, leopard and panther all live here, as do seal and walrus, and crab and lobster. Getting the right one out of your team means showing the distinguishing feature, spots against a solid coat, tusks against whiskers, rather than the general shape. Zoo and safari species dominate, so this tier plays well with anyone who has done a wildlife documentary binge.

1. Octopus
2. Seahorse
3. Flamingo
4. Peacock
5. Ostrich
6. Camel
7. Rhinoceros
8. Hippopotamus
9. Gorilla
10. Chimpanzee
11. Koala
12. Sloth

13. Raccoon
14. Squirrel
15. Hedgehog
16. Bat
17. Crab
18. Lobster
19. Jellyfish
20. Starfish
21. Seal
22. Walrus
23. Polar bear
24. Panda
25. Cheetah
26. Leopard
27. Panther
28. Hyena
29. Meerkat
30. Woodpecker
31. Eagle
32. Vulture
33. Swan
34. Beaver
35. Skunk

Separating the animals that look alike

This tier is stacked with lookalikes on purpose. Cheetah, leopard and panther share a body; seal and walrus share a shuffle; crab and lobster share a scuttle; eagle and vulture share a wingspan. Getting your team to the right one means leading with the difference rather than the shape. Show the walrus tusks before you shuffle. Show the peacock's fan before you strut. Show the woodpecker's head rhythm before you climb. For the odd ones out, an octopus, a jellyfish, a starfish, use the floor: sea creatures read far better lying down or crouched than standing upright. And if the room locks onto a wrong answer, stop the motion entirely and restart with the distinguishing feature alone.

Charades tips & FAQ

How many animals charades words are on this medium list, and can I print them?

Thirty-five less obvious animals, including several deliberate lookalikes. Because the list is plain text, you can print it and cross out anything too tricky for the age range at your table before the first round.

What makes these animals clues "medium" rather than another tier?

This tier is full of near-neighbours: cheetah against leopard, seal against walrus, eagle against vulture. Guessing the family is easy, guessing the exact animal is not, so the actor has to lead with the distinguishing feature.

How do we run a round of animals charades?

Play in two teams with a sixty-second timer, and agree one house rule before you start: no animal sounds. A single convincing moo ends the round instantly and takes the fun with it. The actor uses silhouette and movement only while their team shouts guesses, and you score a point for each animal named correctly before time runs out. On the medium tier, accept the animal family first and then push for the exact species, so a team that shouts 'big cat' still feels like it is getting somewhere.

More charades word lists

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Silly, classroom-safe dilemmas that work from roughly age six up.

Never Have I Ever for Teens

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Want the background rather than another list? Read the charades rules and word-list guide (official gestures, timing, team setup and house rules worth stealing) and the party games night checklist (a running order that keeps a whole evening from stalling).

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