Collection of gesture game ideas and prompts
A classic, crowd-pleasing recreation that both kids and adults can’t help but get hooked on: the gesture game.
In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of gesture-game prompts, organized by category.
It’s packed with everything from easy prompts to tricky ones that make you think, “Huh? How am I supposed to act that out?”
It’s your time to shine!
Even if the message doesn’t get across in the end, putting in the effort to think and move is the key to making it fun!
Don’t be shy—move as much as you can and try whatever comes to mind.
For harder prompts, try offering hints or using other creative tweaks.
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Sports (1–10)
Tennis
With the emergence of Naomi Osaka as a new hero, tennis seems to have gained even more momentum, and it’s a sport with many fans in Japan as well.
It’s such a familiar sport that the marriage of the Heisei Emperor and Empress is said to have begun with a romance on the tennis court.
Of course, the gesture of swinging a racket is easy to understand, but be careful not to have it mistaken for sports like table tennis.
Basketball
Basketball is often said to be the star activity of gym sports, and moments like when a shot goes in are truly cool.
To express basketball gestures, start with dribbling and try portraying the whole sequence leading up to making a shot.
It’s also a nice touch to include gestures of someone dribbling or someone blocking the shooter, which adds detail and flair.
baseball
If you ask what sport Japanese people like the most, it’s probably baseball.
From professional baseball to high school baseball, sandlot baseball, and youth leagues, it’s a sport that’s fun both to watch and to play.
Since gestures that show only a single role—like pitcher or catcher—can be misunderstood, it’s better to use gestures that convey baseball as a whole; that approach is likely the shortest path to the correct answer.
Kendo
Speaking of kendo, there used to be manga and TV dramas themed around it, but you might not see them as much these days.
Still, as one of Japan’s traditional martial arts, I hope kendo continues on.
I imagine that gestures like raising the shinai to strike, or mimicking kendo’s distinctive sliding footwork, could be the key moves for conveying it.
Operations (1–10)
Goldfish scooping
Speaking of goldfish scooping, it’s a particularly popular stall at summer festivals.
Goldfish scooping is said to have started in the late Edo period; it’s a traditional summertime pastime, and in the old days people even used wire nets to scoop them—sounds easier, doesn’t it? Catching goldfish without tearing the paper on the poi is quite tricky and takes skill.
Turning that motion into a gesture can be fun, and if you do it well people will recognize it right away.
It’s one of the recommended gesture prompts, especially in the summer season.
Vision test
There’s a comedy bit by the comedian Tomonori Jinnai called “Vision Test,” and it’s really funny.
If you get tired of hunting for gesture ideas, you should definitely watch it! Speaking of vision tests, there’s that gesture where you point to a Landolt ring that looks like the letter C.
The other iconic one is covering one eye with that spoon-like occluder.
But since eye exams have gone digital lately, I’m not sure how far those old-school actions still land… It might actually be a prompt that shows a generation gap.
Relay
The highlight event of any sports day or field day! Here are some relay race ideas.
When you think of sports day or a field day, what events come to mind? There are many, like ball tosses and giant ball rolls, but relays are the kind of competition that gets everyone—kids and adults alike—fired up.
This time, let’s try expressing a “relay” through gestures.
In the actual event, teams pass a baton, so conveying a relay solo is the tricky part.
Try incorporating gestures like handing off the baton and running with all your might to get the idea across.