Family game night · ages 5 and up
Imposter Game for Kids
A secret word, one bluffer and a lot of giggling. Kids pick it up in one round. Here are house rules for younger players, word lists by age and two ways to play before they can read.
Five-minute rounds
Short enough for any attention span, and there is always one more round.
Describing and listening
Kids practise finding the right word, and noticing when someone else’s doesn’t fit.
Nobody is out
Everyone plays every round. Even a caught imposter gets one guess to win it back.
House rules
How to play with younger kids
The usual rules, with a few changes that keep it fun for everyone.
- Turn the hint on. With the category on their card, a young imposter always has something to say.
- Let a grown-up host. They pass the phone, and can whisper the word to anyone who can’t read it yet.
- Under 8? Allow a short sentence. “It lives in the sea” is easier than finding one perfect word.
- Cheer the best bluff. Being the imposter is a role, not a lie. Celebrate a great bluff as loudly as a great catch.
- Keep the talking short. One or two minutes of discussion is plenty before the vote.
- Play to 3. First to 3 points instead of 5 makes a shorter game before bedtime.
Family-safe
Imposter game words for kids, by age
Start with the list for the youngest player at the table. Words marked Pro come from the app’s School Days and Nature packs.
Things you can point at
Animals, food and things around the house. Every word is something a young player has seen, eaten or held.
- Cat
- Lion
- Penguin
- Elephant
- Giraffe
- Frog
- Octopus
- Butterfly
- Monkey
- Puppy
- Shark
- Owl
- Pizza
- Ice cream
- Pancakes
- Banana
- Popcorn
- Watermelon
- Birthday cake
- Cotton candy
- Toothbrush
- Bathtub
- Pillow
- Umbrella
- Slippers
- Rubber duck
- Bunk bed
- Alarm clock
A bit trickier
Stranger animals and things with a close neighbour, so clues have to be precise.
- Axolotl
- Platypus
- Narwhal
- Chameleon
- Hedgehog
- Capybara
- Sloth
- Seahorse
- Dumplings
- Mac and cheese
- Churros
- Fortune cookie
- Hot chocolate
- Ice cream truck
- Picnic
- Lemonade
- Trampoline
- Dodgeball
- Jump rope
- Skateboarding
- Bowling
- Tug of war
- Mascot
- Trophy
- Snow globe
- Jigsaw puzzle
- Lava lamp
- Cookie jar
Moments and stories
Things that happen rather than things you hold. Older kids love these: every clue turns into a story.
- Brain freeze
- Hiccups
- Song stuck in your head
- Foot asleep
- Itchy nose
- Bedtime
- Rainy day
- Lost sock
- Junk drawer
- Lost remote
- Power outage
- Lucky socks
- Victory dance
- Participation trophy
School Days Pro
- Pop quiz
- Snow day
- Dog ate my homework
- Monkey bars
- Field trip
- Show and tell
- Tooth fairy
- Imaginary friend
Nature Pro
- Stargazing
- Snow angel
- Leaf pile
- Skipping stones
For kids with pictures
Too young to read? Two ways to play
Play with the room
The host picks something everyone can see — the lamp, the dog, the red cushion — and whispers it to every player except the imposter. Clues can be words or gestures. The room is the picture.
Draw it together
Everyone gets the secret word except the imposter. On one sheet of paper, each player adds a single line to a drawing of the word. After two laps, vote on who was drawing something else.
Free · play online
Free packs that work for kids
These four have no grown-up words at all. Food & Drinks and Party Mix include a few; in the app, Family mode keeps them off the table.
Imposter Club for iPhone
Family mode, no ads, works offline
Pick Family at the table and the app sticks to family-safe packs and words. No ads, and no internet needed on car trips.
FAQ
Questions from parents
What age is the imposter game for?
From about 5 with a grown-up hosting and the hint on. From 7 or 8, kids can run it themselves. The word lists on this page are sorted by age.
Is the imposter game OK for kids?
Yes. It’s a word game about bluffing, and every word on this page is family-safe. In the app, Family mode keeps every pack and word family-safe too.
How do you explain the imposter game to a child?
Everyone gets the same secret word, except one player: the imposter. Each person says one word about the secret. Then everyone guesses who didn’t know it.
Can kids who can’t read play?
Yes. A grown-up can whisper the word, or you can play with things in the room or with drawings instead of words. See “Too young to read?” above.
Do kids need their own phones?
No. One phone is passed around the table. Slips of paper work too.
Family game night? Grab one phone.
Free in your browser, no sign-up. Gather 3 or more people and press Play.