Food & drink
Random Category Generator
Get a random category and a letter for Scattergories, Stop or any naming game.
155 categories · 10 groups · Random letter · Free, no signup
Letter
?
154 unseen in this selection (155 total). No repeats until you have seen them all.
What a random category generator does
A random category generator gives you a prompt like “Things at the beach” and, if you want, a starting letter. Players then name something that fits before time runs out. This one has 155 family-friendly categories in 10 groups, never repeats until the list is used up, and skips hard letters by default.
Random category generator facts
| Categories | 155, written for word games |
|---|---|
| Groups | Food & drink (16), Places & travel (15), Animals & nature (15), People & names (15), Things around you (18), Movies, music & TV (15), School & work (15), Sports & hobbies (15), Easy (for kids) (15), Silly & creative (16) |
| Letter roll | 20 letters by default (skips Q, U, V, X, Y, Z); all 26 optional |
| Draw size | 1, 5 or 10 categories at a time |
| Repeats | None until every category in the selection has been shown |
| Cost and data | Free, no account; the round is kept in this browser tab only |
How to play Scattergories with this generator
- Draw 10 categories and roll a letter.
- Set a 2-minute timer; each player writes one answer per category starting with that letter.
- Read answers aloud. A unique answer scores 1 point; an answer someone else also wrote scores 0.
- Roll a new letter and repeat. After 3 rounds, the highest total wins.
Updated · Written and checked by the RandomTopics editors · How we curate · Site facts
Four games you can play with random categories
- Scattergories-style lists. 10 categories, one letter, 2 minutes. Only unique answers score.
- Stop (Basta / Tutti Frutti). Everyone writes as fast as they can; the first to finish shouts “Stop!” and pens go down.
- Hot potato. Pass a ball around a circle. Holding it, you name something in the category; repeat or freeze and you are out.
- Category charades. Draw one category and act out something in it. See also the charades generator.
All 155 random categories
The full list the generator draws from. Open a group to read it.
🍕 Food & drink (16)
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Pizza toppings
- Breakfast foods
- Desserts
- Sandwiches
- Snacks
- Things on a menu
- Ice cream flavors
- Spices and herbs
- Drinks
- Things you put on toast
- Foods at a picnic
- Candy
- Things in a fridge
- Soups
🗺️ Places & travel (15)
- Countries
- Cities
- U.S. states
- Things you see at the beach
- Tourist attractions
- Stores and shops
- Rivers, lakes or seas
- Places to go on a date
- Rooms in a house
- Things in a city
- Vacation spots
- Places you need a ticket for
- Things at an airport
- Capital cities
- Islands
🌿 Animals & nature (15)
- Animals
- Birds
- Dog breeds
- Sea creatures
- Insects and bugs
- Flowers
- Trees
- Things in the sky
- Weather words
- Zoo animals
- Farm animals
- Things that grow
- Reptiles
- Things in a forest
- Pets
🧑 People & names (15)
- Boys' names
- Girls' names
- Famous people
- Cartoon characters
- Jobs
- Superheroes
- Historical figures
- Athletes
- Musicians or bands
- Authors
- Fictional villains
- Nicknames
- Family members
- Royalty
- People in uniform
🧰 Things around you (18)
- Things in a kitchen
- Things in a backpack
- Tools
- Things with wheels
- Things that are round
- Things that are cold
- Clothing
- Furniture
- Things you plug in
- Things made of wood
- Things that fly
- Things with buttons
- Things in a bathroom
- Kinds of shoes
- Things you can open
- Things that are sticky
- Gifts
- Things in a toolbox
🎬 Movies, music & TV (15)
- Movie titles
- TV shows
- Songs
- Video games
- Board games
- Book titles
- Things in a fairy tale
- Disney characters
- Musical instruments
- Things at a concert
- Holiday songs
- Cartoons
- Famous quotes
- Magazines or newspapers
- Dances
🎓 School & work (15)
- School subjects
- School supplies
- Things in a classroom
- Things a teacher says
- Math words
- Science words
- Things in an office
- College majors
- Excuses for being late
- Things you do on a computer
- Languages
- Things in a library
- Elements of the periodic table
- Things at a job interview
- Office supplies
⚽ Sports & hobbies (15)
- Sports
- Sports teams
- Hobbies
- Things you do at the gym
- Olympic events
- Card games
- Camping gear
- Outdoor activities
- Things with a net
- Arts and crafts
- Things you collect
- Ways to exercise
- Things at a stadium
- Sports equipment
- Things you do on a weekend
🧒 Easy (for kids) (15)
- Colors
- Things that are red
- Toys
- Things at a birthday party
- Shapes
- Things at the park
- Things that are soft
- Animals that say a sound
- Things that are yellow
- Body parts
- Things in a toy box
- Things that are loud
- Things you wear in winter
- Things at a farm
- Bedtime things
🤪 Silly & creative (16)
- Things you shouldn't say on a first date
- Reasons to call in sick
- Things a pirate might own
- Words that sound funny
- Things you'd find in a wizard's pocket
- Bad names for a pet
- Things that are scary
- Things you shout
- Things a robot would eat
- Excuses for not doing homework
- Names for a band
- Things you'd take to a desert island
- Things that smell bad
- Superpowers
- Things you'd find in a haunted house
- Things that make you laugh
Random category questions
What is a random category generator?
It picks a category such as "Things in a kitchen" or "Animals with four legs" so players can race to name something that fits. This one draws from 155 categories written for word games and adds an optional random starting letter.
How do you play Scattergories with this?
Draw 5 categories and roll a letter. Everyone has 2 minutes to write one answer per category that starts with that letter. Read answers aloud: unique answers score 1 point, answers someone else also wrote score 0. Play 3 rounds and add up the points.
Which letters are left out?
By default the letter roll skips Q, U, V, X, Y and Z, because few everyday words start with them. Untick the box to use all 26 letters for a harder game.
Are there categories for kids?
Yes. The Kids group has 15 categories with simple, familiar answers (things that are yellow, animals at a farm). Every category on this page is family-friendly.
Will the same category repeat?
Not until you have seen every category in your selection. The round is kept for this browser tab, so you can switch groups and come back.
Can I print the category list?
Yes. Print all opens every category in the current group as a clean page, which works as a handout for classrooms or a game-night sheet.
More party and word games
Browse conversation topic categories, act it out with the charades generator, or try Would You Rather and random ideas for a bored afternoon.