The importance of drama games

The importance of The importance of Drama GamesDrama Games

By Julie MeighanBy Julie Meighan

Drama gamesDrama games

Drama games are a perfect tool to Drama games are a perfect tool to use in any classroom that use in any classroom that encompasses multiple learning encompasses multiple learning styles, ability levels and age groups. styles, ability levels and age groups.

Drama gamesDrama games

They facilitate children’s ability to learn They facilitate children’s ability to learn in different ways as visual learners, in different ways as visual learners, auditory learners and kinaesthetic auditory learners and kinaesthetic learners. learners.

The games help improve self-confidence, The games help improve self-confidence, build trust and develop creativity.build trust and develop creativity.

They can also have a profound effect on They can also have a profound effect on literary development, academic success literary development, academic success and social interaction..and social interaction..

Drama GamesDrama Games

The games help children to explore The games help children to explore creative drama, mime, movement creative drama, mime, movement and storytelling. and storytelling.

The activities are fun, challenging The activities are fun, challenging and rewarding, not only for the and rewarding, not only for the students but also for the students but also for the educators/leaders themselveseducators/leaders themselves

Advice for Leaders Before You Advice for Leaders Before You Begin Begin

Start with very simple games that the children may already Start with very simple games that the children may already know, such as What is the time, Mr Wolf? Once you have built a know, such as What is the time, Mr Wolf? Once you have built a sense of trust and teamwork, begin to focus on more complex sense of trust and teamwork, begin to focus on more complex and exploratory games or on games that demand a child’s and exploratory games or on games that demand a child’s involvement. involvement.

Never ask a group to play a game that you would not play Never ask a group to play a game that you would not play yourself. yourself.

Watch the language used – avoid terms like play or games and Watch the language used – avoid terms like play or games and instead use words like focus, explore, challenge and participate.instead use words like focus, explore, challenge and participate.

Be very clear with your instructions. Ask for feedback from the Be very clear with your instructions. Ask for feedback from the students to make sure they understand what is involved and students to make sure they understand what is involved and what each participant has to do.what each participant has to do.

Be enthusiastic. The children will be drawn to your energy and Be enthusiastic. The children will be drawn to your energy and will get excited about the prospect of participating in the activity.will get excited about the prospect of participating in the activity.

Give a demonstration wherever possible.Give a demonstration wherever possible. Involve yourself in the game. Don’t give the group instructions Involve yourself in the game. Don’t give the group instructions

and then go and sit in a corner of the room, just watching or and then go and sit in a corner of the room, just watching or correcting.correcting.

Warm-ups GamesWarm-ups Games

Warm-ups games are very important and beneficial Warm-ups games are very important and beneficial for any drama class – no matter what age: for any drama class – no matter what age:

••They are fun and enjoyable.They are fun and enjoyable.••They help the children get to know one another.They help the children get to know one another.••They help children focus on the drama class that They help children focus on the drama class that

follows the warm-up.follows the warm-up.••They help the children limber-up.They help the children limber-up.••They help shy children to get involved in the They help shy children to get involved in the

group.group.••They help children to use their imagination and They help children to use their imagination and

creativity.creativity.••They promote trust among the children.They promote trust among the children.

Game: Crossing the circleGame: Crossing the circle

Game: Crossing the circleGame: Crossing the circle Difficulty rating:Difficulty rating: * * Minimum number of participantsMinimum number of participants: 6: 6 Resources needed:Resources needed: Clear space Clear space Instructions:Instructions: The children stand in a circle and the leader gives everyone a number The children stand in a circle and the leader gives everyone a number

from 1 to 3. Then the leader tells all the 1s to exchange places by crossing the circle; from 1 to 3. Then the leader tells all the 1s to exchange places by crossing the circle; and then all the 2s to cross the circle and so on. When the children understand what and then all the 2s to cross the circle and so on. When the children understand what to do, the leader calls out different ways for them to walk across the circle:to do, the leader calls out different ways for them to walk across the circle:

Like a toddlerLike a toddler Like a frail old manLike a frail old man Like a lionLike a lion Like a mouseLike a mouse Like a roller bladeLike a roller blade Like a ballerinaLike a ballerina Like Justin Timberlake/Justin BieberLike Justin Timberlake/Justin Bieber Like a rock starLike a rock star Like a princessLike a princess Like SupermanLike Superman Like a rally carLike a rally car

Relaxation GamesRelaxation Games

Relaxation is very important in Relaxation is very important in Drama. The following activities will Drama. The following activities will enable children to reduce stress and enable children to reduce stress and to help them release mental, physical to help them release mental, physical and emotional tension. A relaxed and emotional tension. A relaxed body also leads to good voice body also leads to good voice production – benefiting all aspects of production – benefiting all aspects of the voice such as pitch, pace, pause, the voice such as pitch, pace, pause, inflection and projection. inflection and projection.

Game: The RockGame: The Rock

Difficulty rating:Difficulty rating: ** ** Minimum number of participants:Minimum number of participants: 1 (and the Leader) 1 (and the Leader) Resources needed:Resources needed: Clear space and chairs Clear space and chairs Instructions:Instructions: Each child sits on a chair with knees bent, Each child sits on a chair with knees bent,

feet firmly on the ground and back straight. The leader tells feet firmly on the ground and back straight. The leader tells them they are rocks embedded in the sea. They should feel them they are rocks embedded in the sea. They should feel the cool and refreshing sea water against them. Tell them the cool and refreshing sea water against them. Tell them to take a deep breath of sea air and let it go gently, to take a deep breath of sea air and let it go gently, imagining the sound of seagulls in the distance. Tell them imagining the sound of seagulls in the distance. Tell them to breathe in and out slowly and gently, feeling each breath to breathe in and out slowly and gently, feeling each breath with their whole body. When their bodies are completely with their whole body. When their bodies are completely relaxed, gently tell them to slowly open their eyes. Have relaxed, gently tell them to slowly open their eyes. Have them discuss how this felt.them discuss how this felt.

Mime and Movement Mime and Movement GamesGames

Movement is about expressing yourself Movement is about expressing yourself physically. The movement games below physically. The movement games below improve a child’s flexibility, co-ordination, improve a child’s flexibility, co-ordination, balance and control. The games are also an balance and control. The games are also an excellent way for children to explore body excellent way for children to explore body language, by practising and observing, and language, by practising and observing, and also to learn how to walk like a specific also to learn how to walk like a specific character.character.

Mime is an integral part of Drama and the Mime is an integral part of Drama and the activities in this section enable the children to activities in this section enable the children to improve their mime skills. Children often find improve their mime skills. Children often find mine easier because they don’t have to speak. mine easier because they don’t have to speak.

Game: Movement sequencesGame: Movement sequences

Difficulty rating:Difficulty rating: * * Minimum number of participants:Minimum number of participants: 2 2 Resources needed:Resources needed: Large space Large space Instructions:Instructions: The leader talks to the children about different ways of moving. Ask them to call out different ways The leader talks to the children about different ways of moving. Ask them to call out different ways

people move. people move. Examples to get you started include:Examples to get you started include: walkingwalking runningrunning crawlingcrawling rollingrolling hoppinghopping skippingskipping jumpingjumping leapingleaping tiptoeingtiptoeing tumblingtumbling turningturning gallopinggalloping twirlingtwirling spinningspinning walking sidewayswalking sideways walking backwardswalking backwards The children will come up with many more. When they have moved in all the different ways, the leader calls out The children will come up with many more. When they have moved in all the different ways, the leader calls out

movement sequences such as:movement sequences such as: walk – jump – twirl – tumblewalk – jump – twirl – tumble spin – hop – skip – gallopspin – hop – skip – gallop Give the children a chance to be the leader and to call out their own movement sequences.Give the children a chance to be the leader and to call out their own movement sequences.

Drama Start/Drama Start TwoDrama Start/Drama Start Two

For more interesting Drama activities For more interesting Drama activities

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