From the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Warm-ups Games
Warm-ups games are very important and beneficial for any drama class - no matter what age:
*They are fun and enjoyable.
*They help the children get to know one another.
*They help children focus on the drama class that follows the warm-up.
*They help the children limber-up.
*They help shy children to get involved in the group.
*They help children to use their imagination and creativity.
*They promote trust among the children.
Game: Orders
- Difficulty rating: **
- Minimum number of participants: 6
- Resources needed: Clear space
- Instructions: This warm-up game helps children to learn how to work as a team. The leader tells everyone to get into a straight line and not to make a sound or move their mouths throughout the game; they can only communicate through the use of non-verbal body language.
- When the instructions have been given, the leader asks the group to get in a straight line in some order, e.g. the leader can ask them to line-up from the oldest to the youngest. If too many children were born in the same month, they can progress to finding out what day they were born and line-up in that order; or they can get in order according to height, alphabetically by first names, or if any have the same first names, they can get in line alphabetically by their surnames.
- They have to complete the task communicating through non-verbal language such as pointing, miming etc. When the line is completed the leader asks each child to tell him/her their name or age. Then they can see if they managed to communicate their message through non-verbal language. This can take some time and a lot of concentration. It is also a good way for the leader and the class to learn each other's names.
Game: Crossing the circle
- Difficulty rating: *
- Minimum number of participants: 6
- Resources needed: Clear space
- Instructions: 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; 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:
- Like a toddler
- Like a frail old man
- Like a lion
- Like a mouse
- Like a roller blade
- Like a ballerina
- Like Justin Timberlake/Justin Bieber
- Like a rock star
- Like a princess
- Like Superman
- Like a rally car
Game: Prisoner
- Difficulty rating: *
- Minimum number of participants: 4
- Resources needed: A large space, chairs
- Instructions: Divide the group into pairs. One is the prisoner and the other is the jailer. All the prisoners sit in chairs in a circle while all the jailers stand behind their prisoner with their backs to the chairs. The leader sits in the circle with the prisoners, but does not have a jailer. When the leader shouts a prisoner's name, they must change places with another prisoner as quickly as possible. However, if the jailer turns around fast enough and taps the prisoner on the shoulder, the prisoner is caught and can't move. The leader then calls out someone else's name. This is an excellent warm-up game, but it also helps with reflexes and listening skills.
From the Inside Flap
PART ONE: DRAMA GAMES
Warm-ups Games: Orders, Crossing the circle, Prisoner, Pass the shake, Magic chairs, Circle of chairs, Three legs, two heads and a nose, Thank you for using me, The name game, Getting to know you.
Relaxation Games: Be a waxwork, Smoke in the chimney, Puppet on a string, Floating tongue, Lion's roar, The rock, Happy place,
Articulation Games: Voice coach, Different strokes, Tongue-twisters. Broken telephone, Stand back - the bridge is breaking, Gibberish. Sound spy, Big balloon,
Secret voices, Vocal projection, Sound nursery rhymes.
Mime and Movement Games: Movement sequences , Walk on the wild side, The 10-second machines, Sculptor at work, Five ways in 20 seconds, Chain mime, Meetings, Fairy tales' charade relay, Bus stop, Group Mime.
Communication Games: Guide dogs, Captain's coming, Freeze and change, Balloon debate, King's/Queen's throne, Last people on Earth, Get connected, Word tennis, 20 questions, Just 30 seconds.
Concentration Games: Clap and tap, Tell it, Mirrors, 20-to-1, Follow the leader, Emotions, Change it, Wink murder, Pass the face, Swaps.
Storytelling Games: One-word story, Unfortunately/fortunately, First-liners/last-liners, Three lies and a truth, An embarrassing moment, No "s" sounds game,Mixed-up fairy tales, Pop-up story book, Fill in the gaps.
Improvisation Games: Three words, Headlines, Magical fairy tales, Dilemmas, Hitchhiker, Nursery rhyme news, Death in a minute, Create a moving picture, Emotional chairs, Pick and mix.
PART TWO: PLAYS FOR CHILDREN
How the Zebra Got His Stripes, The Selfish Giant, The Land of the Trolls & Gargoyles, No Excuse, The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
From the Back Cover
Drama Start 2 is a collection of drama activities and plays suitable for children between the ages of nine and twelve. This book is also suitable for anyone working with children in a setting where drama is used, such as community groups, out-of-school care facilities, therapeutic group work and so on.
The book is accessible and easy to follow. It is divided into two parts:
Part 1 - Drama Games
Part 2 - Plays
Each section provides educators/leaders with a variety of creative and imaginative ideas to stimulate drama activities in many different settings.
About the Author
Julie Meighan is a lecturer in Drama in Education at the Cork Institute of Technology. She has taught Drama to all age groups and levels. She is the author of Drama Start: Drama Activities, Plays and Monologues for Young Children (ages 3 -8).
