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Fun Theater Improv Games for Kids: SUBHEAD: Dramatic Fun for Parties, Classroom, or Living Room
Dramatic play has always been an excellent way to encourage creativity in children and teens. Try some of these fun games at your next party, on a rainy afternoon, or in your classroom.
Theater and dramatic play has always been a fun and exciting way to encourage self-confidence, creativity, and cooperation in children and teens. These games do not require a lot of materials and can be modified by age group and number of children playing.
The Hot Seat
A single chair is set up in the front of the room. Child A sits in this chair. Child B approaches Child A and gives them a reason to leave the chair. The reason can be as silly as "Watch out! A killer pig is coming to eat you!" to "TRAIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!" Child A quickly leaves the chair and Child B takes their spot. The game continues with the next student approaching the sitting child with another zany reason to leave the chair. This game is a lot of fun and is excellent as a warm-up activity for older theater groups. The game can be played organized or can be played "popcorn" style, where students approach the chair in no particular order.
Freeze with a Prop
A container full of random props is placed at the front of the classroom. Student A chooses a prop and begins to act out an impromptu scene with the prop. The main rule is that each prop has to become something else. (Ex., a broom cannot be used to sweep. The broom can be used as a baseball bat in an imaginary softball game). After a short time (usually a minute or so), Student B taps Student A on the shoulder. Student A freezes and Student B takes the prop and mirrors the exact position that Student A has. Student A sits down and Student B continues a new scene using the prop in an entirely different manner. This game works better with older children. Popcorn style leaves less dead space in the scenes, while taking turns encourages shy children to play.
Interpretive Dancer
Child A pretends to be a speaker from another country. As Child A begins speaking a mock dialect (mostly gibberish), Child B attempts to "translate" using interpretive dance. Things can get really nutty with this game!
Superhero Dance Party
A small box contains slips of paper with names of various superheroes. One child is the party host. Three or four students choose a slip of paper. The host pretends to have a party. Each child with the slip of paper "knocks" on the imaginary door and joins the party. Each guest must act like the superhero they chose, but cannot directly tell the host who they are. The host must guess which child is which superhero. The game ends when the host either guests all of the students or gives up. Then play begins again. With smaller groups of children, I let all of the children play each time. With larger groups, only four to five children should be playing at one time. Encourage students to really act out how the Hulk would drink a bowl of punch, how Spiderman might dance, or how Cat woman would open a gift.
