Relaxation Games
Relaxation is very important in Drama. The following activities will enable children to reduce stress and to help them release mental, physical and emotional tension. A relaxed body also leads to good voice production – benefiting all aspects of the voice such as pitch, pace, pause, inflection and projection.
Game: Be a waxwork
Difficulty rating: *
Minimum number of participants: 2
Resources needed: Clear space
Instructions: The children must imagine that they are a waxwork in Madame Tussauds’ Museum in London. Everyone can decide which very famous person they want to be. The children get into position and then the leader walks around looking at the waxworks and tries to guess who is who. When she has guessed everyone there is unfortunately a fire in the museum and all the waxworks melt slowly to the ground.
Game: Smoke in the chimney
Difficulty rating: *
Minimum number of participants: 2
Resources needed: Clear space
Instructions: The children imagine that they are smoke rising up from a chimney. They move, undulating slowly. They stretch their bodies as much as they can and then they finally relax.
Game: Puppet on a string
Difficulty rating: ***
Minimum number of participants: 2
Resources needed: Clear space
Instructions: The children imagine they are puppets with strings attached to their shoulders that someone is pulling from above. The leader tells them that they are being pulled up and their limbs fly out in all directions. Even the feet can be pulled off the ground at times. Finally the strings are cut, and the body relaxes. For more relaxation games, Explore Drama Start Two on Amazon.
Related: relaxation and closing activities.
