Synopsis of “The Monkey and the Crocodile”:
Once upon a time, there was a clever monkey who lived in a tree by a river. The tree was full of delicious fruits that the monkey loved to eat. One day, a crocodile swam up to the tree and looked longingly at the fruits. The kind monkey offered the crocodile some fruit, and they became friends.
The crocodile began visiting the monkey every day, and the monkey would share the fruit with him. However, the crocodile had a wife who was very cunning. When she heard about the monkey and the fruit, she wanted to eat the monkey’s heart, believing it would make her strong and wise.
The crocodile was torn between his friendship with the monkey and his desire to please his wife. He decided to trick the monkey. One day, he invited the monkey to visit his home across the river. The monkey agreed and climbed onto the crocodile’s back to cross the river.
As they reached the middle of the river, the crocodile revealed his true intentions—that he planned to take the monkey to his wife so they could eat his heart. The clever monkey quickly thought of a plan to save himself. He told the crocodile that he had left his heart back in the tree and needed to go get it. The crocodile, wanting the heart, turned around and swam back to the tree.
When they reached the tree, the monkey quickly jumped off the crocodile’s back and climbed high into the branches, safe from harm. The monkey scolded the crocodile for trying to deceive him and ended their friendship. The crocodile swam away, regretting his actions.
Workshop Objective:
- To explore emotions, desires, and perspectives within the story “The Monkey and the Crocodile.”
- To enhance empathy, creativity, and problem-solving skills among the participants.
Duration: 60-75 minutes
Materials Needed:
- A copy of “The Monkey and the Crocodile” story.
- Simple props (optional): a crocodile mask, a monkey mask, tree branches, etc.
- Colored paper or fabric to represent different emotions/desires (one color per emotion).
Warm-Up (10 minutes):
1. Emotion Statues:
- Ask the children to walk around the room. Call out different emotions (e.g., happiness, fear, excitement, anger).
- When you clap your hands, they must freeze in a statue that represents that emotion.
2. Story Recap:
- Briefly tell or read the story of “The Monkey and the Crocodile” to the group to ensure everyone is familiar with it.
Main Activity (45-50 minutes):
Step 1: Scene Setting (10 minutes)
- Have the children choose roles: Monkey, Crocodile, and Narrators (who can describe the setting or inner thoughts of the characters).
- Re-enact the key scenes from the story, focusing on the moment when the Crocodile reveals his true intentions to the Monkey.
Step 2: Rainbow of Desire (20 minutes)
- Identify Desires:
- Ask the children to pause the action at a critical moment (e.g., when the Monkey realizes the Crocodile’s plan).
- Discuss what each character wants at that moment. For example:
- The Crocodile desires the Monkey’s heart to please his wife.
- The Monkey desires to escape and return safely to his tree.
- Coloring Desires:
- Assign a different color to each desire. For instance, red might represent the Crocodile’s desire, and green might represent the Monkey’s desire.
- Give the children pieces of colored paper or fabric corresponding to these desires.
- Exploring Desires:
- Have the children use the colored papers/fabrics to physically represent where these desires exist in the space. For example, the Crocodile’s desire might be strong and surround the Monkey, while the Monkey’s desire might be focused and directed toward the tree.
- Children can move around, positioning their colored papers/fabrics to show how these desires interact, conflict, or change during the scene.
Step 3: Image Theatre (15 minutes)
- Freeze Frames:
- Ask the children to create freeze-frame images of different moments from the story, showing the characters’ emotions and desires.
- Use the colored fabrics to highlight these desires within the images.
- Discussion:
- Ask the children what they see in these images. How do the desires affect the characters’ actions? What could each character do differently? How do these desires clash or align?
Closing Activity (10-15 minutes):
1. Debrief Circle:
- Gather the children in a circle and discuss what they learned about the characters and their desires. What surprised them about the exercise?
2. Positive Ending:
- Have the children create an alternative ending to the story where both the Monkey and the Crocodile find a solution that meets both of their desires.
- Perform this new ending as a group.
Notes:
- Ensure the workshop remains playful and supportive. The focus is on exploring emotions and problem-solving, not on getting the “right” answer.
- Encourage children to express their thoughts and feelings throughout the workshop.
This workshop should help children better understand the characters’ perspectives and how different desires can influence actions and relationships.
The Monkey and the Crocodile Playscript for children
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