Here’s a drama workshop centered on The Little Match Girl, designed to foster empathy and gratitude among young participants in a sensitive, age-appropriate way. This session will use drama techniques to help children step into different perspectives and reflect on kindness and compassion.
Objective: To encourage children to understand and feel empathy, and to appreciate their own blessings by exploring the story of The Little Match Girl.
Materials Needed: Simple props like scarves and shawls, a small basket for “matches,” tea lights or small LED lights, paper for drawing, and markers.
Warm-Up
1.Circle of Gratitude: Ask the children to sit in a circle. Begin by introducing the concept of gratitude and asking each child to share one thing they are thankful for in their lives.
2.Feelings in Motion: Explain that today’s story is about a little girl who faces some challenges. Guide the children to walk around the room, and call out emotions they might experience: happy, cold, lonely, hopeful, joyful. Encourage them to express each feeling through movement, helping them connect physically with different emotions.
Introduction to The Little Match Girl
1.Tell the Story Briefly: Gather the children and tell the story of The Little Match Girl in a simplified way:
2.Discussion on Empathy and Gratitude: Ask the children how they think the little girl feels. What would they like to say or do if they met her? Encourage them to imagine the girl’s perspective, gently fostering empathy.
Step into the Story
1.Character Preparation: Divide the children into small groups and assign each group a scene:
•The little girl standing alone on a cold street.
•People walking past her without noticing.
•The little girl lighting a match and seeing a warm fire in her mind.
•Her dream of being with a loving family.
2.Role-Play Each Scene: In their groups, have the children act out their assigned scenes. Guide them to imagine how the little girl might feel at each moment. Encourage them to focus on expressions, movements, and silence.
3.Reflection: After each group acts, have them share how it felt to be in their character’s place. Ask questions like, “What did you feel when you saw others passing by?” and “How did it feel when you imagined the warm fire?”
Create Your Own Match
1.Imagining Wishes: Give each child a paper and ask them to draw something that makes them feel warm, happy, or loved (like family, friends, food, a cozy room). These represent what they would “see” if they were in the little girl’s situation.
2.Sharing Wishes: Have each child share their drawing and explain why they chose it. This part helps them connect their gratitude to the story, realizing their own blessings.
3.Group Reflection on Kindness: After sharing, discuss small ways they could help others feel warm and loved, like the little girl wished for.
Cool Down and Closing Circle
1.Empathy Circle: Gather everyone back in a circle. Ask each child to say one kind thing they could do for someone else, inspired by The Little Match Girl. They might say, “I could share my blanket,” “I could give someone a hug,” or “I could be kind.”
2.A Candle for Kindness: Give each child a small tea light (or LED light) to “light” as a symbol of kindness and warmth they can share. Together, they make a small circle of light, symbolizing hope and caring for one another.
3.Final Thoughts: Close the session with a reminder that we can all help make the world a little brighter for others, like a warm match in the cold.
This workshop helps children connect with the story and their own feelings, guiding them toward empathy and gratitude in a meaningful and engaging way.
Drama Start: Exploring Emotions on Amazon
More drama for exploring feelings: Browse the Drama Workshops for Children hub and the Drama Start book collection.
