Category: Drama Activities for children

Posted in Drama, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, drama for kids, Drama strategies, Drama techniques, Drama workshops for children, Environment

Drama workshop for children based on Environmental Awareness

Posted on by Drama Start Books

Warm up

  1. Mimicking animals: In pairs or small groups, children can take turns mimicking the movements and sounds of different animals that they might find in their local environment, such as birds, insects, or fish. This activity can help children appreciate the diversity of life around them and the important role that each species plays in the ecosystem.
  2. Movement through different environments: The group can imagine that they are moving through different environments, such as a forest, a beach, and a city. They can use their bodies to mime the different features and challenges of each environment, such as climbing trees in the forest or dodging traffic in the city. This activity can help children understand the ways in which human activity can impact different types of environments.
  3. Exploring natural elements: The group can explore different natural elements, such as wind, water, and fire, through movement and gesture. For example, they might use their bodies to show the flow of a river or the intensity of a storm. This activity can help children appreciate the power and beauty of natural elements and the importance of protecting them.
  4. Movement and recycling: The group can use movement and gesture to show the process of recycling, from sorting materials to reusing them in new ways. This activity can help children understand the importance of reducing waste and conserving resources.

Hot seating\thought tracking

Each child gets a chance in the hot seat, the chose a character.
Here are some characters that could represent different perspectives on environmental issues:

  1. A factory owner who is reluctant to reduce emissions because it will cut into profits
  2. A scientist who is deeply concerned about the impact of climate change
  3. A farmer who relies on pesticides to protect their crops
  4. A fisherman who depends on a healthy ocean for their livelihood
  5. A hiker who loves spending time in nature and wants to protect it
  6. A politician who is under pressure from their constituents to prioritize economic growth over environmental protection
  7. An environmental activist who is passionate about protecting the planet at any cost
  8. A resident of a city who is concerned about air pollution and traffic congestion
  9. A representative of a renewable energy company who is pushing for greater investment in green energy
  10. A parent who is worried about the future their children will inherit if environmental issues are not addressed.

While the child is in the hot seat, we will use thought tracking to help them further explore their character’s thoughts and motivations. We might ask them to describe what their character is thinking in response to a particular question or situation.

This activity can help children understand that there are many different perspectives on environmental issues, and that people may have different motivations and priorities when it comes to protecting the environment. By exploring these different perspectives, children can develop empathy and a more nuanced understanding of environmental issues, which can help them become more effective advocates for the environment in their own lives.

Here are some possible hot seating questions to explore different perspectives on environmental issues:

  1. How do you feel about the environment?
  2. What is your perspective on [specific environmental issue]?
  3. What do you think are the causes of the issue?
  4. How important do you think it is to address this issue?
  5. What do you think are the potential consequences of not addressing this issue?
  6. How do you think this issue affects different groups of people differently?
  7. What do you think are the biggest barriers to addressing this issue?
  8. What actions do you think should be taken to address the issue?
  9. How do you respond to criticism of your perspective on this issue?
  10. How do you balance your personal interests and concerns with the need to protect the environment?

These questions can be tailored to the specific characters and environmental issues being explored. By asking these questions, we can help children develop a deeper understanding of the different perspectives on environmental issues and the complexity of the challenges involved in addressing them.

Still image\SoundScape

In a still image, actors freeze in position to create a picture that represents a particular moment or situation. In this activity, we will use still images to create tableaux that represent different environmental scenarios. For example, we might create a still image of a forest that has been clearcut or a beach that is covered in plastic waste.

Once the actors have created the still image, we will add a soundscape to the scene. A soundscape is a collection of sounds that help to create an atmosphere or environment. For example, we might add the sounds of chainsaws and falling trees to the clearcut forest scene, or the sound of waves and seagulls to the beach covered in plastic waste.

Here are some examples of environmental scenarios that we might explore using still image and soundscape techniques:

  1. Deforestation: Actors might create a still image of a forest that has been clearcut, with stumps and debris littering the ground. The soundscape could include the sound of chainsaws, falling trees, and heavy machinery.
  2. Air pollution: Actors might create a still image of a city skyline obscured by smog, with people wearing masks to protect themselves from the polluted air. The soundscape could include the sound of traffic, factory machinery, and coughing.
  3. Plastic waste: Actors might create a still image of a beach covered in plastic waste, with plastic bottles, bags, and other debris scattered along the shore. The soundscape could include the sound of waves and seagulls, as well as the sound of plastic waste being washed up on the beach.
  4. Oil spills: Actors might create a still image of a coastline covered in oil, with oil slicks stretching out into the water. The soundscape could include the sound of waves and seagulls, as well as the sound of oil being spilled and cleanup efforts in progress.
  5. Climate change: Actors might create a still image of a flooded city, with people wading through water up to their waists. The soundscape could include the sound of rain, thunder, and flooding, as well as news reports or other media coverage of the climate crisis.
  6. Coral reef destruction: Actors might create a still image of a coral reef that has been damaged by pollution or climate change, with bleached and broken coral. The soundscape could include the sound of waves, as well as the sound of boats or other human activity that can damage coral reefs.
  7. Overfishing: Actors might create a still image of a fishing boat that has caught more fish than it can sustainably support, with fish spilled over the sides of the boat. The soundscape could include the sound of waves, as well as the sound of fishing nets and other equipment.
  8. Habitat destruction: Actors might create a still image of a bulldozer tearing down a natural habitat, such as a forest or wetland. The soundscape could include the sound of machinery, as well as the sounds of the animals that live in the habitat, to emphasize the impact on wildlife.
  9. Water scarcity: Actors might create a still image of a community struggling to access clean water, with people carrying buckets or waiting in long lines at a water source. The soundscape could include the sound of running water, as well as the sounds of people talking and moving about.
  10. Renewable energy: Actors might create a still image of a wind turbine or solar panel farm, with the soundscape including the sound of the wind or sun, as well as the sound of the renewable energy source in action.

Conscience alley

Finally, we will use the conscience alley technique to explore the choices we make as individuals and the impact those choices can have on the environment. Children will walk through a “conscience alley” of their peers who will offer different perspectives on environmental issues and encourage them to make choices that benefit the earth. Here some examples of environmental issues that we might explore using the conscience alley technique:

  1. Recycling: The child will walk through the conscience alley and hear different arguments for and against recycling. One person might argue that recycling takes too much effort and time, while another person might point out the benefits of conserving resources and reducing waste.
  2. Energy consumption: The child will walk through the conscience alley and hear different arguments for and against energy conservation. One person might argue that they need to keep the lights on all the time because they feel safer, while another person might point out the benefits of reducing energy consumption to protect the environment.
  3. Transportation: The child will walk through the conscience alley and hear different arguments for and against different modes of transportation. One person might argue that they need to drive everywhere because they have a long commute, while another person might point out the benefits of walking or biking to reduce emissions and improve health.
  4. Water conservation: The child will walk through the conscience alley and hear different arguments for and against water conservation. One person might argue that they need to take long showers to relax, while another person might point out the benefits of conserving water to protect the environment and ensure access to clean water for all.
  5. Wildlife conservation: The child will walk through the conscience alley and hear different arguments for and against protecting wildlife. One person might argue that humans are more important than animals and that we need to use resources to meet our own needs, while another person might point out the benefits of protecting endangered species to maintain biodiversity and the health of ecosystems.

For more drama workshops click on the links below:

 

Posted in Drama, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, drama for kids, Drama strategies, Drama workshops for children, Freeze Frame, Hot seating, Mime, Mime for all ages

Space Adventure – A Drama Workshop for Children ages 5 to 8

Posted on by Drama Start Books

Objective: To help children explore their imagination and creativity, while learning about space and the different elements involved in space exploration.

Age Group: 5 to 8 years old

Materials Needed: Space-themed props (such as helmets, cardboard cutouts of spaceships, planets, etc.), costumes, a space-themed soundtrack (optional).

Warm-Up Activity: Space Walk

  • Have the children stand in a circle, and explain that they are going on a space walk to explore the galaxy.
  • Begin walking around the circle with a slow, steady pace, and have the children follow you.
  • After a few minutes, start introducing different movements, such as walking backwards, tiptoeing, jumping, or spinning.
  • Encourage the children to come up with their own movements, and have them lead the group.
  • Slowly increase the pace, until the children are “zooming” through space.

Mime and Movement: The Launch

  • Divide the children into groups, and explain that they are going to act out the launch of a spaceship.
  • Provide the children with cardboard cutouts of a spaceship and other space-themed props, and encourage them to use mime and movement to simulate the launch process.
  • Ask the children to work together to come up with different movements and sounds that represent the different stages of the launch, such as countdown, liftoff, and acceleration.
  • Once each group has had a chance to practice, have them perform their launch sequence for the rest of the group.

Improvisation: Alien Encounter

  • Explain to the children that they have landed on a strange planet and encountered an alien creature.
  • Assign each child a role, either as an astronaut or as the alien, and encourage them to use improvisation to interact with one another.
  • Encourage the children to use movement, gesture, and voice to create their characters and the scene.
  • As the scene progresses, encourage the children to add more details and dialogue to their improvisation, as they discover more about the alien and its world.

Role play: Mission Control

  • Explain to the children that they are going to act out a communication between the spaceship and Mission Control on Earth.
  • Provide the children with props such as walkie-talkies, headsets, or toy telephones to represent the communication devices.
  • Assign one child as the spaceship captain and another as the Mission Control operator.
  • Encourage the children to use talking objects to communicate with each other, such as speaking into the walkie-talkies or using hand gestures to indicate different commands.
  • Encourage the children to switch roles and try different communication devices, to explore the different ways that communication can be used in space exploration.

Still Images and Thought Tracking: Spacewalk

  • Explain to the children that they are going to act out a spacewalk, where they will explore the surface of a planet or asteroid.
  • Have the children work in pairs, and encourage them to use still images to create different poses and movements that represent the spacewalk.
  • After a few minutes, ask the children to freeze in their current pose, and have them silently think about what their character is feeling and thinking in that moment.
  • Encourage the children to share their thoughts and feelings with their partner, and to use thought tracking to add more detail and depth to their character.

Soundscape: The Return Home

  • Explain to the children that they are going to act out the return journey home, where they will encounter different sounds and obstacles along the way.
  • Provide the children with different sound-making props, such as rattles, drums, or bells.
  • Encourage the children to create a soundscape that represents the different stages of the return journey, such as the re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, turbulence during the descent, and the landing on the ground.
  • As the soundscape progresses, encourage the children to add more details and variations, such as different rhythms and volume levels.
  • After the soundscape is complete, have the children share their experiences and reflections on their space adventure.

Cool-Down Activity: Reflection and Sharing

  • Have the children sit in a circle, and encourage them to share their favorite moments from the space adventure workshop.
  • Ask the children to reflect on what they learned about space exploration and how they used their imagination and creativity during the workshop.
  • Finally, thank the children for their participation and encourage them to continue exploring the world of drama and creativity.

Note: Depending on the age and skill level of the children, you can modify or adjust the drama strategies used in the workshop. You can also add or remove certain activities to suit your needs and objectives.

 

Posted in Drama, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, drama for kids, Drama strategies, Drama techniques, Freeze Frame, Hot seating, improvisation, Mime for kids, Plays about graditude, Plays for Children, Plays for well being, Plays that teach emotions, Role playing stories, Still image, Storytelling

A drama workshop for children which is based on gratitude.

Posted on by Drama Start Books


Here is a drama workshop for 5 to 8 year olds based on the theme of “The Magic of Thankfulness”: It is from the book Gratitude Stories on Stage.

Introduction: Begin the workshop by discussing the concept of gratitude and what it means to be thankful. Ask the children to share examples of things for which they are grateful.

Main Focus/The Magic Wand: Mime and Movement – Explain to the children that they will be using their imaginations to pretend they have a magic wand that can make things appear or disappear. Have them practice moving the wand in different ways to make different things happen, such as waving it to make a flower appear or flicking it to make a rock disappear.

Still Image – In small groups, have the children create a frozen image of themselves holding their magic wands and casting spells.

The Ungrateful Friend: Action Narration – Tell the story of an ungrateful friend who never says thank you or appreciates the things others do for them. Have the children act out the story as it unfolds.

Narration: Once upon a time, there was an ungrateful friend named Max. Max had many friends, but he never thanked them for their help or appreciated what they did for him. One day, Max’s friend Sam cooked him a delicious dinner and invited him over. Max came over and enjoyed the meal, but when he left, he didn’t even say thank you to Sam. The next day, Max’s friend Sarah invited him to her birthday party. She decorated her whole house, baked a cake, and had a special present for Max. But when Max arrived, he didn’t even say happy birthday to Sarah or thank her for inviting him. Max’s friends started to get tired of his ungrateful behaviour. They started to distance themselves from him and stopped inviting him to their events. Max didn’t even notice and thought nothing of it. One day, Max needed help with a big project, so he reached out to his friends for assistance. But none of them wanted to help him. Max was surprised and didn’t understand why. He realized that he had taken his friends for granted and never showed them appreciation or gratitude. Max decided to change his ways and started saying thank you and showing appreciation for his friends. He even threw a party to apologize for his past behaviour and to thank his friends for always being there for him. From then on, Max’s friendships grew stronger, and he learned the importance of showing gratitude and appreciation.

During the story, the children can act out the various scenes by showing appreciation, saying thank you, and giving hugs to each other. They can also show Max’s ungrateful behaviour by ignoring their friends and refusing to say thank you. The children can also act out the scene where Max realizes his mistake and shows gratitude to his friends by hugging and thanking them.

Hot Seating – Choose one child to play the ungrateful friend and another to play their best friend. The rest of the children will take turns asking them questions about their actions and feelings towards each other.

The Magic of Thankfulness: Flash Forward – Have the children create a scene showing the ungrateful friend realizing the importance of being thankful and expressing gratitude towards others.

Role Play Sculpting – In small groups, have the children take turns playing the role of someone who has done something kind for them, while the others sculpt them into a frozen image to represent their gratitude towards that person.

The Thankful Tree: Conscience Alley – Set up a “thankful tree” by taping a large piece of paper to the wall and drawing a tree trunk and branches. Have the children take turns walking through the “conscience alley” and adding leaves to the tree with things they are thankful for.

Storytelling – End the workshop by reading a story about thankfulness, such as “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein, and encourage the children to share their favourite parts of the story and how it relates to the theme of gratitude.

Conclusion: Gather the children in a circle to reflect on the workshop. Discuss how the different drama techniques helped them understand the theme of gratitude and its importance.

Encourage the children to practice being thankful and expressing gratitude towards others in their daily lives.

 

Posted in Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, Fairy Tales, Goldilocks anD the three bears, Still image, Storytelling, Storytelling in the Early years, teacher in role

Goldilocks and the Three Bears Drama Workshop

Posted on by Drama Start Books

Goldilocks and the Three Bears Drama Workshop

Materials: A copy of the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Bear masks and props (optional). Chairs or stools to represent the three bears’ chairs.

Warm-up: Lead the children in a warm-up activity such as stretching, dancing, or singing. Tell the children that they will be using their imagination to bring the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears to life.

Main Focus: Talking Objects – ask the children to choose an object from the story, such as the porridge, chairs, or beds. Ask the children to imagine what the object might say or feel if it could talk. Encourage the children to use their creativity and imagination to come up with interesting ideas. Ask the children to take turns speaking for their object and improvising a short scene where it interacts with the other objects in the story.

Here are some examples of what the objects might say:

Porridge: “I’m too hot! I’m too cold! Why can’t anyone get me just right?”

Chairs: “I’m so big and uncomfortable. Why can’t someone make a chair that fits me just right?”

Beds: “I’m too hard! I’m too soft! Why can’t someone make a bed that’s just right for me?”

Spoon: “I’m so lonely. Nobody ever pays attention to me!”

Bowl: “I’m so empty! Fill me up, someone!”

Door: “Who’s there? Why are you coming into the bears’ house without asking?”

Window: “I’m so curious. I wonder what’s happening inside the bears’ house?”

House: “I’m just a house, but I’ve seen so much excitement since those bears moved in!”

Mime – ask the children to imagine they are Mama, Papa, or Baby Bear. Ask the children to use occupational mime to show what their bear character might do during a typical day, such as making porridge, reading a book, or going for a walk in the woods. Encourage the children to use their bodies to express different emotions, such as happiness, frustration, or tiredness.

Hot Seating -choose one child to play the role of Goldilocks. Ask the other children to take turns asking Goldilocks questions about her behaviour in the story, such as why she went into the bears’ house, why she tried their porridge, and what she would do differently if she could go back in time. Encourage the children to use their listening and communication skills to ask thoughtful questions and respond to Goldilocks’ answers. Here are some examples of questions to ask Goldilocks in the hot seat.

  • Why did you go into the bears’ house without permission?
  • How did you feel when you saw the bears’ chairs, porridge, and beds?
  • Why did you eat the bears’ porridge even though you knew it wasn’t yours?
  • How did you feel when you broke Baby Bear’s chair?
  • What would you do differently if you could go back in time?
  • How did you feel when the bears came home and discovered that you were in their house?
  • What would you say to the bears if you could apologize for your behaviour?
  • How did you feel when you ran away from the bears and the house?
  • What did you learn from your experience with the bears?
  • If you could have any wish, what would you wish for?

Teacher in Role – ask the other children to take turns acting out different scenes from the story, such as Goldilocks entering the bears’ house or the bears discovering that someone has been in their home. Encourage the teacher to play different characters in the story and interact with the children to help guide and shape the scenes.

Still Image – ask the children to work in pairs or small groups. Assign each group a scene from the story.  Ask the children to create a still image that represents the key moment in the scene. Encourage the children to use their bodies and facial expressions to convey the emotions and actions of the characters in the scene. Here are some examples of scenes from the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears:

  • Goldilocks walking through the forest and coming across the bears’ house for the first time.
  • Goldilocks entering the bears’ house and discovering the three bowls of porridge on the table.
  • Goldilocks trying the porridge and exclaiming, “This porridge is too hot! This porridge is too cold! This porridge is just right!”
  • Goldilocks trying out the three chairs and breaking Baby Bear’s chair.
  • Goldilocks exploring the bears’ house and eventually falling asleep in Baby Bear’s bed.
  • The bears coming home and discovering that someone has been in their house.
  • Mama Bear exclaiming, “Someone’s been eating my porridge!”
  • Papa Bear exclaiming, “Someone’s been sitting in my chair!”
  • Baby Bear exclaiming, “Someone’s been sleeping in my bed, and she’s still there!”
  • The bears discovering Goldilocks in Baby Bear’s bed and confronting her.

Closure: Have the participants sit in a circle. Explain that you are going to play a storytelling game inspired by the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Begin the story by saying “Once upon a time, there were three bears who lived in a cosy cottage in the woods.” Ask the person to your left to continue the story by adding a sentence. For example, “One day, while the bears were out for a walk, a little girl named Goldilocks stumbled upon their cottage.” Continue around the circle, with each person adding a sentence to the story. Encourage participants to use their imagination and come up with creative twists and turns in the story. Continue the story until it reaches a satisfying conclusion or until everyone has had a chance to contribute multiple times.

Click on the links below for more drama workshops based on children’s fairytales.

Posted in Drama, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, Drama strategies, Drama techniques, Drama workshops for children, Hot seating, teacher in role

Drama learning opportunity based on Little Red Riding Hood

Posted on by Drama Start Books

A drama learning opportunity based on Little Red Riding Hood

Introduction (5 minutes): Start by introducing the story of Little Red Riding Hood and asking the children if they have heard the story before. Briefly recap the story and ask the children to identify the characters in the story. Explain to the children that they are going to participate in a drama activity that explores the characters and events in the story in a new way.

Warm Up (10 minutes): Lead the children in a simple warm-up activity, such as stretching or jumping jacks. Encourage them to move their bodies and get their energy flowing.

Teacher in Role (10 minutes): Explain to the children that you are going to play the role of Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother. Invite the children to ask you questions about the story and the events that happened. Use your imagination to respond as if you were the grandmother, and encourage the children to ask follow-up questions to explore the character’s backstory and motivations.

Sound Collage (10 minutes): Explain to the children that they are going to participate in a drama technique called sound collage. Divide the children into small groups and assign each group a scene from the story, such as Little Red Riding Hood walking through the forest. Ask each group to create a soundscape that represents the scene using their voices and other sounds they can make with their bodies or objects. Encourage them to think creatively about the sounds they can make to represent the scene. After each group has created their soundscape, bring the whole group back together and ask them to share their soundscape with the rest of the group.

Hot Seating (10 minutes): Explain to the children that they are going to participate in a drama technique called hot seating. Choose one child to be the “hot seat,” and assign them a character from the story, such as the wolf. Ask the rest of the group to ask questions about the character and their motivations. Encourage the child in the hot seat to answer as if they were the character, using their imagination to create a backstory and motivations.

Still Image (10 minutes): Explain to the children that they are going to participate in a drama technique called still image. Divide the children into small groups and assign each group a scene from the story, such as Little Red Riding Hood meeting the wolf. Ask each group to create a still image of the moment from the story using their bodies and facial expressions to show the emotion and action of the moment. Then, have each group share their still image with the rest of the group, and ask them to guess which moment from the story it represents.

Conclusion (5 minutes): To end the session, gather the children back in a circle. Ask them to share what they learned about the story and how drama helped them explore the characters and events in a new way. Thank the children for participating and remind them that they can use their imagination and creativity in their daily lives. You could also suggest that they try to act out their favorite scenes from the story at home or in the playground.

Posted in Animal Stories, Creativity in the early years, Drama, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, drama for kids, Movement activities, Movement stories for children

Drama learning opportunity that focuses on the movement concept of directions (20 minutes)

Posted on by Drama Start Books

 A drama learning opportunity that focuses on the movement concept of directions (20 minutes)

Warm Up (2-3 minutes):
Start by having the children stand in a circle. Explain to them that they are going to warm up their bodies and practice moving in different directions. Begin with simple movements, such as marching in place, jogging, or jumping jacks. Encourage the children to move their arms and legs as they warm up. After a few minutes, introduce a game of “Simon Says” to reinforce the different directions of movement. Give the children instructions to move forward, backward, and sideways. For example, “Simon says take three steps forward, then two steps backward.” Make sure to include movements that challenge the children, such as turning around or hopping on one foot.

Role-Playing (15 minutes):
Next, explain to the children that they are going to play a game where they act out different scenarios and practice moving in different directions. The following are some examples you can use….

  1. Crossing a busy street: Divide the children into small groups and explain that they are going to act out crossing a busy street. Set up a pretend street with cones or markers, and have one child pretend to be a car. Encourage the children to think about how they can cross the street safely by moving forward, backward, and sideways. For example, they could walk sideways to avoid the pretend car, or walk backward to stay aware of their surroundings.
  2. Going on a treasure hunt in the forest: Divide the children into small groups and explain that they are going on a treasure hunt in the forest. Set up a pretend forest with cones or markers, and place a small treasure at the end of the course. Encourage the children to think creatively about how they can navigate the course by moving forward, backward, and sideways. For example, they could crawl sideways to go under a pretend log, or walk backward to stay aware of their surroundings.
  3. Moving through a crowded room: Explain to the children that they are going to act out moving through a crowded room, such as a party or a school assembly. Set up a pretend room with chairs or mats as obstacles, and have some children pretend to be other people in the room. Encourage the children to think about how they can move forward, backward, and sideways to navigate through the room. For example, they could walk sideways to avoid bumping into other people, or walk backward to stay aware of their surroundings.
  4. Escaping from a pretend monster: Explain to the children that they are going to act out escaping from a pretend monster. Set up a pretend monster with a designated start and finish line, and encourage the children to think creatively about how they can escape the monster by moving forward, backward, and sideways. For example, they could run backward to keep an eye on the monster, or crawl sideways to avoid being seen.
  5. Moving through a maze: Explain to the children that they are going to act out moving through a maze. Set up a simple maze using cones or markers, and encourage the children to think creatively about how they can move forward, backward, and sideways to navigate through it. For example, they could walk sideways to avoid dead ends, or walk backward to retrace their steps.
  6. Crossing a river: Divide the children into small groups and explain that they are going to act out crossing a river. Set up a pretend river with a designated start and finish line, and encourage the children to think creatively about how they can move forward, backward, and sideways to cross the river. For example, they could hop sideways on pretend rocks to avoid the water, or walk backward to stay aware of their surroundings.
  7. Exploring outer space: Explain to the children that they are going to act out exploring outer space. Set up a pretend space station with cones or markers, and encourage the children to think creatively about how they can move forward, backward, and sideways in zero gravity. For example, they could crawl sideways to avoid obstacles, or walk backward to stay aware of their surroundings.
  8. Escaping from a maze of laser beams: Explain to the children that they are going to act out escaping from a maze of laser beams. Set up a pretend maze with strings or yarn as the laser beams, and encourage the children to think creatively about how they can move forward, backward, and sideways to avoid the beams. For example, they could duck down and crawl sideways under the beams, or walk backward to stay aware of their surroundings.

Closure (2 minutes):
To end the session, gather the children back in a circle. Ask them to share what they learned about moving in different directions during the role-playing activity and obstacle course. Encourage them to use different ways of moving in their daily activities, such as walking sideways to get around a crowded room. End by thanking the children for participating and reminding them to practice moving in different directions throughout their day. You could also lead the group in a simple stretching routine to cool down their bodies before dismissing them.

Posted in Drama, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, drama for kids, Drama games for 3 year olds, Drama games for 4 year olds, Esl Drama, Halloween drama games

Halloween Drama Games for Children

Posted on by Drama Start Books

Try this fun, Halloween drama games in you class.

Game: Crossing the Spider’s Web

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 vampire

Like a bat

Like a pumpkin

Like a zombie

Like a ghost

Like a black cat

Like a witch

Like a goblin

Like a skeleton

Like a were Ghost

Like a mummy.

Game: What’s the time Mr. Ghost?

Minimum number of participants: 4

Resources needed: Clear space.

Other Benefits: This is a popular traditional children’s game that can also be used very effectively in a drama session as a warm-up game. This game also helps children with their listening and co-ordination skills.

Instructions: One child is chosen or volunteers to be Mr. or Ms. Ghost and stands at one side of the clear space. His/her back is to the other children, who are standing at the opposite end of the space. The rest of the children shout out: “What’s the time Mr. /Ms. Ghost?” The ghost does not turn around. He/she replies in a spooky, Ghost-like voice: “four o’clock.” The children walk forward the number of steps the Ghost calls out (in this case, four). The children ask again: “What time is it Mr./Ms. Ghost. The Ghost replies: “five o’clock.” The children take five steps forward. The children continue to ask the question and to walk the appropriate number of steps forward. Eventually, when the Ghost thinks that the children are near enough, he/she will say: “Midnight!” Then the Ghost turns around and chases the children. They have to try to rush back to their starting place. If Mr./Ms. Ghost catches one of them before they reach home, that child is the Ghost in the next game.

Game: Monster Freeze

Minimum number of participants: 4

Resources needed: Clear space.

Other Benefits: This game helps children with their listening and co-ordination skills.

Instructions: Play music such as the ‘Monster Mash’ or ‘Thriller’. The children dance to the music. When the music stops, they freeze. The last one to freeze is out. The game is complete when there is only one child left.

Game: Haunted House

Minimum number of participants: 7

Resources needed: Clear space and a chair for each child– if you do not have chairs you can use sheets of paper or cushions.

Other Benefits: This is a well-known game which can also be used very effectively as a listening game or an observation game.

Instructions: All the children sit in circle on a chair or a cushion. The teacher goes around the circle giving each child a Halloween character, in a particular order, for example, Ghost, Vampire, Witch. A child is then chosen, or volunteers, to go into the centre of the circle. His/her chair is taken away. The child in the centre calls out the name of one of the characters. If the child in the centre says vampire then all the vampire change place, if s/he says ghost, all the ghosts change place and if s/he says witch, all the witches change places. If s/he says haunted house, then everyone changes places. The child who is left without a chair goes into the centre for the next round.

Game: The Big, Black Cat

Minimum number of participants: 3+

Resources needed: Clear space.

Other Benefits: The game also helps with the children’s expressive movement.

Instructions: The teacher chooses one child to be the big black cat. They must sleep in the corner of the clear space. The rest of the children imagine they are mice. They state to move and squeak around the room as mice. The teacher says: “The big black cat is sleeping, sleeping, sleeping; the big black cat is sleeping in the house.” Then as children dance around the space, the teacher says: “The little mice are dancing, dancing, dancing; the little mice are dancing in the house!’’ Next, as the children pretend to nibble, the teacher says: “The little mice are nibbling, nibbling, nibbling; the little mice are nibbling in the house! Then as the children get into a resting position, the teacher says: “The little mice are resting, resting; resting; the little mice are resting in the house!” The Teacher then continues the story as the children act it out: “The big, black cat comes creeping, creeping, creeping; the big, black cat comes creeping, creeping, creeping; and the big, black cat comes creeping in the house! The little mice go scampering, scampering, scampering, the little mice go scampering in the house! The big, black cat comes creeping in the house! The little mice go scampering, scampering, scampering; the little mice go scampering in the house! The cat chases the mice and when it catches a mouse it becomes the big, black cat.

 

Posted in Aesop's fables, Animal Stories, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, fables, the lion and the mouse

The Lion and the Mouse – A play for children

Posted on by Drama Start Books

A king lion and a mouse under the tree 

 

Characters: Three Storytellers, Lion, Mouse, Elephants, Giraffes, Snake/s, Owls. You can have as many elephants, giraffes, snakes and owls as you want.

(Stage Directions: all the animals are in a semi-circle on the stage; they are grouped according to their animal type. Storytellers can be placed on the right or the left of the stage.)

Storyteller 1: One hot day a lion was asleep in a cave. (Lion is sleeping in the centre of the stage.)

Storyteller 2: Suddenly a little mouse ran over his paw.  (Mouse comes scampering out quickly and touches the Lion’s paw.)

Storyteller 3: The lion woke up with a loud roar. He grabbed the mouse with his paw and said (Lion wakes up and grabs the mouse.)

Lion: I’m going to kill you and eat you up. (Lion roars loudly.)

Mouse: Squeak, Squeak! Please, Mr. Lion, Please don’t eat me. Someday I will help you.

Lion: Ha, Ha, Ha! You, help me! Don’t make me laugh, but I’m not that hungry so I will let you go. (Lion pushes the mouse away.)

Storyteller 1: The lion laughed and laughed and the mouse ran home.

Storyteller 2: A few days later the lion was out in the jungle.

Lion: I think I will scare my friends. I am very scary because I’m King of the Jungle. (He goes to each group of animals and roars at them. All the animals are scared and move away from him.)

Storyteller 3: Suddenly the lion got caught in a trap and said (He is in the centre of stage when he falls to his knees.)

Lion: Oh dear, how will I get out of here? (Lion looks around the stage desperately.)

Storyteller 1: After a while he heard some elephants.  (Elephants move from the semi-circle and they circle the lion. They must make sure the audience can see their faces.)

Lion: Elephants, elephants, please help me.

Elephants: Oh No! We will not help you. (Elephants trundle off back to the other animals.)

Storyteller 2: Then a few giraffes passed by. He cried (Giraffes leave the semi-circle and move behind the lion.)

Lion: Giraffes, Giraffes, please help me.  (Lion looks up at the giraffes.)

Giraffes: Oh no, we will not help you. (Giraffes go back to their place in the semi-circle.)

Storyteller 3: The lion grew cold and hungry (the lion shivers and rubs his stomach) and began to think he would never get home to his nice, warm cave. Then he heard the hissing of snakes.  (Snake(s) moves towards the centre of the stage near the lion.)

Lion: Snakes, snakes, please help me. (The lion looks up at the snakes.)

Snakes: Ssssssssss, oh no we will not help you, sssssssssssssssss. (Snakes go back to the semi-circle.)

Storyteller 1: As night came the lion began to cry.

Lion: Boo hoo, I am stuck in this trap and none of my friends will help me.

Storyteller 2: Then he heard some owls hooting in the trees. (Owls move centre stage, towards the lion.)

Lion: Owls, Owls, please help me. (Lion looks up at the owls.)

Owls: Tu Whit, Tu Whoo, owls, owls, we will not help youuuuuuuuuuu. (Owls go back to the semi-circle.)

Storyteller 3: The lion was very sad. (Lion starts crying.) He didn’t know what to do. Then he heard the squeaking of a mouse.

Mouse: Squeak, squeak! Why are you crying Mr. Lion? (Mouse comes from behind the other animals.)

Lion: I’m stuck in this trap and nobody will help me.

Mouse: I will help you.

Storyteller 1: The mouse began to bite through the rope and at last the lion was free.

Lion: I’m free, I’m free! I never thought you could help me because you are too small.

Storyteller 2: From then on the lion and the mouse were very good friends.

Storyteller 3: The lesson of the story is…

Storyteller 1: …bigger is not always better!

Posted in Aesop's fabes, Animal Stories, Books for children, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, drama for kids, Drama games for 3 year olds, Drama games for 4 year olds, Esl Drama, The Hare and the Tortoise

The Hare and the Tortoise – A Drama Learning Opportunity for Children

Posted on by Drama Start Books

image 

 

Each child finds a space and sits down. Each child or a group of children are assigned a specific word and a corresponding action.  The narrator/teacher reads the story aloud, and when the children hear their word, they must jump up and do their actions. The words are in bold to assist the teacher.

Movement: Action.

Boast/boastful/boasting: Stand up straight and puff out the chest.

Woods: Children make themselves into trees.

Animals: Each child chooses a different animal found in the woods and moves like that animal.

Hare: Make bunny ears with your hands.

Fast: Children move as fast as they can.

Run: Run on the spot.

fTortoise: Children bend over as if they have something heavy on their back.

Slow: Children move in slow motion around the room.

Narrator: Once upon a time, there was a very boastful hare that lived in the woods with lots of other animals. He was always boasting about how fast he could run. He boasted, “I’m the fastest animal in the woods. No one can run as fast as me.” The other animals were tired of listening to him. One day the tortoise said to the hare, “Hare you are so boastful. I challenge you to a race.” Hare laughed and said, “Tortoise, you will never beat me. You are too slow and steady.” They decided whoever got to the other side of the woods the fastest was the winner. All the other animals in the woods came to watch the race. The hare ran as fast as he could through the woods. After a while, he thought to himself, “I’m so fast that slow tortoise will never beat me. I think I will take a quick nap.” Soon he fell asleep. The tortoise walked slowly through the woods. He passed the sleeping hare. The animals watched the tortoise near the finishing line. The animals cheered loudly. The hare woke up and ran as fast as he could through the woods to the finishing line, but it was too late. The slow tortoise had won the race. All the animals in the woods congratulated the tortoise. The hare had to remind himself that he shouldn’t boast about his fast pace because slow and steady won the race.

 Physical warm-up: Get each child to find a clear space. They must make sure that they are not touching anyone else. The children crouch down on the floor and make a ball shape with their bodies. The teacher explains that all children are magic rocks and that the teacher is a magic wizard. The teacher waves the magic wand and says: “Magic rocks turn into hares.” All the children turn into hares and move around the room as hares. The teacher then says: “Magic rocks turn into magic rocks.” The children return to their clear spaces and crouch down on the floor again as quickly as possible. The magic wizard can change the magic rocks into the animal they can be found in the jungle.

Variation: The children can take it turns to be the magic wizard.

Role on the wall: Divide the class into groups of four. Give each group either an outline of the hare or the tortoise and ask the children to draw or write inside the image the different characteristics or personality traits of the hare or the tortoise. If they are too young to write, get them to draw inside the image. The teacher may also ask them what their word and write I. For them. Each group talks about their image and the words or drawings that they put inside.

Still Image/Thought Tracking: Ask each child to make a still image of the Hare at the beginning of the race. The teacher taps each child on the shoulder, and they must say how they feel. Then get them to make a still image of the hare at the end of the race. The teacher taps each child on the shoulder, and they must say how they feel. Can they tell the difference?

Slow-motion: Divide the class into pairs, and one of the children is the hare, and the other is the tortoise. They go to starting line, and they are going to move in slow motion to the finishing line but showing what happened between the start of the race and the ending.

Extension: They can go fast forwards or rewind.

Teacher in Role: The teacher takes on the role of the tortoise. She tells the children she feels sorry for the hare because he thought he was the fastest in the forest and now he is upset. Ask the children what they suggest they could do to make him feel better.

Hot seating: One of the children volunteers to be the hare. The hare sits in the hot seat, and the rest of the children asks him questions.

Three Little Pigs – a drama workshop.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – a drama workshop.

The Hare and the Tortoise – a five minute play.

If you enjoy this site and want to buy me a coffee then I would appreciate it.

Click below for more drama workshops for children.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Drama-Workshops-Young-Children-Childrens-ebook/dp/B08FMQP5L9?ref_=ast_sto_dp
Posted in Drama, Drama Activities for children, Drama for children, drama for kids, Drama games for 3 year olds, Voice Production

Voice Production Activities

Posted on by Drama Start Books

 

Vocal Production

The following three core elements of vocal production need to be understood for anyone wishing to become an effective speaker:

  • Volume – to be heard.
  • Clarity –  to be understood.
  • Variety –  to add interest.

Volume:

This is not a question of treating the voice like the volume control on the TV remote.  Some people have naturally soft voices and physically cannot bellow.  Additionally, if the voice is raised too much, tonal quality is lost.  Instead of raising the voice it should be ‘projected out‘.  Support the voice with lots of breath – the further you want to project the voice out, the more breath you need.

When talking to a group or meeting, it is important to never aim your talk to the front row or just to the people nearest you, but to consciously project what you have to say to those furthest away.  By developing a strong voice, as opposed to a loud voice, you will be seen as someone positive.

Clarity:

Some people tend to speak through clenched teeth and with little movement of their lips.  It is this inability to open mouths and failure to make speech sounds with precision that is the root cause of inaudibility.  The sound is locked into the mouth and not let out.  To have good articulation it is important to unclench the jaw, open the mouth and give full benefit to each sound you make, paying attention to the ends of words.  This will also help your audience as a certain amount of lip-reading will be possible.

Variety:

To make speech effective and interesting, certain techniques can be applied.  However, it is important not to sound false or as if you are giving a performance.  Whilst words convey meaning, how they are said reflects feelings and emotions.  Vocal variety can be achieved by variations in:

  • Pace: This is the speed at which you talk.  If speech is too fast, then the listeners will not have time to assimilate what is being said.  Nevertheless, it is a clever idea to vary the pace – quickening up at times and then slowing down – this will help to maintain interest.
  • Volume:  By raising or lowering volume occasionally, you can create emphasis.  If you drop your voice to almost a whisper (if it is projected) for a sentence or two, it will make your audience suddenly alert, be careful not to overuse this technique.
  • Pitch – Inflection – Emphasis:  When speaking in public, try to convey the information with as much vocal energy and enthusiasm as possible.  This does not mean your voice has to swoop and dive all over the place in an uncontrolled manner.  Try to make the talk interesting and remember that when you are nervous or even excited, vocal chords tense and shorten causing the voice to get higher.  Emphasize certain words and phrases within the talk to convey their importance and help to add variety.
  • Pause: Pauses are powerful.  They can be used for effect to highlight the preceding statement or to gain attention before an important message.  Pauses mean silence for a few seconds.  Listeners interpret meaning during pauses so have the courage to stay silent for up to five seconds – dramatic pauses like this convey authority and confidence.

The following activities will help to improve the children’s fluency with language. They also help to improve clarity of speech sounds and assist with vocal projection.

Game: Voice coach

Difficulty rating: **

Minimum number of participants: 2

Resources needed: Clear space, index cards with emotions written on them

Instructions: Choose a simple sentence, e.g. “I want a can of Coke.” Write one of the feelings listed below on each index card. Have one child choose a card and then say the simple sentence in the emotion written on it. The rest of the class must guess which emotion the child is trying to portray.

Examples of emotions which can be used:

Calm

Happy

Sad

Stubborn

Surprised

Excited

Angry

Worried

Brave

Lonely

At the end, have the children repeat the sentence together, as they all use the emotion they have chosen from the card.

Game: Tongue-twisters

Difficulty rating: * to *****

Minimum number of participants: 1

Resources needed: Handouts with tongue twisters on them

Instructions: The children must start slowly and articulate each word clearly. They can go faster and faster as they feel more confident with the tongue twisters. If you have a large class, divide them into groups of four or five.

Some sample tongue-twisters to help you get started:

A skunk sat on a stump. The stump thought the skunk stunk. The skunk thought the stump stunk. What stunk? The skunk or the stump?

A tutor who tooted the flute, tried to tutor two tooters to toot; said the two tooters to the tutor: “Is it harder to toot or to tutor two tooters to toot?”

If Freaky Fred found fifty feet of fruit and fed forty feet to his friend Frank, how many feet of fruit did Freaky Fred find?

Pepperoni pizza on a pink-patterned plate with parsley on the side to your pleasure.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers; where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Red Leather Yellow Leather Red Leather Yellow Leather Red Leather Yellow Leather…

She shut the shop shutters, so the shopping shoppers can’t shop.

Unique New York; Unique New York; Unique New York …

Which wristwatch is a Swiss wristwatch?

I like New York, unique New York, I like unique New York.

Peggy Babcock loves Tubby Gig whip.

Two toads totally tired, tried to trot to Tewkesbury.

She stood upon the balcony, inimitably mimicking him hiccupping and amicably welcoming him in.

The sixth sick Sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick.

Betty Botter bought some butter

But she said, “This butter’s bitter.

But a bit of better butter’s

Better than the bitter butter,

That would make my batter better.”

So she bought some better butter

Better than the bitter butter

And it made her batter better.

So ’twas better Betty Botter,

Bought a bit of better butter.

 

In groups, write your own tongue twister.

Game: Broken telephone

Difficulty rating: **

Minimum number of participants: 5

Resources needed: Clear space, chairs/mats

Instructions: This is a classic game. With the class sitting in a circle, the leader whispers a simple message to one of the children. They must pass the message on to the child next to them, but they must follow a few rules. They must whisper but still speak clearly. They can say the message only once. When everyone in the circle has passed the message to the child next to them, the last child stands up and repeats the message they heard. The message has usually changed along the way, so the leader then tries to find out which children are ‘broken telephones’ as the ‘telephone’ may be broken in more than one place!

Tongues-twisters can be very effective messages to use here as they help children to be careful with their articulation.

Some examples to help you get started:

She sells sea shells at the seashore.

Four fat frogs fanning fainting flies.

Round the rock the ragged rascal ran.

 

Game: Stand back – the bridge is breaking

Difficulty rating: *

Minimum number of participants: 2

Resources needed: Handouts of the poem

Instructions: The children each receive a copy of the poem below. They must read it out, making sure they recite it quietly when the writing is very small. Then they get louder and louder as the writing gets bigger and bigger, until finally they are projecting their voices as loudly as they can.

Pitter-patter, drops of rain

Tapping on the window pane

Now the rain is coming down

On all the houses in the town

Beating, battering shops and shutters

Hurling leavesf into the gutters.

Wildly lashing streets and fields,

Pelting rain and stormy seas

The river roars, the bridge is shaking,

Stand back, stand back, the bridge is BREAKING.

Game: Gibberish

Difficulty rating: ****

Minimum number of participants: 4

Resources needed: Clear space, index cards listing different situations

Instructions: Divide the group into pairs. Each pair chooses an index card that gives them a context for their conversation, see examples below. They then must act out the situation, but they can’t use actual words, instead they replace the words with letters of the alphabet. To get their situation across, they must focus on their tone, pitch, inflection, projection and pace to communicate their situation. The rest of the group must guess the context of the pair’s conversation and what is happening.

Some examples of different situations:

In a restaurant (waiter and customer) – customer complaining about the food.

At a hairdresser (hairdresser and customer) – customer trying to hide her disappointment about her haircut.

Under the moonlight (boyfriend and girlfriend) – he tells her he loves her.

Game: Sound spy

Difficulty rating: *

Minimum number of participants: 2

Resources needed: Clear space

Instructions: This is based on the traditional game of ‘I Spy’ but in this version, the children must look for something that has a sound. For example: I sound spy with my little eye something that starts with the sound ‘D’. It could be several things like a desk, a door or a dress. To make things more difficult, the children could say I spy with my little eye something that finishes with the sound ‘S’. It could be a variety of things like keys, pens or windows.

 

Game: Big balloon

Difficulty rating: **

Minimum number of participants: 1 (and the Leader)

Resources needed: Clear space.

Instructions: Each child must imagine that they have a balloon. They must blow it up and hold it at the end. Tell them that every time they breathe, they are pushing the balloon farther and farther away, until finally it glides into the sky.

Game: Secret voices

Difficulty rating: ***

Minimum number of participants: 4

Resources needed: Clear space, blindfold

Instructions: One of the children volunteers to be blindfolded. Everyone else is given 15 seconds to find a place in the room where they must all stand still. The leader points to one of the children, who are all standing still, and that child disguises his/her voice by changing pitch and tone and asks: “Do you know who I am?” If the blindfolded volunteer guesses correctly, s/he gets to choose the next child to be blindfolded. If s/he guesses incorrectly, the leader keeps picking children until the blindfolded child guesses correctly.

 

Game: Vocal projection

Difficulty rating: ****

Minimum number of participants: 2

Resources needed: Clear space

Instructions: Divide the group into pairs. One child in the pair talks about a topic such as holidays, sports, TV, school, and so on; the other child listens and after a few seconds says “louder.” Eventually the child talking will be shouting. After three or four times of saying “louder,” the listener can start saying “softer”. The listener can also go back and forth between “louder” and “softer” as s/he wants. This fun game leads to lots of laughs.

 

Divide the class into pairs. Divide the pairs into A and B. A read “The Hare and the Tortoise” B reads “The Three Little Pigs”. You must try to read the story with clarity, volume and expression.

 

The Hare and the Tortoise

Student A: Once upon a time there was a very boastful hare that lived in the woods with lots of other animals. He was always boasting about how fast he could run. He boasted, “I’m the fastest animal in the woods. No one can run as fast as me.” The other animals were tired of listening to him. One day the tortoise said to the hare, “Hare you are so boastful. I challenge you to a race.” Hare laughed and said, “Tortoise, you will never beat me. You are too slow and steady.” They decided whoever got to the other side of the woods the fastest was the winner. All the other animals in the woods came to watch the race. The hare ran as fast as he could through the woods. After a while he thought to himself, “I’m so fast that slow tortoise will never beat me. I think I will take a quick nap.” Soon he fell asleep. The tortoise walked slowly through the woods. He passed the sleeping hare. The animals watched the tortoise near the finishing line. The animals cheered loudly. The hare woke up and ran as fast as he could through the woods to the finishing line, but it was too late. The slow tortoise had won the race. All the animals in the woods congratulated the tortoise. The hare had to remind himself that he shouldn’t boast about his fast pace because slow and steady won the race.

 

 

The Three Little Pigs

Student B: Once upon a time there was a mother pig that lived with her three little pigs. One day she said “Little pigs, I think it is time for you to leave and make your own way in this big world. You each need to build your own house.” The little pigs were very excited about their new, big adventure. Mother pig gave each of her little pigs a hug, but she warned them “Remember to watch out for the big bad wolf.” The little pigs waved goodbye to their mother and they trotted into the woods. They were laughing and smiling and soon they came across a man who was carrying some straw. The first little pig said, “may I have some straw to build my house.” The man said kindly, “Of course, you may.” The man gave the first little pig some straw to build his house. Just before they left the man warned them, “Watch out for the big bad wolf.” The first little pig built his house of straw. The two other pigs trotted on down the road. They were laughing and smiling and soon they came across a man who was carrying some sticks. The second little pig said, “May I have some sticks to build my house.” The man said kindly, “Of course, you may.” The man gave the second little pig some sticks to build his house. Just before they left the man warned them, “Watch out for the big bad wolf.” The second little pig built his house of sticks. The third little pig trotted on down the road. He was laughing and smiling and soon he came across a man who was carrying some bricks. The third little pig said, “May I have some bricks to build my house.” The man said kindly, “Of course, you may.” The man gave the third little pig some bricks to build his house. Just before they left the man warned him, “Watch out for the big bad wolf.”

The third little pig built his house of bricks. The first little pig had just finished building his house of straw when the big bad wolf appeared. He said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” The first little pig replied, “Not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin.” Then the wolf said, “I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I will blow the house down.” So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house down. The first little pig trotted very quickly to his brother’s house made of sticks. The second little pig had just finished building his house of sticks when he heard a knock on the door and to his surprise it was his brother. Suddenly, the big bad wolf appeared. He said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” The second little pig replied, “Not by hair of my chinny, chin, chin.” Then the wolf said, “I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I will blow the house down.” So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house down. The two little pigs trotted very quickly to their brother’s house made of bricks.

The third little pig had just finished building his house of bricks when he heard a knock on the door and to his surprise it was his two brothers. Suddenly, the big bad wolf appeared. He said, “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.” The third little pig replied, “Not by hair of my chinny, chin, chin.” Then the wolf said, “Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I will blow the house down.” The wolf huffed, and he puffed. He huffed, and he puffed but he couldn’t blow the house down. He heard the three little pigs inside the house. They were laughing. This made the wolf very angry indeed. He decided he would climb to the top of the roof and come down the chimney. The third little pig heard him on the roof and he came up with a clever plan. He put a big pot of boiling water on the fire which was just underneath the chimney. The wolf came tumbling down the chimney and landed into the big pot of boiling water and “SPLASH!” That was the end of the big bad wolf. The three little pigs lived happily ever after.