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.


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 Action Poems, buddha stories, Buddhism, Buddhism stories, Drama for children, drama for kids, Panchatantra plays, Plays, plays about destiny, Plays about graditude, Plays for Children, Plays for well being, The Buddha and the angry man, the Buddha and the beggar man

The Buddha and the Beggar Man – a children’s play about gratitude and destiny

 

 


Characters: Two storytellers, Beggar Man, Mouse, Man, Woman, Daughter, Wizard, Giant Turtle and Buddha.


Storyteller 1: Once upon a time there was a homeless man who begged every day for food.
(People pass by and give him food.)
Beggar Man: I’m so lucky that kind people give me food.
(Beggar Man falls asleep and mouse creeps up and steals his food. The Beggar Man wakes up suddenly and sees the mouse.)
Beggar Man: Mouse, why are you stealing my food. I’m just a poor beggar man.
Mouse: I’m doing you a favour because no matter how much you beg or how generous people are, you will never be allowed to keep more than eight items.
Beggar Man: You has decided that I can’t ow more than eight items.
Mouse: The Buddha has decided.
Beggar Man: But why me?
Mouse: Why don’t you go find him and ask him.
(Mouse scampers off with the food.)
Beggar Man: Well, I better go find the Buddha and ask him why I’m not allowed to possess more than eight items.
Storyteller 2: So the beggar man gathered his few belongings and went on a journey to find the Buddha.
Storyteller 1: He travelled all day. As night fell, he grew cold and hungry.
Beggar Man: There is no sign of the Buddha. I’m tired and hungry. There is a light over there. Perhaps if I knock on the door, they may let me stay for the night.
(He Knocks on the door. A man opens the door with a warm smile.)
Beggar Man: I’m cold and hungry, please can I stay the night?
Man: Of course, Please come in.
Woman: Sit down and have some food with us.
(He enters the house and sits down on a table with the Man, woman and their daughter.)
Man: Where are you going at this time at night?
Beggar Man: I’m going to find the Buddha. I’ve a very important question to ask him. I just need a good night’s sleep and I’ll be on my way early in the morning.
(Man and woman look at each other.)
Woman: We have a question for you to ask the Buddha.
Man: Our daughter can’t speak. Please ask the Buddha what we need to do hear her beautiful voice.
Beggar Man: Of course, I’ll ask the Buddha your question. Thanks you for the food and bed.
Storyteller 2: The beggar man continues on his way and his quest to find the Buddha.
Storyteller 1: He comes across a range of mountains.
Beggar Man: Oh dear, the mountains look to difficult to climb but I really need to find the Buddha to ask my questions.
(He starts to climb the mountains.)
Beggar Man: This is very difficult. I will never make it. (he sits downs and starts to weep.)
(Enters wizard.)
Wizard: What’s the matter, young man? Why are you crying?
Beggar Man: I’ve a very important questions to ask the Buddha but I can’t climb these mountains. I’ll never find him now.
Wizard: I’ll help you. We can use my magic to fly over the mountain come with me.
Storyteller 2: Wizard used his staff’s magic to fly the beggar man and himself across the mountains.
Beggar Man: Thank you so much, wizard. I’d have never made if it wasn’t for you.
Wizard: You are welcome but can I ask you a favour.
Beggar Man: Of course, I’ll do anything to show my gratitude.
Wizard: Can you ask the Buddha what do I have to do to get to heaven. I’ve been trying to get there for a thousand years.
(The beggar man nods his head and they hug and the wizard hops on his staff and flies off.)
Storyteller 1: The beggar man continues on his journey and comes across a river.
Beggar Man: I don’t believe this. How am I going to get across the river? (he sighs)
(Enters Giant Turtle.)
Giant Turtle: You look sad. What’s the matter?
Beggar Man: I’ve a very important questions to ask the Buddha and I can’t get across the river to find him.
Giant Turtle: Jump on my back and I’ll swim across. (The beggar man jumps on the Giant Turtle’s back and they swim across the river.
Beggar Man: Thank you, Giant Turtle. How can I repay you?
Giant Turtle: Can you ask the Buddha a question for me?
Beggar Man: Of course, what is your question?
Giant Turtle: Ask the Buddha why I haven’t become a dragon. I’ve been trying to become a dragon for 500 years.
(Beggar Man nods and hugs the giant turtle.)
Storyteller 2: Eventually the beggar man finds the Buddha under the Bodhi Tree.
Beggar Man: I’m so glad. I’ve found you. I’ve got so many question to ask you.
Buddha: I will only answer three questions.
Beggar Man: But I’ve four questions to ask and they all very important.
Buddha: Ask yourself, are they equally important?
Storyteller 1: The beggar man thought very carefully.
Beggar Man: Well, the giant turtle is trying to be a dragon for fifty years. The wizard has trying to go to heaven for 1000 years. The young girl will be unable to speak for the rest of her life if I don’t ask her question. I’m just a homeless beggar. I can go back and continue begging. My question is the least important by far.
(Beggar Man goes back to the Buddha.)
Beggar Man: My first question is how can the turtle become a dragon?
Buddha: Simple, he needs to leave the comfort of his own shell, unless he does that he will never be a dragon.
Beggar Man: My second question is how can the wizard go to heaven?
Buddha: He must put down his magic staff as it keeps him on earth. The moment he puts it down he will be free to go to heaven.
Beggar Man: My third question how can the young girl speak.
Buddha: She will speak when she meets her soulmate.
Beggar Man: Thank you for answering my questions.
Storyteller 2: The beggar man turned around and started his journey home. He meets the Giant Turtle.
Giant Turtle: Hey Beggar man, did you ask the Buddha my question?
Beggar Man: Of course I did. The answer is simple. Take off your shell and you will become a dragon.
(Giant Turtle takes off his shell.)
Giant Turtle: I’ve this priceless pearls in my shell. Here take them. I won’t need them anymore because I’m a dragon. Good bye and good luck.)
(The dragon flies off.)
(Enters the wizard.)
Wizard: Did you ask the Buddha my question?
Beggar Man: Of course I did. The answer is simple. Put your staff down and you can go to heaven.
Wizard: Here take my staff, Use its power wisely. Thank you.
(The wizard ascends into heaven.)
Beggar Man: I now I’ve wealth from the turtle and power from the wizard. He hops on the staff and makes his way back tom the family that gave him food and shelter.
Man: Hello, did you ask the Buddha our question?
Beggar Man: Of course I did. The answer is simple. Your daughter will speak when she meets her soulmate.
Daughter: Hello, you are the man that was here last week.
Woman: Looks like you found your soulmate.
(Daughter and beggar man hug.)
Storytellers: The moral of the story if you do good, you will be repaid.

 

If we’re willing to lend a hand to those who are struggling more than us, willing to help them, it may change the course of your life, your destiny. And the universe may repay you in such a way that you never would have imagined.

For more plays based on Buddha stories click here.

The Buddha and the Angry Man – A play to help children handle insults