Theater Games to Play With Your Kids

Last week I extolled the virtues of improv, and I promised that this week I would post a few theater games you can use to get started. These games are good for middle grades and older kids. Some can be played with as few as two players; most work better with a group of five to twelve or more. I also used them with librarians in my summer 2009 creativity workshops, and we had a blast...

Guidelines

1. Provide plenty of open floor space.
2. Eliminate any distractions in the room.
3. Sit in a circle.
4. Establish a classroom control technique for gaining attention when needed. 
5. Before playing improv games, go over these basic rules of improv:
• "Yes and" - accept any information given by another player in a scene. Do not contradict anything another player establishes with their dialog or actions.
• No DVDs - no death, violence or destruction (with kids, this kind of stuff can quickly get out of hand and become distracting to your purpose).
• Work as a team - audience supports players, players support each other, no “winners or losers.” Criticisms or put-downs are not allowed.
6. If you have any reluctant kids, allow them to pass, but continue to give them opportunities to play (often this can be accomplished by taking turns around the circle, rather than asking for volunteers). Once they see it’s safe, most kids will want to participate. 
7. The adult leader should also participate in the games. It is important to model for the kids!
8. Be ready to alter the rules and experiment based on input from the kids. Whatever works, works! Go with it!

Warmup Games

These games will loosen everyone up, getting them ready to listen and respond, be silly and participate.

Zip Zap Zop

Players stand in a circle. The leader starts by clapping their hands together, then pushing them forward with fingertips pointing at another player and saying “Zip.” Whoever was pointed to claps, points, and says “Zap.” Whoever was pointed to claps, points and says “Zop.” The next person says “Zip,” etc. The clap is passed randomly about the circle. Try to get a quick smooth rhythm going and see how long you can keep it up.

Variations on Zip Zap Zop 

There are many fun variations on this game. Start with the basic game, then one of these for a challenge. Instead of clapping, silently pass around an imaginary ball. Instead of “Zip Zap Zop” pass around a noise. Each player should try to recreate exactly what they heard from the previous player only. Hear how the sound mutates over time! Instead of sounds, use word association. Each player says the first word that comes to mind based on the previous player’s word. Instead of “Zip Zap Zop,” call out the name of the player you point to. This is a great way for everyone to learn each other’s names. Come up with your own variations, too!

Sound Orchestra

Assign a sound to each player or small group of players. These can be animal sounds, or sounds to fit some other theme, or random sounds. The leader then directs the group as if it is an orchestra. Hands up means louder, hands down means softer. Invent other gestures for faster, slower, etc. Players take turns leading the sound orchestra. A small hand drum can be used to provide a beat.

Ghost in the Graveyard

Requires space to run. This is similar to “Red Light Green Light” only the object is not to be first to cross the room, but to have fun with frozen poses.

Whoever is “it” stands with their back to the room. The rest of the kids start from the other side and try to cross the room while “it” isn’t looking. When “it” turns around and says “Ghost in the graveyard” everyone must freeze. When “it” turns away again, everyone moves forward. 

To vary it up, the leader can call out particular ways to move, such as pretending to carry something heavy, or walking through deep snow.

Freeze Dance

The leader plays some music. It can be pre-recorded, or live singing or instruments. Players dance to the music. When you stop the music, everyone must freeze in place. When you start the music, dancing commences.

Pantomime Games

No dialog required!

Space Walk

The leader narrates a simple improvised story taking place in a series of very descriptive locations. The players pantomime moving through each setting as they listen to the story.

Examples: Walking on the moon, Walking through the forest, Swimming under water.

Magic Toy Box

An imaginary (or real) box is passed around the circle. Each child pulls an imaginary object (it doesn’t have to be a toy - it can be anything) from the box and pantomimes using it. The rest of the group guesses what the object is.

Screen Test

One player is selected to be “casting director,” and sits in the director’s chair with a list of emotions for reference. (Examples: sad, surprised, bored, angry, in love, frustrated, afraid, happy, nervous, thoughtful, doubtful, jealous, excited, etc.) 

The leader plays the agent, and the rest of the players are actors. Each actor draws a slip of paper with an emotion printed on it. The agent introduces each actor in turn. The actors must each act out their emotion for the casting director using no words or sounds. The casting director must guess which emotion from the list is being acted out.

Give each kid a turn to play the casting director for several actors.

Whatcha Doin?

There is a small amount of dialog involved with this game, but it’s mostly pantomime. 

The first player begins to pantomime a specific action or activity. When it is clear what’s being pantomimed, a second player (whoever feels moved to do so) steps up and asks “Whatcha Doin?” 

The first player replies with any answer OTHER than what they are actually doing, then sits down. The second player must pantomime whatever the first player said they were doing. 

The cycle is repeated with each new player.

If volunteers are not forthcoming you can go round the circle instead. 

Improv Games

These games are a little bit more challenging and involve improvised dialog!

Echo

Split the group into two rows, facing one another from across the room. The first person in the first row speaks a line of dialog, loudly. The second person repeats the line a bit softer, the next a bit softer, and so on down the row. The last person should barely be whispering. 

Then the second row does the same with a replying line of dialog. The two players at the head of each row will go back and forth and have a conversation.

Start a second round by rotating the lead players to the ends of their rows and letting the next lead players begin a new conversation. If needed the leader can start each round off by suggesting a situation. 

Questions

Two players take the stage. They must hold a conversation using questions only. If one player fails to form their response as a question, that player steps aside and another player from the group steps up to take their place. The new player picks up where the conversation left off.

Players may step up voluntarily, or you may want to go round the circle so each player gets a turn.

One variation of this game is to use statements only rather than questions only - this can be just as challenging! 

Three-Headed Expert

Three players take the stage as the expert. The leader takes a suggestion from the audience as to what topic they will be an expert on. Audience members pose questions about that topic to the “Three-Headed Expert.” 

Each question must be answered one head at a time: The first head says the first word, second head says the second word, third head says the third word, first head says the fourth word, etc. To end the answer, one of the heads will say “period,” and a new question is posed. 

Let each expert answer three or four questions, then start a new round with three new heads. 

Freeze

Start a two-person scene by having one player strike an interesting pose. The second player starts a conversation with an opening line based on what he or she thinks the first player is doing.

Once the scene gets going, anyone in the audience can shout “Freeze” and the players must freeze in place. Whoever shouted taps one of the players on the shoulder and replaces that player in the scene, assuming his or her exact position. The new player starts an entirely new scene with a new line of dialog. The new line should invoke a brand new situation or setting.

Remind your players of the “Yes and” rule as needed. Players should be prepared to play along with each new situation!

The cycle continues when another person shouts “Freeze.” The leader can also shout “Freeze” and send a new player into the scene as necessary.

Explore Some More

Most of these games I learned from Rozz Grigsby with Oklahoma Children’s Theater when I interviewed her for my Program Room podcast. The interview describes how to put together a whole program based on theater games. You can hear it and link to further resources here.

Here are a couple of book titles my current improv instructor recommends for kids: “101 Improv Games for Children and Adults” by Bob Bedore, and “Jill Bernard’s Small Cute Book of Improv.”

Do you have a favorite improv or theater game? Please post it here!

Have fun!