When you are running any activity you want the participants to be enthusiastic and energetic. Drama games can help in two ways
- They can build energy and laughter very quickly
- They can help to manage an over energetic individual or group by providing a focus
Here are 3 favourites but you can find many more in the books recommended in the additional reading section or by looking online, YouTube can be a good place to see games in action.
DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE
This game works particularly well with younger children. Everyone sits on the floor in a circle, one person is selected to walk around the outside of the group gently touching the head of each person as they go saying the word ‘Duck’ as soon as they say goose the person who was touched has to chase them around the circle and if they don’t catch them before they reach the vacant place and sit down, they become the person walking around the outside. If the first player is caught, they continue walking around the outside until they get a place.
BIPPITY, BIPPITY BOP
Good for all ages
Someone stands in the middle, usually the facilitator, let’s call them the leader. The leader points at people at random and says very loudly ‘bippity, bippity, bop’ as fast as they can. The person being pointed at must say “bop” before the leader says all 3 words and if not they go into the centre of the circle. If the teacher points at someone and just says “bop”, they must stay quiet.
Once this is working, you add in other instructions. Here are some examples but you can make up your own, or even better get the group to come up with some
ELEPHANT – the person being pointed at becomes the trunk using their arm and the people either side create the ears with their arms
PALM TREE – the person in the middle becomes the palm tree and the people either side curl into a ball on the floor becoming coconuts
JELLY ON A PLATE – the person has to wobble like a jelly and the people either side make a circle around the person holding hands to create the plate
There are many versions of this online with lots of different shapes and objects to create.
This game works best when you are familiar with the group and they have got over any initial inhibitions. It needs to be played at speed.
You can penalise people and put them out if they do something wrong or you could swap them into the middle. Keep it light-hearted but as you progress the game look for more detailed and challenging instructions to add performance focus
BUZZY BEES (ALSO KNOWN AS THE ALPHABET GAME)
Participants become bees buzzing around the space. The leader calls out
Buzzy Bees, show me something beginning with the letter ..
The participants are given a count of 5 to turn into a statue of something beginning with the chosen letter. If 2 or more people come up with the same statue they are out. When you get down to the final 2 the leader can choose a winner by choosing the most unusual choice or the most detailed statue.
