Games

Need a quick win for your drama class?

Explore easy, classroom-tested theatre games for middle and high school students. From warm-ups to improv to ensemble builders, these low-prep activities boost energy, creativity, and collaboration fast.

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Teaching Drama

Improv Game: Verbal vs. Nonverbal Cues

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and felt like something was off? It might have been because the person you were speaking to was using body language that didn’t match what they were...

Classroom Exercise

Game: Challenging Negative Thoughts (SEL Self-Awareness)

Negative self-talk is so common and can be very difficult to overcome, not only for students but also for teachers. It’s easy to fall into the trap of berating ourselves over mistakes and telling...

Classroom Exercise

Round-Up: Theatre Games for Building Relationships

In this round-up post, we’re focusing on relationship skills, which is one of the five areas of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). If the concept of SEL is new to you, check out this article for...

Distance Learning

Improv Game: Combining Skills

This fun improv game challenges students to work together and think quickly on their feet to create a scene that solves a problem, using skills possessed by characters with different occupations....

Distance Learning

Improv Game: Imposter

The following improvisation game challenges students to stay in character, think on their feet, keep the scene going, and react to each other. They’re also likely going to laugh, because one of the...

Classroom Exercise

Warm-Up Game: Show and Tell

The following warm-up game uses found objects and allows students to work on their improvisation, storytelling, and character building skills. Take the well-known elementary school activity — show...

Distance Learning

Drama Fun & Games: Technology Bingo

Distance learning using video conferencing software is full of surprises and challenges. Some days, connecting and running your class goes off without a hitch. Other days, it seems like anything...

Classroom Exercise

Improv Game: Creative Defiance

The core tenet of improvisation is “Yes, and…” To keep the scene going, each participant must agree with any suggestion that is brought forward, and add something on. It’s a balance of giving and...

Classroom Exercise

Warm-Up Game: Puppet Dance Party

Here’s a warm-up game that is a lot of fun and gets students’ energy up. It’s a plus if you and your students are studying puppetry, but it’s not necessary to have done so. This is a great warm-up...

Distance Learning

Warm-Up Game: Muted Conversations

This warm-up game helps students work on a variety of skills: improvising, listening, observing, and working as a team. At the same time, it’s pretty silly and good for a laugh! This game requires...

Classroom Exercise

Warm-Up Game: Virtual Mirrors

The mirror game is one of the most common exercises in the drama classroom. Students are grouped into pairs, facing each other. One student is the leader and moves their face and body in slow...

Teaching Drama

Warm-Up Game: Buyer & Seller

This improv warm-up game helps students think quickly and creatively, listen to their peers, and choose their words with care. It can be done in person in the drama classroom (with physical...

Distance Learning

“Act It Out” Game: Virtual Classroom Edition

At the beginning of a new term of drama classes, you need to inform students about classroom rules and expectations to start on a positive note. However, when teaching drama via distance learning,...

Distance Learning

Fun & Games: Drama Class Scavenger Hunt

Distance Learning Note: This blog post is written for an in-class scavenger hunt. But, this is an activity that can easily be adapted for distance learning. Students can work independently to get...

Classroom Exercise

Rehearsal Warm-Up Game: Switching Roles

Here’s a warm-up game you can try at your next rehearsal: Switching Roles. Students will use an improv game to take on a different part in the play you’re currently working on. It’s a simple enough...

Classroom Exercise

Character Development Game: What’s For Breakfast?

This is a simple and fun improvised game that is great to use in your show rehearsals. I’ve found it’s especially useful for younger, newer, or shyer students, who might be afraid of looking silly...

Classroom Exercise

Taking Away the Script: A Game

It’s easy for students to get hyper-focused on their lines when they’re working on a scene or on a show – counting how many lines they have, memorizing the lines, knowing what order the lines come...

Classroom Exercise

Exercise: Student-Led Warm-Up Games

Student-led warm-up games are a great way for students to demonstrate what they’ve learned in drama class and apply it in a practical setting, as well as to develop their leadership skills....