For All Teachers

Below you'll find a selection of 80 drama games and activities for primary and secondary students. Feel free to browse for inspiration and adapt them. We've used these teaching English as another language. We offer teacher training if you're inspired to use our other methods in your curriculum.

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AllActing ExercisesCompetitiveCooperativeImprovisationMovementQuoteSpeech & VoiceWarm Up Games
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Acting Exercise - Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Everybody in a circle. Start with one person who waves...
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Drama Game - Sneaking Up On Gradma

Sneaking Up On Grandma

One person is chosen to be grandma. This person stands...
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Acting Exercise - Slide Show

Slide Show

Have a group of five or six players. One is...
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Acting Exercises - 21

21

Everyone is in a circle, facing the center. Count to...
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Acting Warmup - Masterthief

Master Thief

Divide the class into pairs. Have 1-3 participants be a...
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Acting Exercise - Producers

1. Ask 5-6 players to take the stage. Select one...
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Assassin and Triangles

Assassin (& Triangles)

There are two versions of this game. Triangles requires more...
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Acting Exercise - Invisible Super-Clay

Invisible Super-Clay

Start by having all the participants stand in a circle,...
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I Anm A Tree

I Am A Tree (Level 1)

This game emphasizes cooperation and support of an idea. A...
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Acting Exercise - Statues

Statues

Divide the group into pairs or groups of three. Ask...
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Acting Exercise - Here's Johnny

And Heeeeeere’s Johnny!

Start with the group in an audience area and a...
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Acting Exercise - Status Number

Status Numbers

Explain to the class the difference between high status and...
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Acting Exercise - Alphabet Scene

Alphabet Scene

Give two participants a location/situation and characters to play in...
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Beach Boat Bank

Beach Boat Bank

Have the class line up along one side of the...
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Tongue Twisters 1

Tongue Twisters 1

A big black bug bit a big black bear and...
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The Human Knot

Human Knot

This is a good ice-breaker and encourages physical movement while...
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Actng Exercise - Genres

Genres

Select a group of 3-5 performers and one moderator. The...
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Acting Quote - Oscar Wilde

Ocar Wilde

"I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art...
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Energy and Sound Ball

Sound & Energy Ball

This exercise emphasizes physicality and inclusion. participants have to receive...
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Acting Quote - Constantin Stanislavski

Constantin Stanislavski

"There are no small parts, only small actors." - Constantin...
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YMCA Improvisation

Y.M.C.A.

This is a good game for young people learning the...
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Quote - Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller

"The theatre is so endlessly fascinating because it's so accidental....
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Acting Exercise - Soundscapes

Soundscapes

The leader asks the entire group to lay on their...
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Acting Exercise - Group Secret

Group Secret

Choose 4-6 players. Suggest a location and choose one of...
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Stella Adler Quote

Stella Adler

"The actor has to develop his body. The actor has...
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Acting Exercise - Death in One Minute

Death In One Minute

Select 1-3 performers to improvise a scene in the prescribed...
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Yes! Let's

Yes! Let’s!

The participants form a circle, facing the center. One student...
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Acting Exercise - Adverb Game

Adverb Game

Form a circle with the entire group, facing the center....
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Acting Exercise - Group Hum

Group Hum

Have all players mill around the space. Eventually instruct them...
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Acting Exercise - 3 Things

Three Things

Circle the entire group. Everyone chants “Three things!” The first...
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Acting Exercise -Three-headed Expert

Three-Headed Expert

Four players: one is the interviewer, and the other 3...
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Alien Tiger Cow

Alien Tiger Cow

Everyone in a circle. Three players go into the center...
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Quote - Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

"Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst...
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Acting Exercises - Alphabet Mime

Alphabet Mime

Have all the participants form a circle, facing the middle....
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Acting Exercise - Memory Game

Memory Game

Present the group with a tray containing a number of...
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Sanford Meisner Quote

Sanford Meisner 3

"Acting is not talking. It's living off the other fellow!!!"...
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Acting Exercise - Lead Around

Lead Around

In pairs students will touch fingertips. They will start by...
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Acting Exercises - Story Spine

Story Spine

Most stories have a common structure. So common we usually...
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Uta Hagen Acting Quote

Uta Hagen

"We must overcome the notion that we must be regular......
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Counting

Counting

The players stand in a circle with their eyes closed....
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Acting Exercise - Q&A Story

Q&A Storytelling

Split the group in half. Half of the players leave...
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Acting Exercise - Mirror

Mirror

Participants are paired and face each other. One of each...
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Accepting Circle

Accepting Circle

The point of this exercise is to have the participants...
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Quote - Yoda

Yoda

"Do... Or do not... There is no try." - Master...
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Letter Shapes

Letter Shapes

Divide the class into groups of two or three. Call...
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Acting Exercise - Night Guard At The Museum.

Night Guard At The Museum

One Participant is chosen to be the night guard and...
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Acting Exercises - Foreign Cinema

Foreign Cinema

Choose four players. Two will be the actors in the...
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Acting Warm Up

Zip, Zap, Zop (and Landmines)

The entire group is in a circle facing the center....
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Acting Exercise - Bippity Bippity Bop

Bippity Bippity Bop!

Start with the entire group in a circle, facing the...
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Acting and Drama game for Improvisation

Starts With A…

Everyone sitting or standing in a circle. The teacher says...
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The Counting Ball

Counting Ball

Requirements: A volleyball. Using a standard volleyball, participants lightly pass...
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Acting Exercise - I'm Going On A Trip

I’m Going On A Trip

Select one participant to be the leader. This person must...
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Acting Exercises - Group Juggle

Have all participants form a circle, facing the center. Use...
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Acting Exercise - Background

Background

Divide the group into groups of 5-8 players. Give each...
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Acting Exercise - 1 Sentence Story

One-Sentence Story

Have the entire group form a circle, facing the center....
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Acting Quote - Alan Alder

Alan Adler

"Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with...
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Sanford Meisner Quote

Sanford Meisner 2

"From the doing comes the emotion." - Sanford Meisner
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Acing Exercise - Sculptors

Sculptors

Divide the class into 2 groups. Alternatively, have everyone find...
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Acting Exercise - Bus Stop

Bus Stop (Silent Characters)

Have a hat or bowl with slips of paper. On...
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Acting Quote - Thornton Wilder

Thornton Wilder

"We live in what is, but we find 1,000 ways...
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Acting Exercise - Group Pulse

Group Pulse

Have the group form a circle, facing the center. Demonstrate...
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Sanford Meisner Quote

Sanford Meisner 1

"Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances." - Sanford Meisner
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Acting Exercises - Traffic Lights

Traffic Lights

The leader explains the three traffic light colors and the...
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Acting Exercises -Acronyms

Acronym

Stand in a circle. One player says three random letters....
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Acting Exercise- Hey Dude

Hey, Dude!

All participants are in a circle, facing the center. Tighten...
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I Am A Tree (Level 2)

I Am A Tree (Level 2)

This game emphasizes cooperation and support of an idea. A...
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Tongue Twisters 2

Tongue Twisters 2

Red Buick, blue Buick. Red Buick, blue Buick. Red Buick,...
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Acting Warm Up Game - Tapping Circle

Tapping Circle

Have all participants form a circle while lying on their...
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Tongue Twisters 3

Tongue Twisters 3

A big blue bucket of blue blueberries. Borrowed burros bring...
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Acting Exercise - Not What It Seems

Isn’t What It Seems

Start with a tabletop or tray filled with small, easily...
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Acting Exercise - Emotional Symphony

Emotional Symphony

Have 7-9 players take the stage and take up a...
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Acting Exercises - Story Story Die!

Story… Story… Die!

A conductor and up to 8 players are chosen. Players...
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Acting Ecercise - Chopstick Connection

Chopstick Connection

Participants are paired off. Pairs are given a single chopstick...
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Love, Anger, Fear.

Love Anger Fear

This is an "endowment game" where participants accept what other...
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