February 13: Get a Different Name Day

image from housing.iastate.edu

This game is typically used to help children get to know each other’s names. To adapt this for “Get a Different Name Day,” let kids pick new names and play the rest of the game according to the directions. You could also let kids create name tags for their new names and go by their new names for the rest of the day.

---

The Name Game

Materials:

• none

Directions:

1. This isn’t a strict pantomime activity; participants can speak, but only to say their names.
2. The idea of the game is to help kids learn each other’s names. This game is ideal for a group of kids that are just meeting each other.
3. A child says his/her name and simultaneously offers some kind of gesture or movement.
4. Everyone in the group can then repeat the child’s name and gesture/movement.
5. After everyone has a turn, then this can become a memory game that can be played several different ways. First, one child (or an adult) can be the caller. The caller would either say a name or do a gesture/movement and the rest of the group would repeat it and point to that person.
6. The game could also be played as such: Players stand in a circle. The first player says someone’s name and/or does the gesture/movement. The next player must go stand where that person is. If the player was right, then the player now does a name/gesture for the person s/he is replacing. If not, then the first player gets another turn, this time for the next person in the circle.

---

Source(s): 100 Drama Activities for Kids (activity G5)

---

Check out the full February calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

---

February 10: Crime Prevention Week (2nd week of February)

image from police.ucdavis.edu

---

Detective Prop Box

Materials:

• uniforms, suits or ties
• note pads
• badges
• magnifying glass
• hand-held tape recorder
• ink pad for finger prints
• briefcase
• file folders
• typewriter
• cases to solve

Directions:

1. Prop boxes are items grouped together by a theme to allow children to pretend. They can be used as specific activities or put out during free time.
2. The materials listed above are merely suggestions. You may come up with additional ideas and leave some of these materials out.
3. The boxes that hold 10 reams of computer paper/typing paper are a nice size for prop boxes. They can be covered with nice contact paper to make them more attractive.
4. You might also consider a creative way of putting all the prop box materials into something that fits the theme. For example, a camping prop box might go in a backpack; a travel prop box could go in a suitcase.

---

Source(s): 100 Drama Activities for Kids (activity A5)

---

Check out the full February calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

---

February 4: Thank a Mailman Day

image from domaingang.com

---

Post Office Prop Box

Materials:

• paper
• writing instruments (pencils, pens, markers, etc.)
• envelopes
• stamps
• junk mail
• old greeting cards
• large mailing envelopes
• postman clothes
• mail bag
• scale
• mail box (kids could make)

Directions:

1. Prop boxes are items grouped together by a theme to allow children to pretend. They can be used as specific activities or put out during free time.
2. The materials listed above are merely suggestions. You may come up with additional ideas and leave some of these materials out.
3. The boxes that hold 10 reams of computer paper/typing paper are a nice size for prop boxes. They can be covered with nice contact paper to make them more attractive.
4. You might also consider a creative way of putting all the prop box materials into something that fits the theme. For example, a camping prop box might go in a backpack; a travel prop box could go in a suitcase.

---

Source(s): 100 Drama Activities for Kids (activity A18)

---

Check out the full February calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

---

February 26: Tell a Fairy Tale Day

image from kidzcoolit.com

---

One-Minute Fairy Tales

Materials:

• props as deemed necessary

Directions:

1. This is a great activity for teaching kids how to whittle a story down to its basics.
2. Choose a familiar fairy tale or other story that all the kids will know. If necessary, read the story to them first.
3. Then ask for volunteers to act out the story. The catch is that they only have one minute.
4. Then ask those same kids to act it out in 30 seconds.
5. Then cut the time down to 10 seconds.
6. Encourage kids to discuss what happens and what they learn about the story.

---

Source(s): 100 Drama Activities for Kids (activity I7)

---

Check out the full February calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

---

 

June 12: Magic Day

image from stevo.tv

In celebration of Magic Day, let kids put on a magic show!

---

Magic Show

Materials:

• Resources for magic tricks
• Props as dictated by the tricks kids choose

Directions:

1. What kind of magic show will this be? A one-person show or several people performing?
2. Does a one-person show require assistants?
3. Look at your library or do online searches for tricks. Kids may also know tricks they want to perform.
4. Have performer(s) determine what materials are needed for the tricks and who needs to provide them. (Will the kids bring them? Do they need the program to provide materials? Are these materials at the site? Is there anything which needs to be purchased? Do you need to post lists for families of supplies you need?)
5. Is this show just for other kids in the program or for a wider audience? Do kids need to make invitations or announcements about the show?
6. Where will the magic show be performed?
7. Practice, practice, practice! In practice, watch to see if kids are giving their secrets away. Also check to make sure they can be heard. Is a microphone available?

---

Source(s): 100 Drama Activities for Kids (activity J4)

---

Check out the full June calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

---

October 17: Wear Something Gaudy Day

image from coolfactsbro.com

With Halloween just a couple weeks away, kids can get in the costume spirit early by putting together the most ludicrous and over-the-top outfits imaginable.

---

The Gaudy Fashion Show

Materials:

• Dress-up clothes
• Scarves
• Hawaiian leis
• Necklaces
• Masks
• Shoes
• Used clothes

Directions:

1. Have the kids and adults gather as many dress-up items as possible.
2. Kids can then put together their outfits as they wish.
3. Once kids have finalized outfits, they can model them.
4. Let kids march down a catwalk and the other kids can cheer for what they consider the gaudiest outfit.

---

Check out the full October calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

---

October 6: First motion picture (1889)

image from swiftfilm.com

On October 6, 1889, Thomas Edison showed the first motion picture. Why not have kids make their own films?

---

Stop-Motion Film Making

Materials:

• video camera
• action figures, dolls, or other toys with movable arms and legs
• other props to use with the toys (vehicles, furniture, etc.
• paper
• pencil

Directions:

1. If you have access to a video camera, this can be an amazing activity for kids. It gives them a chance to be filmmakers and see firsthand the kind of work involved.
2. Stop motion film making is what is used to create a kind of “live animation” style. Actual objects are moved just a little bit at a time and captured on video. When run together it makes it look like the actual object is moving.
3. It will take lots of time, but you can get kids to create their own stop motion films. You may wish to have them “story board” their ideas first; that is, draw what they want to happen in their film.
4. Then, kids will move a figure’s arm or leg just slightly and you will hit the record button on the video camera for just a second. Then immediately hit the pause button. Set up the next shot and continue.
5. This will take practice before the timing is down right.
6. Also, it may be necessary for the adult to work the camera simply because of the expense involved.

Note: this project obviously preceded digital cameras and phones. See how children can adapt this project with today’s technology.

Source(s): Toolbox Training book 100 Drama Activities for Kids (activity B10).

---

Check out the full October calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

---

August 4: Twins Day

image from parentdish.com

---

Mirror Twins

Materials:

• Stage area should ideally be a wide doorway which kids can walk across, but audience can sit in front of and see
• No props necessary, but could be available (would need two of each prop)

Directions:

1. There is a classic scene from a Marx brothers’ movie in which one character imitates another to make it appear the first character is seeing himself in a mirror. This is a great activity to get kids focused on the physicality of stage movement, as well as working on timing and just being silly.
2. This is a great game to do with a larger group. Most youth will serve as audience members, but everyone can have turns on stage if kept short.
3. Two performers are on the stage area. One is the “actor” and the other is the “mirror.” The actor’s job is to perform simple activities for the “mirror” to imitate.
4. Remind kids that this works best when the actor moves at a reasonable pace. The slower the actor moves, the easier it is for the mirror to imitate.
5. The best activities allow the “mirror” to do some guessing about what comes next. For example, if the actor performs something with a sequence (like getting up in the morning and get dressed), the “mirror” will have a better idea of what to expect. Also good are large motor activities (climbing a ladder, sports, etc.).

---

Source(s): 100 Drama Activities for Kids (activity G7)

---

Check out the full August calendar. It includes floating holidays, specialty weeks, and specialty months.

---

Book: 100 Drama Activities for Kids

These activities encourage pretend play and performing, formally and informally, on the stage or behind the scenes. They are divided into the following categories: prop boxes, props & costumes, puppetry, scenery and set design, music & sound, body movement – solo, body movement – interactive, voice, acting games, and performing. 130 pages. Catalog number: DRBK0712; Price: $9.95 Also available from Amazon.com.