First and Second Level
Free Resource
Participation at the Tron Theatre understands it is not always feasible to bring in theatre professionals
to deliver drama workshops for all subject areas/topics, because of this we wanted you to be well
equipped if this situation should arise.
Below are a few quick and easy games and exercises you can fit into any subject/topic area.
1. Number/Body Part
Ask pupils to move round the space, vary speed and height you could also add in a jump or
clap to develop the exercise into a more physical warm up. Ask pupils to listen for a number
and a body part e.g. 3 fingers. Once they hear this they must get into a group of 3 and be
connected by fingers. Number = amount in group, body part = how the pupils connect. This
helps pupils develop basic counting skills in a fun and enjoyable manner and become aware
and comfortable with their bodies.
2. Theatre Port and Starboard
This is a twist on the traditional Port and Starboard game which helps children understand
stage areas and basic theatre styles.
Establish where the audience would be sitting in your space, this is the direction the game is
played in. Meaning the rest of the room is classed as stage area
Stage Left – run to left of the stage
Stage Right – Run to right of the stage
(Stage left and right are always worked out by the actors left and right not the audiences)
Up Stage – run to back of stage
Down Stage - run to front of stage
Centre stage - all run to centre of stage area
Audience – all pupils run to established audience area and sit facing the stage (discussion
may be needed about ways to sit as a good audience)
Corpse – start laughing on stage (this is the theatre word for laughing on stage)
Going Dark – pupils pretend they can’t see anything (this is what a member of the technical
team would shout when putting all the lights out during a rehearsal on stage)
Comedy – pupils strike a comedy pose
Tragedy - pupils strike a dramatic tragedy pose
Musical – choose a musical e.g. Mary Poppins, pupils have to sing a line from given musical
e.g. Just a spoon full of sugar....
Curtain call – pupils stop turn to face the audience and take a bow
3. Wom Pom Statues
Split your class into groups, with 5 or 6 pupils in each group.
Ask each group to make a wom pom statue.
Rules of making a wom pom statue: all participants must be connected in some way, must
use different levels, floor, kneeling, standing, think of interesting shapes. Once the group have
made their statue (which can be anything) ask them to mark where in the room their group
are and who is in their group as they will have to go back to that area and find their group
members during the exercise.
Pupils are then asked to move around the space listening for instruction.
This exercise allows pupils to explore topic or issues using their bodies e.g. if your topic is the
Romans then you may ask the pupils to build a Roman Fort, once they hear this they run
back to their groups space and build a Roman Fort using their bodies, remembering the rules
of Wom Pom Statues.
This is a fun exercise for exploring topics in a physical way but can also help pupils think
outside of the box when creating frozen images in drama
4. What’s your trade lemonade
This exercise allows pupils to develop mime skills and work within teams.
Split the class into two groups and stand the pupils facing one another with approx 3metre
gap between them. Number the groups 1 and 2. Before you start ask each group to decide a
country they are from a job they do. All group members must do the same job. Each group
must come up with a mime which shows their job. Once the groups have made this decision
stand them back in their lines facing one another to start the exercise. This game uses call
and response, every time a group says a line they walk forward towards each other. The
opposition have 3guesses to get the correct answer.
1. Here we come
2. Where you from
1. (Say their country)
2. What’s your trade
1. Lemonade
2. Well show us if you’re not afraid
1. (Groups mimes job)
Once group 1 have finished you reset positions and allow group 2 to start. Keep score of how
many each group get correct. You can theme this game so the groups can only mime
something from your given topic (doesn’t have to be a job) Also discuss the groups that mime
was cvery clear and those that groups couldn’t work out. Talk about precision and simplicity
when miming, use of facial expression and body language to convey the story/message.
5. Image Circle
Stand class in a circle. Call out a character from your topic/subject area. Ask the pupils to
make a frozen statue of this character, remember facial expression and body language. Do
this for several different characters within your given topic. Revisit the first character and once
the pupils are in their frozen statue again ask them to move like this character, depending on
class this may develop into a physical exercise. Remind the class not to lose their facial
expression or body language when they start to move.
Development – If any of your pupils are of a higher level ask them to say a word like their
character would or use thought tracking to find out what the character is thinking or feeling.
Thought track – is a way for a character to externalise their thoughts and feelings. Tutor sets
seen e.g. Viking soldier ready to go into battle, how are you feeling? Tutor then taps
participants, one at a time, on the shoulder and allows them to say how they are feeling or
what they are thinking in the given situation.