Children's Theater

Chautauqua goers often would put on plays themselves, using whatever materials they had at hand.  Your students might enjoy trying the following activities.

1. Dramatize a familiar fairy tale making costumes out of newspapers and whatever props can be found in the classroom.
2. Provide each small group with a set of props. (Try to find artifacts such as flat irons, shawls and lanterns, often museums will have things that can be borrowed.)  The group must then make up a skit that will use all of the items they were given.
3. As some of the items from #2 may not be familiar to today's students, have them guess what it might be used for and demonstrate it's use.
4. Have small groups of students develop a pantomime of a familiar nursery rhyme.  The other students must guess which one it is. 
5. The plays the thing...resources for online play scripts for children
   • Whootie Owl's Free Play Scripts
   • Plays form the School Show Page
   • Scripts

For a terrific online resource for teachers, go to Drama for Students