The Party Improv

• There are a variety of improvisational games surrounding the idea that the participants are at a party. These games usually start with one child playing the part of the "host" while other children play "guests" with different characteristics that are let into the party one at a time. In one iteration of this game, the host begins the game with a blank face, then each guest enters with a secretly assigned emotion they must act out. The host has to keep his guests happy, imitating the emotion of whichever guest he is speaking to at the moment. This gets confusing -- and fun -- for the host as more guests are added with more emotions he has to switch among. Another version of the game has each guest playing the role of a different character or career, with the host having to guess the career without being told. Party games work well because they force children to interact with each other in a playful way, forging collaborative instead of competitive relationships.
  
  

Adapted Fairy Tales

• Performing ideas in front of peers can be scary, so take some of the pressure off children by having them adapt stories they know and love. Have children improvise or write scripts based on their favorite fairy tales, encouraging them to explore the characters and plots they've known for years and create performances with their own unique style. This is easier than having children write plays from scratch, and by experimenting with existing characters, they may discover that Snow White was quite the businesswoman or Cinderella had some sass.
  
  

Dramatic Charades

• This classic party game can be converted into a drama activity for children of all ages. Write play names, characters, or famous dramatic quotes onto little slips of paper. Each child draws a slip and on their turn must get their team to guess what is on that slip without talking. Encourage children to think outside the box on ways to get their word or phrase across. If they get "Hamlet," for example, they might try miming the famous scene where Hamlet holds up the skull of Yorick.
  
  

Puppet Show

• Combine crafting with drama by having children put on a puppet show with handmade puppets. Puppets can be crafted with anything from paper bags to felt and foam, with older children making more elaborate puppets for their play. Children can then write or improvise a short play, figuring out on their own how to make the puppets covey emotions through dialogue or broad gestures.