Here are 10 easy drama games with explanation submitted by NESTA member amandajch, suitable for Hong Kong secondary students.

Easy Drama Games PDF Easy Drama Games DOCX

Easy drama games

  1)     The three bears. Can be adapted for any story. Students put into small group, each group given a word, have to stand up when narrator says that word. God for developing listening skills and warming students up as a group.

 2)     Fruit Salad. Can use any group of objects. Students sit in circle and each given the name of a fruit (apple, banana, pear). One student in center. When student in center calls out a fruit, all students with that fruit must change places. Student in center tries to get a seat. If student in center shouts ‘fruit salad’ all students have to move. 

3)     I love my neighbour if… As for fruit salad but with language. Suitable for older students with more language ability. Student in center says “I love my neighbour if..” and must continue with something that is true of themselves, but they also hope is true of others. Simple sentences include, if he’s wearing a watch, if he has black hair, if he’s wearing black shoes, if she’s a girl etc. 

4)     Wink murder. In a circle, one student is a policeman and must leave the room. Teacher walks behind students and taps one on the back. He is the murderer. When the policeman re-enters, the murderer must wink at his classmates to kill them. AS they start to die the policeman must try to work out who is doing the winking. 

5)     Pass the clap. Good for focusing students attention. Teacher starts. Look at student to your right MAKING EYE CONTACT and clap. Student must turn to their left, make eye contact and clap. And so on. When students are confident they can start to pass it to other members of the group but they must make eye contact with the student they are passing the clap to. 

6)     Animal/vegetable/colour. All stand in circle. Teacher starts with the name of an animal, looking at one student. That student must look at another student and say the name of another animal. When all students have said an animal’s name the teacher will start again, forming a sequence, until each student knows that they must say their animal after they hear their classmate say something. Once the students have got that, the teacher will introduce another category, for example vegetables, looking at a different student, but keeping the animal sequence going. It is also possible to introduce changing places once students have become adept at keeping three or more categories going at once. 

7)     Mirrors. With a partner, one leads and the other must follow, or ‘mirror’ their actions.

 8)     ‘What time is it?’ Students stand in a line. The first one asks the second one 

1: What time is it?

2: What?

1: What time is it?

2: I don’t know.

1: Ask her.( points to 3)

 Repeated along line until last student answers question. Second to last replies ‘What?’ Last student repeats answer. Second to last student says ‘thank you’. Last student says ‘Tell her’ and points back to third from last student. 

9)     What are you doing?  Students stand in line. First student steps forward and mimes simple action, for example brushing her teeth. But when next student steps forward and asks ‘what are you doing?’ student one must reply with another action, such as reading a book or eating a hamburger, which student two must then perform. 

10)  Coats. You need a big piece of fabric or a large coat for this. One student sits on a chair with her hands behind her back and another one kneels behind, putting her arms where the seated student’s arms should be. Ideally you have two students sitting together to have a dialogue. They talk to each other and the ‘arms’ have to move appropriately. Only for students with a good grasp of language.