All children are born actors! Observe the games they play; look at the many roles each child will play, without inhibitions. Be aware of their naturally focused energy and concentration on an objective.

Do you remember back to your days playing ‘Cowboys and Indians’, ‘Power Rangers’ or ‘house’? It’s still the same for kids today!!! Think about puppets, dolls, action figures, finger play and masks…about themes, Halloween, costumes and dress-up … it’s all drama.

Don’t be afraid to include it in your program or classroom; it’s fun and kids love it!!!

When presenting drama through experimentation, we reinforce the sense of wonder and magic that is part of being a child. Children in drama should be comfortable. There should be no, “How do I look?" "Where do I stand?" "How do I sound?" "What if I make a mistake?" Each attempt, successful or otherwise--is a step toward creativity and learning about life.

Gear drama in your classrooms and programs with improvising and experimentation; nurture young children to trust their natural instinct. Children have the ability to act and react honestly and naturally; that is what we should constantly reinforce. Rather than providing a performance for an audience, these drama activities are focused more on developing the personality of children!

This is a great resource for your Drama Club or just for fun! During your Drama Activities, explore the following ideas...in addition to preparing a production of Readers' Theater, a play, skit or puppet show!

This category has four sections, You can scroll through all or click on the link you'd like. It's advisable to read the 'tips' on the Pantomime page.

1.)  The Different Types of Drama click here

2.)  Pantomine, Tips and Games

3.)  Improv Games and Exercises

4.) A Variety of Drama Games/Activities

If you're interested in Costumes or Make Up Ideas-click here

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 There are many forms of Drama. Here is a partial list with a simple explanation of each:

IMPROVISATION/LET'S PRETEND
A scene is set, either by the teacher or children; with little or no time to prepare a script, the students perform before the group.

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MIME (Pantomime)
Children use only facial expressions and body language to pass on a message script to the rest of the class.

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DRAMA GAMES
In a drama game, you inhabit a world different from the one in which you live. You use your imagination to portray or dramatize something. By your actions, you show others what you want to depict. Acting out what you have prepared is an important part of “Drama Games”.  Besides drama, you can build games by using dance, art, music, sports or any other type of activity. Improvising is a form of drama play.

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ROLE PLAYS
Students are given a particular role in a scripted play. After rehearsal the play is performed for the class, school or parents.

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MASKED DRAMA
The main props are masks. With masks, children feel less inhibited to perform and overact while participating in this form of drama. They are given specific parts to play with a formal script. The actors create the full picture for the rest of the group--Interpreting content and expressing it using only the voice and body.

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PUPPET PLAYS
Children use puppets to say and do things that they may feel too inhibited to say or do themselves.

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READER'S THEATER

• Reader’s theater was developed as an efficient and effective way to present literature in dramatic form; it is an interpretive oral reading activity.
• Students use their voices, facial expressions and hand gestures to interpret characters in scripts or stories.
• Teachers and students may adapt favorite stories for Readers' Theater through script writing activities.  This is a wonderful activity for teachers and caregivers that are looking for ways to add fun, excitement, and meaning to oral reading activities.
• The very fact that the name contains the word “Readers”- indicates that it has a strong focus on the text. Text is the most important concept in Readers Theater.

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RADIO DRAMA
Similar to script reading with the addition of other sound effects; the painting of the mental picture is important.

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PERFORMANCE POETRY
While reading/reciting a poem, the children are encouraged to act out the story from a poem.

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 Drama Menu Links

• The Different Types  of Drama click here
•  Pantomine, Tips and Games
•  Improv Games and Exercises
• A Variety of Drama Games/Activities
• COSTUMES & MAKEUP

RIBBON OF SOUND: Sit in a circle. One person starts a sound. The next person picks it up and it travels around the circle so it becomes a ribbon of sound. Each person should pick it up and pass it on as quickly as possible. Transform it into another sound-with the person next to the one who started the first sound.

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COOPERATIVE STAND-UP: Choose partners. Sit back to back on the floor, legs straight out in front. Interlock arms. Try to stand up together as a unit by pushing against each others' backs.

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LED BY THE NOSE: DRAMA GAME
Children imagine that strings are attached to various parts of their bodies.
they Move about the room led by that part. Example: right thumb, nose, knees. Eyelashes etc.

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STRIKE A POSE
1. Form a circle. Each person chooses one other person in the circle to secretly watch.
2. Everyone closes their eyes and strikes a pose.
3. On "GO" -- everyone opens their eyes and begins to copy the person they chose to watch. (In posture, pose, stance, etc.)
    Watch as the whole team morphs into the same pose!

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BEAN BAG 'VOICE PROJECTION'
This exercise demonstrate to children how important it is to project their voices.

Place three bean bags in front of a row of children. One about 10 feet away from them - the second about 20 feet away, the third about 35-40 feet away (this can obviously be changed to suit the physical environment of the class).

1. Ask each child to look directly at the first bean bag, say their name and the name of their favorite animal.
2. Instruct them to say the exact same things to the second bean bag.
3. Would they speak with the same volume? Of course not - the "person" is further away.
4. When asked to address the third bean bag, they obviously should be projecting their voices as loud as they can.
5. After the entire group has addressed the bean bags, let them know they were really acting in a play just then - reaching the first three rows, the middle rows, and the back rows of the theater

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HOLD A FASHION SHOW! THREE DIFFERENT IDEAS…
Good for Day Camp, in stages for an event ...and those full days of programming

Props: spotlights; a backdrop; if possible, a raised platform/ stage or catwalk; music and sound system…

#1 IDEA
First session: Putting on a fashion show can be fun for all players, especially if everyone gets to choose the role they will play. In the planning stages, have participants decide on a theme for the show (such as fall fashions or holiday outfits); plan music and which roles children will play. Both male and female models would be nice; you'll also need designers, emcees, a journalist or two, and photographer.

Help the players plan the set up; where youth will enter and exit---as well as where the audience will sit. Make a list of special clothing to wear during the show and any other props you may need. If you have the “#3-WACKY” version below---you’ll also have to make the outfits…

Second session: Give members time to set up the show and get organized. Get the audience seated a let the show begin!
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IDEA #2: Rehearse a fashion show in which EVERYTHING GOES WRONG! (On purpose) It’s fun but not easy to do. Example: The emcee trips over the microphone cord, or models wear things that don’t fit---and don’t go together. Think of all the silliness you can!
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IDEA #3: One activity that I facilitated while managing a summer camp was to have a “WACKY HAIR-DO AND FASHION SHOW”. The staff and kids “in fantasy fashion” back-combed, jelled and styled each others hair---while others designed, drew, cut-out and taped outfits using ROLL-PAPER. They also used paints/ markers, tape and accessories! Of course, there was also the fantasy make-up. It was great fun!!! (Barb Shelby)

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READ AN EASY STORY THAT CAN BE DRAMATIZED.. Choose children to participate and have them recreate the story. They can make up the lines or you can reread or tell it as they act it out.
A variation is to divide the students into small groups. Have each group pick a story and provide time for them to read it, choose parts and practice acting it out. Then have each group perform their story for the rest of the class and/or for children in younger grades.

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CHANGING BODY GAME
You may not at first see this as a drama game--but it is! (Pretending you are something/someone else using art!)

• Take a picture of each child and glue it to a piece of paper.
• Have children to go through magazines, newspapers, etc...Have them cut out pictures of animals, people, and characters.
• They then cut off the heads of all of these pictures; they can place them over their picture to see what they would look like in someone else's body!
• Example: Cut the head off of Bozo the clown and place the rest of the body under the head of your picture --- and you can see what it looks like!

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'SENSORY'
DRAMA PLAY ACTIVITIES

RELAXATION-STIMULATION
Ask children to relax and explore their five senses by PRETENDING to:

TOUCH   
     •  A hot stove  
     •  Icicles   
     •  Sharp tacks  
     •  Velvet

TASTE
     • A sour lemon
     • Their favorite candy
     • Spinach

HEAR...    
     • A gentle wind  
     • Underwater sounds
     • A whistle

SEE
     • A car coming far away and towards you
     • A giant
     • An ant
     • A big black spider
 
SMELL...
     • Freshly baked bread
     • A skunk                
     • Perfume
     • Onions

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MYSTERY BAG
Blindfold children and have them use their senses to identify objects.

• TOUCH: feather, balloon, shell, sandpaper, fur, money.
• SMELL: coffee, perfume, onion.
• TASTE: raisins, cornflakes, coconut, crackers, marshmallows, chocolate

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IMAGING TASTE (Older Youth)
This activity is about making other people’s mouths water.

• Have each player in turn describe something to eat; encourage members to use as much detail a possible and wildly exaggerate the smells, tastes and textures of the food.
• Next, have the group talk about the actual eating of the food. Example:Talk about how ice-cream melts on your tongue or how peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth before swallowing it.
• Variation: Describe a single aspect of food, for example, the juice of a peach at its peak of ripeness.

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I CAN'T STAND_____! (Older Youth)
Have each player in turn describe a food that they cannot stand to eat. Encourage as much detail as possible so that the other group members are disgusted by the food, too.

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BOTTLE OF WHAT (Young children)
Before the meeting, gather several empty plastic bottles with caps. Fill each bottle with a different material-such as dried peas, pebbles, marbles, sand, and birdseed. Put the caps back on and cover the bottles with construction paper so the materials inside are hidden. Ask group members to listen to the sound each bottle makes and guess what is inside it.

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GOOD IDEAS

• PLAY ARTISTS AND BLOBS

Have children work in 2 or 3 person teams. Ask each team to pick an 'A' and a 'B'. 'A's' are the artists...and 'B's' are the blobs. The artist (s) forms his/her partner into some kind of statue. The blob relaxes as much as possible until the statue is formed, then tries to hold that pose. (TIP: PLAY MUSIC while artists are forming blobs.) When art works are complete have artists walk about and admire each other's creations!

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• The Pretzel: Form a long chain holding hands. Designate a leader who goes in, around and under, taking everyone with him until a human knot is formed. Then, the leader retraces his steps and unties the knot.

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• Object Creation: One person begins a mechanical movement. Another person attaches himself to it adding movement. Continue to add youth to the machine, using sounds and moving through space.

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• One person goes to the front and begins a non-verbal activity. Others enter once they figure out what the first person is doing. Form a scene without words and let it play out.

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• Use your bodies to build a house. Some people become the furniture, telephones, and tables. Others live in the house. Then huff and puff and blow the house down.

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• Two partners share one pillow. Experiment with different ways of giving and taking the pillow. Make it something very valuable and precious. Make it something vile and distasteful. Make it very heavy. Make it light. Make it prickly. Pretend that it's a ticking bomb, an injured cat, a hot plate.

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• Pair up. Look carefully at each other. One person closes his eyes while the other changes something, such as untying a shoelace. His partner opens his eyes and tries to identify the change. Reverse.

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• Pretend to fight in slow motion. Imagine that you are under water or in space. Imagine that you are wearing heavy armor. Use an imaginary long sword.

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A good resource for Drama games: 101 Drama games for children: Fun and Learning with Acting and Make-believe. By Paul Rooyackers and illustrated by Cecilia Bowman. A Hunter House Smart Fun Book.  Purchase at Amazon.com 

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Drama Menu Links

1.)  The Different Types of Drama click here

2.)  Pantomine, Tips and Games

3.)  Improv Games and Exercises

4.) A Variety of Drama Games/Activities

If you're interested in Costumes or Make Up Ideas click here.

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READ THIS BEFORE YOU START DRAMA ACTIVITIES

Develop and build a sense of safety and trust when introducing Drama activities into your program. The following games and exercises are ideal in establishing that trust between the players; they also will sharpen concentration and get everybody in a good mood!

IMPORTANT! It is advised to use these exercises-as well a pair and group improv--early in your drama club to rely on each other.

These games and exercises are useful in any drama and theater education environment--- as well as any environment in which group dynamics is important! You may discover that youth may want to repeat some of these games and exercises more than once during their dramatic experience!!!

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PANTOMIME GAMES

MIRROR EXERCISE
Everyone should remember the old "I Love Lucy" series; a favorite of most  is the episode when Lucy meets Harpo Marx. In one scene, Lucy has dressed exactly like Harpo; as the latter crosses a room, Lucy crosses it the same way. Harpo looks at his "reflection" and proceeds to “mirror” these crazy movements with arms, hands, legs, etc. Lucy matches him, move for move. A very funny scene - and exceptionally well done. This is exactly the same premise for "The Mirror Exercise".

• There are two players. "A" is the follower (mirror) and "B" starts all the action. "A" reflects all B's movements and facial expressions.
• Simple activities for "B" to initiate are washing his/her face, getting dressed, brushing teeth - etc.
  This exercise promotes inventiveness, clowning, and timing - the children should be encouraged to be as specific as they can with each movement. When "B" is finsihed, it is "A's" turn.
  

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PASSING THE FACE
Apart from a drama activity, this can also be used by actors just prior to a performance, in the green room. It enables the participants to overcome their fears, and become more relaxed and at ease with themselves.

• The whole group should stand in a circle, holding hands.
• One person in the circle begins by turning to the person on his/her right and making a face – it could be an emotional face or a funny face.
• The next person then makes another face and passes it to the person next to him/her, and so on.
• The expressions should not be copied, but variations of a theme to be explored-- such as each one thinking of a different emotional or funny face.

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FOLLOW THE LEADER

• All players except one are in a circle; one player in the middle. The middle player closes his/her eyes -- and the rest of the group quietly chooses a leader.
• The middle player opens their eyes and tries to guess the leader by actions.
• The entire group follows the leader, in everything he/she does.
• As soon as the middle player discovers who the leader is --the game is over.
• Participants should be encouraged to be as specific as they can with each movement  This only works if movements are clear, not too fast, and if the group `follows the leader` as fast and as precisely as possible.

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HUMAN PROPS

• Ask one player to start doing an activity that somehow broadly defines a location. Example: When someone starts typing she/he might be in a home or office.
• The other players then become the other objects in the environment.
• If the first player recognizes the objects, he/she can start using the props built by other players in the environment.
• Tell players to go for the obvious: in just about any room you could be a plant, a door or a table.
• Extension: When done, ask the first player to name any `object` built in the environment. You can use this as a handle for a performance. When a player is asked to sit down, and there are no chairs on the scene, another player can become the chair for the first player to sit on.
• Other examples are ticking clocks in haunted houses, cabinets and closets. Ideas are endless.

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Divide the group into 2 groups and have them mime a Tug-o-war fight.  See that the “mimed rope” does not stretch or shrink and Remember Chivalry---somebody wins and one group graciously looses. 

• Variation: Do 2 per 2. Played in pairs. One player holds his/her hand open with fingers upward--about 2-3 inches from their partner’s face. The leader then starts moving their hand about slowly, while the partner attempts to keep their face at exactly the same distance from the hand. Without touching, it should seem as if the hand is pulling or pushing the face about. Switch sides and partners after a minute or two. Variation: Use both hands.

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THE PASSING GAME
The leader suggests an IMAGINARY object to be passed around in a circle. This object to passed around can be a pea, a huge balloon, or a sack of potatoes...etc.
The object is passed around from person to person and the idea is to try to keep it from falling and to indicate its size and weight by the action. (No talking)

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BODY TALK GAME

With bodies and expression (no words) have children take turns acting out the below commands. One at a time, each takes a piece of paper from a container. As youth pantomime it, the group or Team guesses the action. 

Hooray!
 
I'm sorry.
 
I didn't do it!
 
Shame on you.
 
I didn't mean to do it.
 
What did you say? 

I don't know.
 
Come here, quick! 

Good job!
 
Oh No! and so on- 

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  INDIVIDUAL, PAIR AND GROUP PANTOMIME SUGGESTIONS -

Group instructions are below this list

  • Try to open a window to a fire escape.

 • Attempt to open a stuck door.

 • Opening a birthday present that they've always wanted.

 • Eating a bowl full of something really disgusting.

 • A monkey eating a banana.

 • Become a swan swimming gracefully on a still peaceful lake--next become a frog jumping in a pond.

 • Imitate the actions involved in everyday activities: mowing the lawn, making a bed, moving the trash can, sweeping the floor, digging the garden, etc.

 • Buying shoes, hats, food or a car.

 • Putting on a pair of shoes: ballerina-fireman, then acting out the character.

 • Making a telephone call.

 • Watching TV.

 • Felling trees.

 • Spending a day at the beach. Contrast a hot day with a cold or wet day.

 • Spring cleaning.

 • Going camping and setting up a camp (put up a tent, chop wood, build fire, etc.) This is a good group pantomime!

 • Shipwreck.

 • Family car ride (flat tire, something left at home).

 • Trip to the zoo.

 • Going out into the snow.

 • Having a picnic (maybe cows (or bees) arrive unexpectedly).

 • Walking in the country (rainstorm).

 • Going on a train journey (lose ticket).

 • Flying a kite (tangled in a tree or lost).   

 • A misunderstanding or quarrel.

 • Interviewing a famous person.

 • A deep sea diver meets trouble.

 • Having a nightmare.

 • Turning into robots.

 • Share the Work! Pairs of children working at something-with an imaginary object between them. (Spreading a sheet; pulling taffy, etc.)

 • Become an elephant in a circus. Show how enormous and heavy you are by walking around. Now climb onto your stool and raise you trunk.

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 GROUP PANTOMIME INSTRUCTIONS

• The actors (youth) work in groups of 4 - 6 and are instructed to pantomime a single general activity.
  • Examples: Playing different sports at school, performing with an orchestra, circus acts, hospital work, etc.
• To communicate the idea of a GENERAL activity, each actor must pantomime a SPECIFIC one. 
  • For example: "Office work".
    One actor mimes being a typist, another delivers the mail, another is a "boss" at a desk (perhaps on the phone), a client visits the office to see the boss, etc.
• Make sure the actors understand they cannot SPEAK - only work with their bodies, facial expressions, etc.
• Actors should brainstorm details and ideas before-hand.
• The audience then guesses what is being portrayed.

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 MIMING TIPS!

 1. As a teaching tool--Can you show a Video or DVD of Pantomime greats such as Red Skelton, Vaudeville Stars, or Mr. Bean? (The 2007 movie- Mr. Bean’s Holiday) 

2. When working with “pretend objects” give it “space.” Even the smallest objects have space.

3. Believable actions: have one student come forward and demonstrate brushing teeth. Most likely, the student will brush their cheek or down their throat. Show that for it to be believable, it must be pantomimed the way they really do it. Youth need to practice and observe themselves and the way they do things. Tell them to be conscious of all their actions.

4. Tell group that when we do a pantomime you need to face the audience. To show an example, set up a kitchen with chairs or blocks. Demonstrate that some things are in front and some in back. Demonstrate how easy it is to turn your back on the audience. Now rearrange the kitchen so your face can be seen by the audience no matter what appliance or counter you are working at.

5. Start out simple: Perform a pantomime of doing a household chore (making a cake or doing dishes, etc.) Give it 1 or 2 minutes and no story. Starting out with the familiar is good.

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Drama Menu Links

1.)  The Different Types of Drama click here

2.)  Pantomine, Tips and Games

3.)  Improv Games and Exercises

4.) A Variety of Drama Games/Activities

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The first thing to teach the participating group is the word Chivalry.
In improve - Chivalry means not clinging to your own ideas, your own status, or your own personality as a character. Chivalry is daring to give up control. Players should allow themselves to be changed by other players. They should be happy to change; change in improv is a good thing!

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WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
One player is in the middle, the others sit aside. Any person can give the middle player a task, which she performs, and then she asks `What happens next`? Any player may suggest what needs to happen next, but the idea is for the group to construct a coherent story. The player in the middle should only and strictly be doing what they’re told; it is up to the players at the side to construct the story. This game is also known as And Then.

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YES! LET'S ______!
This is an excellent warm-up, and great introduction to Accepting .
Pick a group activity, such as throwing a party or organizing a picnic. One player starts, saying,” Let’s ______" filling in what he/she wants to do. Then he/she actually starts doing what he/she said she wanted to do. A second player jumps in, saying "Let’s________." (It’s doing something else-- to advance the group activity) Both players say "Yes, let’s do that" and start doing whatever was suggested. The third player jumps in and suggests what to do--- and again all the players loudly agree to do it, and actually do it. Continue till everyone has suggested something.

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ENERGY 1-10
Everyone is positioned in a big circle, squatting down. All participants count 1 to 10. This is done in unison -- moving up slowly with increasing energy level. 1 is barely audible, 10 is as loud as possible—with everyone standing straight, hands reaching up. It’s important to watch each other, to ensure all are at the same energy level. Also make sure that the increase in energy is very gradual.

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ALIEN, COW AND TIGER
(To prevent confusion-write directions for characters on a whiteboard)
Everyone is in a circle. There are 3 things a player can be:

   • An Alien: hold you index fingers up next to your head, as little antenna’s and say `Bleeb bleeb`, bending inwards into the circle.

   • A Cow: bend forward, hold your right hand on your tummy and go `Moooo`

   • A Tiger: push your right hand forward, imitating a claw and roar.

On your signal, each player decides to become one of the three. The idea is for everyone to become the same, which obviously won’t be the case, the first time. Re-do this until everyone is in sync.

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POPCORN
Everyone finds themselves a spot, and squats down. The facilitator talks the group through the exercise.

• “Everyone is a piece of corn, the floor is a big pan, and we’re going to make popcorn. --- We slowly start heating the pan”… As the pan gets hotter, the corn starts to `pop`.  A player `pops` by jumping up, clapping hands above their head, and saying `pop`. Make sure the `popping` starts gradually, `popping` is a group thing, and in the end, `popping` should stop.
• Variation: Forget to take the pan off the fireplace, and have the popcorn start burning.

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ONE WORD AT A TIME STORY
This is an exercise to train group narrative. All players sit in a circle. A story is told one word at a time. Each player provides one word of a sentence. The end of a sentence can be indicated by a player saying `period` although that is not necessary.

This is more difficult than it sounds, especially with newbies. If you’re working with novice players have them try a familiar story-such as Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. Summarize the story before they get started, to make sure they’re all on the same story. Don’t be surprised if gagsters manage to smuggle atomic bombs and crashing aircraft into the story. If so, ask the group if they can see/understand the reasons why their story isn’t as it could be. If the group is large- divide it into 2 or more story circles.

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RUMORS
Form a circle with improv participants. One person starts by saying "Did you hear about _____?" and then points to someone else in the group. That player immediately replies with the answer to the fill in blank “Did you hear about______? After which everyone gasps or giggles. The person left of the second person restarts. The blanks can be anything: something as simple as soup, or something as convoluted as the white bear that ate a Russian kid for lunch in Novosibirsk last Thursday.

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ACCEPTING CIRCLE

• Put everyone in a big circle. One player starts by making a little gesture, perhaps with a little sound.
• His or her neighbor then tries and does exactly the same. This continues around the circle. Although we expect the gesture/sound not to change, it will!
• Watch for movements that suddenly change left/right arm or leg. This is not supposed to happen, but it will. Once happened, it should be accepted by the next player.
• Also watch/listen for little moans or sighs that players might make before or after their turn - these should also be taken over by the next player.

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EMOTIONAL MIRROR
Players are in pairs, facing each other. One starts talking in gibberish, with a specific emotion (angry, happy, in love, your choice). The other instantly copies the emotion of the first player, and speaks in his own gibberish. There is no need to try and copy the other player’s gibberish; both players keep talking---no pausing allowed. After about 10 seconds, the second player changes emotion, and the first one immediately follows.

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PEOPLE PICTURE
Range: 9+ (Number of Participants: 2-20)
Materials: Pictures of people, as many as participants See Notes
Participants will use pictures as inspiration in creating characters, and interact with others as their characters. They will try to determine which picture the other participants used for their inspiration after interacting with them.
How to Play:

• Participants spread themselves out in the room, so that each person has enough space to think without distractions.
• The leader passes out a picture to each participant, explaining, "DO NOT let anyone else, even me, see your picture. You have three minutes to look at the person in your picture and become that person. Decide what kind of personality he or she has, how old the person is, what kind of life they lead, etc. Use the picture to help you decide - are there details about the person's clothes, their surroundings, and their face which give you ideas? Try to create a "story" for this person, as well as a voice, mannerisms, attitude.
• All of your characters will attend a party at the end of the three minutes." The participants should not talk to one another before the three minutes are up.
• At the end of the three minutes, the participants hand in their pictures. As soon as they hand in the picture, they transform into their character. The leader should explain that they need to talk to the other characters, as if they are at a party. The participants should attempt to talk to everyone else, and try to remember things about the other characters.
• The party lasts five to ten minutes, depending on the number of participants.
• At the end of this time, the leader asks everyone to discard their characters and become themselves.

The leader then shows the participants the pictures that were used, and asks the group to identify whose character matches with the picture. Don't tell the participants that this will happen ahead of time. The temptation of "fooling" everyone is too great to resist for some people, and these people will purposefully make their character unlike their picture if they know there will be guessing. The group should discuss their reactions to their pictures and to others' as well as how everyone developed their character.

Notes:
The pictures can be cut out of magazines, and then pasted onto oak tag or poster board for stability. Try to get a good assortment of pictures of people -all ages, races, levels of attractiveness; don't put any famous faces in the selection. The more interesting the setting and the appearance of the person, the more there is for the participants to use for inspiration. Remember, there are no wrong answers - but the participants should be able to answer "why" questions about the character and picture.

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CROSS THE CIRCLE
Everyone is numbered around the circle as 1, 2, OR 3. The leader call a number such as 2. All number 2's must cross the circle in one role of leader's choice as:
   •A ballerina
   •A panther
   •A moonwalker
   •Someone who’s stuck in the mud……..
   •A fashion model……
  •Whatever your imagination comes up with!
After all the number 2's cross cross the circle-a different number is called; they are told to cross the circle in the manner the lead directs.

CROSS DIFFERENTLY
Name a child to cross the circle to an empty chair in any way they like…walk…crawl…hop….twirl…whatever. They call someone else who must cross in a different way.

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ANIMAL SCENES
Players find a partner; partners separate and run around. The leader calls out a phrase and the players must find their partner and depict the scene. The last pair to depict the scene is out.
Examples:
   •Frog on a log: One student gets down on all fours (log) and the frog sits gently on their back.
   •Bird on a perch: One student gets down on one knee (perch) and the bird sits on the perch.
   •Lion in a den: One person stands with their feet a part (den) and the lion lies down on the floor.

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EIGHT RULES WHEN DOING IMPROV

  • Don’t negate or deny the other player-follow where they're going 

  • Don’t ask questions

  • Make choices based on actions

  • Do make assumptions

  • Do give and take

  • Listen, watch and concentrate

  • Work to the top of your intelligence

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Return to top of page

Encourage creativity and language development in your children by providing a creative dramatic area in your center. Ensure the classroom has "special materials and play areas geared to encourage children in particular domains while appealing to their interests."

A few dramatic play center arrangements could be puppets, home center, doctor's office, or other real-world play areas. (See photo below)

  COSTUME-DRESS UP SUPPLIES

• Adult Clothing -including mens ties and jackets 
• Halloween /Theatrical 
• Hats/Wigs/Feather Boas 
• Jewelry 
• Nail Polish and Non-Acetone Remover (With adult supervision)
• Purses/Scarves
• Shoes/High Heels
• Washable Face Paint at bottom of page in  "Costume Category"
• Full-Length Mirror

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Click here  for Costume Making and Make Up Ideas

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 • Cooking and Serving Utensils
 • Dishes
 • Flowers (Plastic or Silk) 
 • Iron and Ironing Board
 • Literacy Enrichment in housekeeping:
  ...Appliance Instructions
  ...Food Packaging
  ...Menus
 • Play Food
 • Pots and Pans
 •Table/Chairs, Table Cloth, Stove/Sink/Refrigerator

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Don't have a window in your room? Make one! (This Dramatic Play Center is in the room of  lilteacher)

Consider changing your dramatic play area every month to reflect a different Theme.

 Example: One month set up a doctor's office with real stethoscope, x-rays, doctor's scrubs, dolls for patients, ace bandages, gloves, and play- doctor kits. The following month change the theme. The photo to left is an example of an "Animal Clinic".

Programs should have ITEMS TO PLAY:
 • Bank
 • Court
 • Doctor/Nurse/Hospital/Vetinarian 
    with...Stethoscope, Gauze, Lab Coats
    ...Splints and Bandages 
 • House 
 • Office
 • TV News
 • Weather
 • Restaurant
 • Travel
    with...Computer Keyboard
    ...Plane Tickets
    ...Travel Brochures
 • Play Money/Coins/Check Book
 • Puppets 
   ...Puppet Theater and scripts 
 • Tape Recorder/Microphone
 • Tool Carrier and Tools/Workbench
 • Flash Light

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 MOVEMENT, MUSIC, DANCE, SUPPLIES Music and Dance are Perfoming Arts and are often used with Drama and Dramatic Play.

DANCE 

 • Conga Line
 • Electric Slide/Hustle
 • Free Style
 • Hip Hop
 • Hokey Pokey
 • Line Dance
 • Macarena
 • Square
 • Limbo
 • Whatever is in Style
 • YMCA

Also-Pom Pom, Cheerleading and Ribbon Dancing...

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MUSIC SUPPLIES:

 • DVD Player-DVDS
 • Finger Play Activities
 • Harmonica
 • Guitar
 • Kazoo
 • Karaoke Machine
 • Key Board
 • Maracas
 • Microphones
 • Mobile Storage Cabinet
 • Radio
 • Recorders
 •  Rhythm Instruments
 • Rhythm Sticks
 • Ribbons and Streamers
 • Shakers
 • Song Books
 • Tambourine
 • Tapes---Blank and Pre-recorded
 • Parachute
 • Poles
 • Pom Poms

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Make Home Made Instruments  

Many can be made from Recycled Materials...Also see what to do with them once they are made! You may also be interested in 'Music Enrichment Activities' for school age youth.

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USE MUSIC TO...

 • Act out a Song that tells a story
 • Aerobics and Yoga
 • Jump Rope
 • Move to how it makes you feel
 • Paint to how it makes you feel
 • Play Games
 • Throw Bean Bags
 • Use Scarves
 • Use Streamers and pom poms
 • Use at Transitions and as a Signal
 • Use to set the“Mood”...Very Important!

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Other Centers:

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MAKE UP at Page Bottom...

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THRIFT STORE COSTUMES…
The more kids (or you) look and sound like someone else, the more exciting the drama activity will be. Wearing a hat, scarf, shawl or apron will help change appearance. Collect interesting hats, skirts and jackets-- as well as acting tools such as fabric, tinsel, wigs, jewelry and the endless list of accessories.The keys words to remember are experimentation and imagination!!

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PILLOW CASE COSTUMES

Collect unused pellow cases!
They can make great costumes, such as a superhero, ghost, domino, playing card, Greek goddess, warrior, and more.
Glue on felt pieces for the pattern...

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 ARTIST COSTUME --All you need is a big white shirt, a beret, black tights or leggings, some paintbrushes and several colors of paint on an artist’s tray. Paint different blotches of paint on the white shirt. Cut a circle from the felt a little bigger that your head. Sew a running stitch around the outside of the felt and pull in just a little to make it puff up. It just sits on the head with bobby pins. Put paint brushes in pocket and carry artist’s tray with you.

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BUTTERFLY COSTUME
Need: Sturdy cardboard, Utility knife, Colored netting, Batting, Brightly colored paints,
Satin ribbon, Leotard & tights, One & half yards of the same colored fabric, Same colored socks, Shoes, A plain, simple mask, Silk flowers, Pipe cleaners, Pom-poms, Glue, Stapler

• Cut out two sets of the wings from the cardboard.
• Using a utility knife cut out designs from the inside of the wings.
• Paint one side of each wing and fold them in half like a real butterfly.
• Next, lay the netting between the set and glue in place. Punch four holes through the cardboard to run the ribbon through to give the effect of a backpack.
• To make a mask--Separate the petals of the flowers and glue them neatly around the mask from the inside out, carefully making sure that the eyes are not covered; Remove the elastic cord and staple a piece of ribbon (long enough to tie around the head and dangle down) to each side. Double the pipe cleaners and attach to the back of the mask; glue the pompoms to the ends.
• Have child put on the leotard, tights and shoes, covering the shoes with the socks.
  Use combinations of reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, and pinks. This could also be used as a fairy with silver and white!

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CAT/DOG/PIG

• Cat: Black leggings or pants and black shirt. Cover a stretched-out wire hanger with a black sock-- or stuff a black sock with material for the tail.
  Use a black headband with ears attached that are made of cardboard and painted black. Add black mittens or gloves for paws--and black socks and shoes. This idea can be used for any animal by switching colors and the type of ears and tail.

• Dog: Add spots to construction paper and adhere the spots with tape or washable glue. Use a barrette to attach long felt ears to the sides of the child’s head.

• Pig: Wear a pink or white sweat suit with a pipe cleaner tail.

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CLOWN: Over sized clothes make a clown costume. Add hat, wide tie and face paint.

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CONE HATS:  The Basic Cone: Fold a 12" x 24" sheet of newspaper in half. Cut out a quarter circle and open the paper into a half circle. Roll the half circle into a cone to fit the head. Tape or staple the cone together.

• Witch Hat: Make a basic cone out of black paper. Make the brim. Place the cone on a sheet of stiff paper and draw around it. Draw a larger circle around the first circle and cut it out Draw 5 tabs inside the inner circle. Cut out the inner circle around the tabs. Fold the tabs back. Slip the brim over the cone and glue to tape the tabs to the cone.

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COWBOY: Shirts, jackets and jeans for a cowboy costume. Add a hat, scarf, and boots.

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CRAYON COSTUME
Need: Poster board, Stapler, Scissors, Black construction, elastic, and construction paper that is the same color as the poster board.

• Take the colored poster board (your choice) and cut it to fit between the child’s underarms and knees.
• Wrap the board around the child---making sure to leave room to wear sweats under the colored poster board.
• Cut an oval out from construction paper of your desired crayon color; Glue it to center of poster board over the stomach area.
• Cut out the letters CRAYOLA from black construction paper and glue them to construction paper centered on the stomach.
• Use leftover poster board to construct a cone shaped hat. You should use a 2" strip at the base of hat to form a crayon design. Make sure the top of the hat has a flat base.
• Attach elastic to the shoulder area and staple it to the poster board.
  DO NOT make it too long- as it will constrict walking ability. You may have to cut out arm indentations for an easier fit. Use the same colored clothing underneath to create illusion of all one color.

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DINOSAUR COSTUME
Need: Rectangular cardboard box, X-acto knife, Masking tape, Green spray paint, White, black, yellow paint, Green sweats, Green tights, Styrofoam ball (2-3" diameter), Stuffing material, Green felt (optional), Velcro points (optional), Red felt (optional).

• The cardboard box should fit over child’s head and shoulders to form a Dino head/snout.
• One designer has done it 2 years in 2 different ways -- one year she cut out "shoulder rests" for the box to fit on the child’s shoulders.
• The next year the box was longer and too wide, so she cut armholes in the box. It takes some measuring and adjusting by putting the box on the child).

Next ...basically figure out how to turn a rectangular box into a Dinosaur head by cutting away pieces, folding, and taping.
Leave a "window" for child to see out of between the top of the elongated "snout" part of the head and the top of the head (This gives the head a 2-level look and avoids the problem of lining up eyes with). Spray paint the "head" green. Cut a Styrofoam  ball in half and paint it yellow; paint a black pupil in the center of each, and glue on the sides of the head for eyes. Have child paint red spots on the head.

• Cut one leg off the green tights and stuff with poly-fill to form the tail. Close it with a rubber band; pin it to elastic on back of the child’s sweatpants.
• If desired, cut paired triangles of felt. Glue them together and attach it to the tail and back of the child with Velcro. If desired, cut circles from red felt for spots and attach to them to child’s outfit with Velcro.
• Can also be used as a crocodile with a few modifications. For a crocodile, put the eyes sticking up from the top of the head instead of on the sides.

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FAIRY COSTUME
Need: Material, Thread, Sewing needle, Mesh or lace material for wings, Metal or wire in a "C" shape for wings.
You can use a dress with a flared skirt for the base. Next, cut the mesh or lace material into the shape of the wire with just a little room to overlap it. Sew the lace or mesh over the wire and it’s complete.

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FIREFIGHTER IN A FIRE ENGINE COSTUME
Paint a box bright red with ladders on the sides. Use aluminum pie plates for reflectors. A plastic firefighter’s hat is a good addition. Children will be more than happy to come up with the siren sound!

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FLOWER MASK
Children enjoy discovering all the flowers that bloom in the summer. The colors are bright and inviting. To make an inexpensive and colorful blossom mask--- cut out the center of a paper plate, leaving a hole large enough for the child’s face. paint the plate and then cut flower petals from colorful construction or tissue paper. Glue the petals around the rim to make a unique flower. Attach elastic thread to the back of the plate to finish the mask

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GENIE
Need: Bathing suit top and bottom, a pair of pajama bottoms with a hem you can put a string through to tighten around ankles and matching midriff vest. To make a hat, cut a hole in the middle of a small plastic container for a ponytail - cover it with fabric and fasten a scarf to each side of the hat so that it hangs loosely in front of your mouth. (Picture the old “I Dream of Jeanie” episodes for this.

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GHOST: A white sheet creates the perfect ghost costume. For an added touch buy an old hat to place on the ghost's head.

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GRASS SKIRT (From Paper Bag)
Materials: A roll of brown wrapping paper, Glue, Self-adhesive Velcro fastener, Stapler, Scissors.

• 1: Cut off two sheets of paper that measure six inches longer than child’s waist size; lay one sheet on top of the other. Staple them together along the short side (to form the waist) about a 1/2 inch from the edge.
• 2: For a waistband, use a four-inch-wide paper strip with the same circumference as the skirt waist. Glue the lower half of the waistband to the stapled edge of the skirt front.
  Fold over the waistband top, and glue it to the inside of the skirt. For a decorative waistband, twist together two long paper strips and glue them on.
• 3: Use scissors to fringe the skirt from the hemline to just below the waistband.
• 4: Stick one part of the Velcro fastener to the front of one waistband end and the matching part to the back of the band’s opposite end. Wrap the skirt around the child’s waist, and fasten.

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GRASS SKIRT made from Green Crepe Paper
To make these easy grass skirts, you’ll need a roll of green crepe paper, and duct tape.

• Cut a piece of duct tape large enough to circle the child’s waist plus 4 inches.
• Lay it on a flat surface sticky side up.
• Now unroll the green crepe paper and lie perpendicular to the tape, lying one end ½ way into the tape. The length will be determined by the height of the child.
• When the tape is full with the crepe paper strips, cut another piece of duct tape and lay it sticky side down over the first piece, trapping the crepe paper ends into the "waistband".
• Last, punch a hole in either end of the duct tape and tie together with a ribbon.

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GYPSY: Flowing dresses and bright shoes make a gypsy costume. Add lots of jewelry such as bracelets, necklace, beads, earrings and scarves.

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HATS---THE BASIC BAND: Cut a 2" wide strip of paper long enough to go around the head with an overlap of about 1". Staple ends together.

INDIAN HEAD DRESS #1: Make a basic band; tape or staple feathers to the band.

INDIAN HEADBAND #2: Cut brown construction paper into strips; fit it around child’s head and staple or tape ends together. Cut feathers out of scrap.

INDIAN VEST TO GO WITH HEADBANDS: Cut a vest from a brown paper bag, cut a slit up the front and neck and arm holes. To decorate, either cut out construction paper shape (arrows, sun, designs, etc.) and glue them on.

ROYAL CROWN: Make a basic band about 4" wide. Cut points in the top. Decorate the crown with beads, buttons, braids, sparkles, etc.

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HIPPIE

Wear a peasant dress, flowing light material skirt, or bell-bottom pants. The top can be a tie dye shirt or flimsy top-with love beads, long hair parted down the middle (may need a wig), a peace sign button and -tinted glasses. Using makeup, paint a peace sign, flower or heart on child face.

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HOT DOG COSTUME
Need: An old thick blanket like a comforter, large pieces of brown and tan felt, small pieces of red and yellow felt for ketchup and mustard, cotton pillow filling, Brown pants, face paint.

• First you cut the comforter so that it fits around the child and ties in the back.
• Cut a hole in the front for child’s head and arms. Then cut the brown felt in the same shape as the comforter.
• Sew the felt onto the comforter.
• Cut the red and yellow felt (in the shape of ketchup and mustard) and glue it on the front of the hot dog. Then get the tan felt and measure it like a jacket.
• Cut arm holes in the sides. It should look like a bun.
• In order- put on brown pants, then the hot dog, then the bun and finish with the face paint. You have a hot dog!

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INSTANT EARS...

No time or too small for a full costume? To make an adorable bunny, kitty, puppy, or an elephant---all it takes are ears (construction paper or cardboard attached to a hat or headband) and a nose (a tiny bit of makeup on the nose and cheeks, and the appropriate tail pinned to the back of pajamas or a sweat suit.

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 JACK-IN-THE-BOX COSTUME
A big box with bottom and top cut out, a clown looking shirt, Clown Makeup, Aluminum foil, Paint.

• Take a box-making sure child can fit into it. Paint the box with decorations such as numbers and letters.
• Sew, glue, or tape a shirt onto the inside of your box; a hat could be made to match the shirt.
• Make a crank with the aluminum foil; tape the crank onto the side of the box.
• Make up the child’s face with clown paint. Have “Jack” bend down in the box and POP Back up.

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MAIL CARRIER
This is especially good for Preschool to Grade 1. They enjoy playing dress up and many costumes can be made from items around the house. To make a Mail Carrier’s costume- find or make a canvas bag with a short strap so it can be carried on the shoulder. Be sure to "equip" it with mail. Save old postcards, junk mail, little gift boxes, and a couple of magazines to put in the mail bag. Decorate an old shirt to be a uniform. For props, use shoe boxes that are decorated and used for mail boxes. Put names of program children on the “mail-boxes” so the mail-carrier can deliver the mail.

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MARTIAN
Rainbow wig, Oversized glasses, Face paint, Headband, Silver or gold pipe cleaners, Foil

• If possible have child wear green slippers and a fluorescent green leotard and tights. If not possible find blue or purple, etc.
• Wrap the headband in foil and attach 2 or more pipe cleaners to the top for the antenna.
• Paint child’s face in a variety of psychedelic colors and outer space designs.
• If you’re a girl Martian, add a sheer fluorescent green ballet skirt. If you can’t find oversized glasses, make some from cardboard.
• Cover the cut-out cardboard with foil or decorate with fluorescent markers.
• Let your imagination go wild and add your own touches to this visitor from another planet.

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MUMMY
Tear some sheets and wrap them around the body (but never around the

neck). For safety, paint child's face white instead of wrapping sheetstrips. 
Paint black rings around eyes for empty eye sockets.
Use a white swimming cap or stocking cap over child's hair and attach sheet strips to it.
If you have sheet strips dangling from the body, make sure they are of a length that will not trip the child.

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NERD
High-water pants, white button-down shirt, bow tie, white socks, black dress shoes, a pocket protector, and dark frame glasses with masking tape around the nose piece are all you need for this classic costume.

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PLANES, TRAINS, AUTOMOBILES COSTUMES
Remove the top and bottom flaps of a box, then place a box around child’s middle and attach with over-the-shoulder ties. With paint, paper plates, tin cans, some additional cardboard, and imagination, the child could be a race car. Paint racing stripes, add cans, cups, or stickers for front and rear lights. Don’t forget the sponsor’s names on the side and the personalized license plates.

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OLD WOMAN
Use a past-the-knee dress, wig, handbag, umbrella, nude colored knee-highs that don’t stay up and old shoes. Use gray eyeliner to draw light lines from your eyes (crows feet) around your mouth (looks like no teeth). Add vertical lines around the cheek bones for additional wrinkles. Experiment until you reach the desired look. Blend this all lightly so the lines are just shadows in add a layer of white powder, two pink spots of blush and pink lip stick. For a chilly night, add a cardigan sweater buttoned at the top or a long fuzzy overcoat and flowered hat.

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PRINCESS: Prom or evening gowns make an excellent princess, queen, or your favorite movie star. Add jewelry, gloves, high heels, purse and shawls.

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PURPLE PEOPLE EATER -COSTUME
Dress in purple sweats; jell child’s hair so it stands up in a "horn"; draw an "eye" in the middle of child’s forehead with make-up. Top it off with a necklace made of a plastic fork, knife and spoon; tie these on a shoelace around and around the neck .

You may also be interested in our 'PURPLE PEOPLE EATER' THEME!

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TEENY BOPPER (1950’s)
Un-tucked, solid-color button-down short-sleeved shirt, jeans rolled up to mid-calf, or a poodle skirt, white socks and penny loafers or saddle shoes. Girls wear ponytail and boys slick-back hair ducktail style with gel.

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VAMPIRE
Wear black pants, white button-down shirt, black shoes, a cape (buy a vampire cape or dye a sheet black), plastic teeth, and slick hair back with some gel. Use white make-up for the face and highlight with red blush on the cheeks and red lipstick on the lips. Red lipstick applied carefully with a lip brush down the side of the mouth can look like blood dripping down.

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WITCH
Black dress or skirt and top, black tights, cape (dye a sheet black), witch’s hat, and of course a broom. Make the face green and use a black eye pencil to make dark lines. Stick a piece of oatmeal colored black to the make-up paint on the nose, chin and/or cheek to make a good wart. Pin a plush-toy black cat to child’s shoulder or tie it to the broom.
Some ideas adapted from: kid.lifetips.com

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ARE YOU GOING OUT FOR HALLOWEEN? BE SURE TO...
Tie or sew glow-sticks to your child's costume so they can be seen more easily in the dark. You can also use reflective tape and/or carry a flashlight.

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FOR OLDER KIDS DRAMA/THEATER CLASS: COSTUME MAKING

MASKS AND SIMPLE HATS are quick and creative projects. Animal masks are really fun, made from just about anything you have on hand. Whatever they are doing, have the kids draw their design first and then try to create it; that reinforces how a costume designer works.

If you have time, they can bring in research materials before they start to draw. It also reinforces the concept if they all draw characters from the same story (the biggest problem being that for every fairy tale you suggest, they will draw the Disney characters...you’ll spend a lot of time explaining that there was a Cinderella before the one that wore the blue ball gown in the cartoon....) With hats, have them draw a design based on one of several simple shapes that you can help them make (cone, top-hat, crown, etc.) Older kids can make hats of felt or fleece.

    • If you want to get older kids into some basic construction, VESTS ARE GREAT. They are unisex and can be designed for just about any character (and some kids will actually end up wearing what they make, if it's cool enough). A simple, two-piece vest pattern teaches the concepts of how to size, cut, and sew, with only four short seams that can be sewn by hand. Embellishing and/or distressing the vest helps to continue the concept of creating a character through dress. You can also start with a finished thrift-store vest and have them embellish it -- faster and easier than trying to teach construction

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 MAKE UP!

FACE PAINT RECIPE #1 (for six colors) 6 teaspoons of corn starch; divided
3 tablespoons of water; divided
3 tablespoons of cold cream; divided
6 cup muffin tin
Food coloring...

In each cup of the muffin tin put 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of cold cream, and 1/2 teaspoon of water. Add a different color food coloring to each cup. Mix well.

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FACE PAINT #2 (For one color) Materials: 1 tsp. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. water, 1/2 tsp. cold cream, food coloring
Mix cornstarch and cold cream together until smooth. Mix in water and food coloring. Use a small brush to paint designs on the children's faces. Store in an airtight container.

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FACE PAINT #3
Materials
1 Tbs. Crisco shortening
2 Tbs. cornstarch
Food coloring
Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Use sponge or fingers to apply to face. Wash with soap and water.

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CLOWN PAINT #1
1/8 c Baby Lotion
1/4 tsp powdered Tempera paint
1 squirt liquid soap
This is easily removed by soap and water.

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CLOWN MAKE-UP #2
Blend on a paper plate:
2 tblsp. shortening
5 tsps. cornstarch
1 tsp. flour
Dab of Vaseline
Add food coloring for various colors.
Wash Off with Soap and Water...

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EDIBLE FRUIT LIP GLOSS
Materials:
Favored drink mix
1 cup vegetable shortening
Food coloring
Small container such as a film container
1. Mix one packet of drink mix with shortening.
2. Add in a few drops of food coloring that matches the flavor. ie: yellow for lemon.
3. Pack in small container, such as a film container, and you have wonderful tasting and smelling lip gloss. Of course the lip gloss is edible should some accidentally be licked off.

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MAKE CHOCOLATE LIP GLOSS 
Ingredients: Hershey Cocoa, vaseline, small conatiner with lid
 
Put  vaseline in a small jar/container
Add cocoa to the vaseline. Lip gloss is made!

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ADDING A SPOOKY TOUCH TO MAKE-UP...
BLACKEN FACES
To lightly blacken faces, carefully burn a cork and when cool, rub on the face.
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For a GHOULISH LOOK...
Add a dusting of flour to already made up faces.
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MAKE A HAIRY WART
Need:
Whole peppercorns white or black
Corn syrup or eyelash glue
Hair bristles from a paintbrush or out of your hair brush
(Optional) Non-toxic watercolors (the kind you use in school)
Directions:
1. Glue peppercorns to your hands or face using the corn syrup or eyelash glue. KEEP PEPPERCORNS AWAY FROM YOUR EYES! You may have to hold them in place until the glue or syrup is dry.
2. Dip one end of the hairs in the glue or syrup and attach to the peppercorn, so they look hairy.
3. Use the paints to color them creepy!

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MONSTER/SCARY APPEARANCE...

• Use make up that will give your skin a sickly pallor: rub green eyeshadow on your cheeks and red lipstick to highlight scars.  Ketchup for blood and gore.

• Old clothes and hats, like an old black raincoat over your shoulders for Dracula cape.

• Swim fins to create horrid Creature from the Black Lagoon feet.

• Child-safe white school glue...dab a thin line of glue across the cheek and let it dry to create a temporary scar. Or make dots that'll dry into warts.

• Talcum powder dusted into your hair looks ghostly!

•Oatmeal. Mix it onto a paste with water, dab it on your skin and let it dry. Gross (but actually good for your skin when you wash it off with warm water.)

• Lots of mousse rubbed into hair creates vampire-looking slick effects. Or pull your hair into spikes or wild snarls. Be ready for lots of shampooing to get back to normal.

• A rubber glove, filled half full of lukewarm water and secured with a rubber band. Hold this inside a long baggy sleeve and extend the arm to shake hands with unsuspecting friends.

• Old wigs and fake fur can be cut up to make mustaches, wild eyebrows, even hairy werewolf hands.

• Always be careful to keep make-up and glue and powder far away from eyes! Don't keep monster make-up on too long, and don't use any of this stuff on your skin if you have allergies. Source:kidsart.com

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#1...FAKE BLOOD FOR MAKE UP
Karo brand corn syrup
Red and blue food coloring
Milk
Add some red food coloring to the corn syrup, then just a drop or two of blue to get a more realistic dark color. Milk will make the blood appear more opaque and more realistic.
Note: This mixture is sticky and can stain clothes.

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FAKE BLOOD  #2 
Ingredients:
2-1/2 Tablespoons water
60-70 drops of red food coloring
10-15 drops yellow food coloring
2-3 drops blue food coloring
5-1/2 Tablespoons white corn syrup
Directions:
1. Mix all of the food colorings and water together.
2. Slowly stir in the corn syrup until the mixture is thick, but still "slides" down your arm. This goop WILL STAIN your clothing! 3. Smear it on your skin wherever you want the "blood" to be.
Adult Supervision Required

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