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Premier Camps

!

Winter Holida

y Drama:

Christmas - A week in the W

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Overview

1. Christmas games

2. Dancer, Prancer & Comet 3. Christmas characters 4. Movement to music 5. Present delivery 6. Toy machine

7. Christmas costumes

8. The Grinch, Elves & Children 9. Christmas tree

10. Is Christmas ruined? 11. The legend of the spider 12. Christmas carol

13. Storytelling

14. How to train your Christmas creature 15. SHOWCASE

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Action & Adventure Christmas Games

Equipment:

• None Age range: 8-12

Timings: 45-60 mins Activity Description:

Anyone Who:

• Children sit in a circle on chairs. One child stands in the middle of the circle. Their aim is to ‘steal’ a chair, when others stand up. The child in the middle asks questions. If the questions applies to the children sat on chairs they must swap seats with someone else, meanwhile the child in the middle tries to sit down.

Keeper of Christmas:

• Children sit in a circle on chairs. One child stands in the middle of the circle. Their aim is to ‘steal’ a chair, when others stand up. The child in the middle asks questions. If the questions applies to the children sat on chairs they must swap seats with someone else, meanwhile the child in the middle tries to sit down.

Four Corners:

• Using pictures or words create four corners. • Corner 1- Father Christmas

• Corner 2- Elves • Corner 3- Reindeer • Corner 4- Snowman

• Ask the children to demonstrate the mime they associate with that Christmas Character. Children start in the middle. The activity professional shouts out the names of the different corners. When the children run to each corner they must enact a suitable mime. After a few goes the last child to each corner/or any child who does the incorrect action is out, and supports the activity professional.

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Action & Adventure Dancer, Prancer & Comet

Equipment:

• Carrot Age range: 8-12

Dancer, Prancer & Comet:

• The children make a large circle and stand in groups of 3. They label themselves the three reindeers, ‘Dancer, Prancer & Comet’. Reindeers are called, that child from each team must run around the circle and back to their group, who have made an arch with their arms. They must run through their arch and grab the carrot from the centre of the circle.

• Repeat as necessary

Premier Camps:

Action & Adventure

Activity 3:

Christmas Characters

Equipment:

• Images/pictures of well-known Christmas characters • Paper • Pens • Coloured pens Age range: 8-12 Timings: 45-60 mins Activity Description: Christmas Characters:

• Display images/pictures of well-known Christmas Characters around the room. For example Father Christmas, Elves, Rudolf, Grinch, Snowman, Jack Frost, Fairies etc.

• Ask children to walk around and look at the images, thinking about what they are wearing, and how they might move.

• Individually, and led by the activity professional, children walk around the room and focus on how each character might move, feel, look, sound. Focus on body language, facial expressions and voice. Showcase a few examples and discuss.

• On paper design your own Christmas character. It can be an original character or spin on a well now one. Complete in pairs or small groups.

• In small groups create a short scene involving your new or improved Christmas Character and other well know Christmas characters. Who do they live with? What age are they? What do they do?

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Action & Adventure Movement to Music

Equipment:

• Christmas action slips (See below) • Instrumental music • CD player Age range: 8-12 Timings: 45-60 mins Activity Description: Movement to Music:

• Children work in pairs or small groups. Give each pair/group a ‘Christmas Action’ slip

• For example- wrapping presents, hanging up stocking, cooking roast turkey, playing Christmas games, decorating the tree, singing carols, building a snowman, meeting Father Christmas, flying a sleigh etc. • Play a piece of instrumental music to the group. Discuss with the children what emotions and feelings

the music makes them think of. Ask the children to create a movement sequence to the music that demonstrates the action they have just been given. This doesn’t have to be a dance, but can be if a group chooses too. Focus needs to be on movement and mine.

• Allow time to rehearse and perform.

Christmas Action

Slips

Wrapping presents Hanging up the stocking Cooking roast turkey Playing Christmas games Decorating the tree Singing carols Building a snowman Meeting Father Christmas Flying a sleigh

Making snow angels

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Action & Adventure Present Delivery

Equipment:

• Equipment to make an obstacle course-for example chairs, mats, blankets, boxes etc. • Blindfolds • Christmas music Age range: 8-12 Timings: 45-60 mins Activity Description: Present Delivery:

• As a group discuss what obstacles Father Christmas might face on Christmas Eve when delivering presents. For example- snow drift, houses, mountains, office blocks, bright lights etc.

• As a class create an obstacle course using chairs, mats etc. that represent the epic journey Father Christmas has to go on to deliver the presents. Try and encourage physical theatre, where the children physically create some of the objects themselves. Set rules and expectations to ensure the course is safe.

• Divide the group into two halves. One group represent the objects and watch the others. The other half work in pairs to guide their blindfolded partner safely across the course. They must follow their instructions to reach the other side of the course. Other students will intermittently shout false information or opposing instructions.

• Play some Christmas music to get in the festive cheer! Repeat as necessary

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Action & Adventure

Activity 6:

Toy Machine

Equipment:

Toy Machine:

• Discuss that over the year the Elves are hard at work making and wrapping all the presents. In pairs the children must decide what present as Elves they are going to make and wrap. For example- toy car, dolly, rocking horse etc.

• Together they are to create a short mime demonstrating hammering, sawing, chopping, painting, wrapping etc., as they make the present.

• The children showcase a few of their mimes to the class. As a group the children are going to create one large ‘Essence Machine’. A large repeated mime that involves all the children demonstrating the huge toy making machine. One-by-one each pair go into the centre of the circle and ‘add on’ their section of the machine. They repeat their mime until all pairs have joined. They must all be connected to one another. Add in sounds if necessary.

• Divide the children into small groups. 4/5 per group. Give each group a Christmas word or phrase. Ask them to create their own ‘Essence Machine’ that represents this word.

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Action & Adventure Christmas Costumes

Equipment:

• A selection of age appropriate costumes and small props

Age range: 8-12 Timings: 45-60 mins Activity Description:

Christmas Costumes:

• Ask the children to select one prop or costume from the selection offered. Ask the children to create a character based around the prop or costume they have chosen. They must incorporate characterisation and physical theatre elements into their character. The prop/costume can be used as a character

stimulus and/or to support their character work. (For example- tinsel helps support the character work related to a little girl decorating a tree for the first time. For example- a song sheet helps support a character who is singing carols).

• Children work with a partner to create a short scene where the two characters they have just created might meet. Ask the children to think about what they might discuss, where the scene might take place and how they can incorporate the props/costumes into the scene.

• Allow time to rehearse and perform

Premier Camps:

Action & Adventure

Activity 8:

The Grinch, Elves & Children

Equipment:

The Grinch, Elves & Children:

• (A fun group version of ‘Paper, Scissors, stone’)

• Divide the group into two teams. Direct the teams to go to either side of room. • Each team secretly decides if they are going to be ‘The Grinch, Elves or Children’.

• They line up on two sides of the room facing each other. The teacher counts 1, 2, and 3. On each number the groups takes one step forward. On “3” they take up the position of the character the group has decided on:

Grinch: miserable face and arms folded Elves: put invisible cloak over their shoulders Children: pull faces and tell jokes

-The Grinch beat Elves- by making them unhappy -Elves beat Children- by going invisible and sneaking off

-Children beat The Grinch – by telling him jokes and making him laugh

• The losing team must run back to their side of the room. The winning team try to “tag” as many of the losing team as possible before they get home. The captives now become part of their captors’ team. Continue until one team wins.

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Action & Adventure Christmas Tree

Equipment:

• An assortment of pieces of materials and fabric – large, small, different textures and colours. • Basis Christmas decorations

Christmas Costumes:

• The children sit in a large circle. In the middle of the circle is an assortment of pieces of materials and fabric - large small, different textures and colours. The children select one or two pieces of material each. • They must decide how the material can be used as part of a huge Christmas tree. For example tinsel, tree

branches, decorations, presents etc.

• The group are to physically create a large Christmas tree all together. Led by the activity professional the children enter the circle one at a time, with a piece of material and begin to make a large tree, using physical theatre.

• Once the tree is made, led by the activity professional, a few children can be selected to bring to life decorating the tree and putting out the presents. Repeat as many times as necessary.

• Children can swap materials and create smaller trees/Christmas scenes in groups/pairs.

Premier Camps:

Action & Adventure

Activity 10: Is Christmas Ruined? Equipment: • Tables • Chairs • Paper • Pens Age range: 8-12 Timings: 45-60 mins Activity Description:

• Explain to the children that an evil villain (they can decide who this is) is on the loose on Christmas Eve and is trying to ruin Christmas. Inform the children how the villain is trying to do this- stealing presents, knocking over Christmas trees, pulling down lights etc. Discuss as a group what type of Villain it is. • In groups create the following scenes;

• The newsroom- 2 news presenters updating us on the breaking news of the villain on the loose. (Set up like a newsroom)

• On scene reporter interviewing eye witnesses’ • On scene reporter interviewing a local resident/child • Reporter interviewing Father Christmas/Rudolf/Elves etc.

• Divide the children into as many groups as necessary. It doesn’t matter if groups are creating the same scenes.

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Action & Adventure The Legend of the Spider

Equipment:

• ‘The Legend of the Spider’ story- at least 3-4 copies (See resources below)

The Legend of the Spider:

• Read the short story synopsis to the children- The Legend of the Spider. Discuss the storyline and any ideas related to it. Discuss the use and purpose of narration within a performance.

• Divide the children into 3’s and give each group a copy of the story. Each group are to write and rehearse their own quick version of ‘The Legend of the Spider’ story. They should focus on the most important parts of the story.

• Group members narrate the story and the others mime what is happening. The scene can’t be any longer than 2 minutes. The quick version may end up being humorous in places.

Premier Camps:

Action & Adventure

Activity 10: Is Christmas Ruined? Equipment: • Tables • Chairs • Paper • Pens Age range: 8-12 Timings: 45-60 mins Activity Description:

• Explain to the children that an evil villain (they can decide who this is) is on the loose on Christmas Eve and is trying to ruin Christmas. Inform the children how the villain is trying to do this- stealing presents, knocking over Christmas trees, pulling down lights etc. Discuss as a group what type of Villain it is. • In groups create the following scenes;

• The newsroom- 2 news presenters updating us on the breaking news of the villain on the loose. (Set up like a newsroom)

• On scene reporter interviewing eye witnesses’ • On scene reporter interviewing a local resident/child • Reporter interviewing Father Christmas/Rudolf/Elves etc.

• Divide the children into as many groups as necessary. It doesn’t matter if groups are creating the same scenes.

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Legend of the Christmas Spider

Long, long ago, on Christmas Eve, the spiders were banished from homes while the houses were cleaned for Christmas and their webs were broken. They just managed to survive and had to move to the farthest corner of the attic for the time being. However, some of the young spiders longed to see the decorated Christmas trees that filled the houses at Christmas. The adult spiders tried to make the young understand that they were not allowed inside the rooms but the young spiders were quite curious and adamant. Finally, the oldest and wisest spider came up with a solution and suggested that in the night, when everybody went to bed, perhaps they could creep out of their corners and get a closer look of the magical Christmas tree.

Even the adult spiders felt the thrill of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them and at midnight, when the house of a family was dark and silent and everybody was fast asleep, the spiders crept out of their hiding place and slowly reached the Christmas tree. They were so captivated by the beauty that they spent all night in the tree, crawling up and down and examining its beautiful ornaments. They could not curb their urge to weave pretty and delicate spider webs all over the tree as they danced on its branches. Now the angel on top of the tree had watched the spiders dancing all night and knew the family would be upset to see the spiders webs making a mess all over the newly decorated tree.

So while the spiders slept the angel gently touched the spider webs and set them sparkling and

shining in silver and golden colours that made the Christmas tree look even more beautiful than before.

The next morning when the family awoke they were surprised by the beauty of the tree and devotion of the little spiders who worked hard that Christmas Eve.

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Action & Adventure Christmas Carols

Equipment:

• A selection of lyrics from either Christmas Carols or Christmas Songs- Activity Professional to organise these

The Legend of the Spider:

• Divide children into small groups. Give each group either the lyrics from a Christmas song or a Christmas carol. Ask each group to read the words together and discuss the story elements.

• They are then to create a scene or role play using the lyrics as a stimulus. They can use as much or as little from the lyrics as they like.

• Encourage as many drama techniques within the scene as possible:-• Physical theatre • Body language • Voice • Facial expressions • Mime • Movement • Narration • Thought tracking • Freeze frame etc.

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Action & Adventure

Activity 10: Storytelling Equipment: • Paper • Pens • Blutac Age range: 8-12 Timings: 45-60 mins Activity Description: Storytelling:

• Provide the children with pieces of paper and pens and ask them to write down words related to Christmas. Display these words around the room. Ensure there is at least one word per child. • Each child selects one word from on display around the room, and joins up with another child.

• In pairs they are given a large piece of paper and a pen and allowed time to brainstorm ideas related to the two words they have. They must try and think of a plot or story that incorporates the two words. • On the reverse of the piece of paper they are to write down 5 bullet points of the 5 most important parts

to their story/plot that they’d like to include in the story.

• Each pair now swap their papers over and different pairs create a short scene following the plot they have been given. Allow rehearsal time and discuss a range of drama techniques that the scene must include- for example mime, still images characterisation, facial expressions etc.

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Action & Adventure How to train your Christmas creature

Equipment:

How to train your Christmas creature:

• Children work in small groups or pairs. They are to create a set of instructions to teach someone else how ‘To train your Christmas Creature’. First they must decide on their Christmas creature- such as elf, snowman, reindeer etc.

• They must decide on a list of 5-10 easy to follow step-by-step instructions. These can be weird and wonderful!

• Once the instructions have been written down, they swap the instructions over, so different groups/ pairs have other groups’ instructions. The groups must now closely follow the instructions they have been given. One member of the group is Christmas Creature that they must try and train.

Premier Camps:

Action & Adventure

Activity 15:

SHOWCASE

Equipment:

• Unknown Age range: 8-12

Showcase:

• Allow time for children to select some of the performance pieces they have created throughout the week.

• They can add and alter these if necessary and combine elements of them together. • Allow time to rehearse and show as a showcase at the final session.

• For example: • Christmas characters • Movement to music • Present delivery • Toy machine • Christmas costumes • Christmas tree • Is Christmas ruined? • The legend of the spider