Teaching Drama to Little Ones
$35.00 – $85.00
Over 70 Theatre Activities for Kids Age 3-7!
Do you find it difficult to find drama activities for preschool age children?
We’re here to help. Working with very young children is a completely different experience than working with older kids. Their attention spans are shorter and they require games that are simple, short and active…but also provide them with the skills necessary to grow as an actor.
Teaching Drama to Little Ones is packed with activities that do just that. It includes 12 lesson plans specifically designed for this age group that you can implement today. It also includes guides on how to adapt a script and rehearse a show with this age group. We’ve even created a special 15-minute edition of our most popular musical We Are Monsters as an optional performance kit for your classroom!
With this eBook you’ll receive:
- 12 lessons plans packed with over 70 activities ideal for kids age 3-7
- Each lesson contains a Warm-Up, Focus, Voice, Movement and Imagination activity
- Simple reflection questions after every lesson
- A guide to creating a script for little ones
- A guide to auditioning, rehearsing and performance tips for little ones
- An appendix with lyrics of simple songs for classroom use
A note from author Jessica McCuiston:
When I first started directing children’s theatre, I found it especially challenging to teach preschoolers and kindergarteners. Existing drama activities were geared toward older performers. The songs were too difficult and scripts were way too long. So I started adapting games, editing songs, and writing my own scripts. I wanted my younger students to practice valuable theatre skills, learn to be responsible actors, and perform a real show with lines and solos. This book is filled with activities that are ideal for working with 3 to 7-year-olds. It also comes with guidelines for creating a show and even includes an optional script that you can use with your own students!
Here’s an overview of what your kids will learn:
- Lesson 1: Getting to Know You. Students will feel comfortable in a new environment, realizing that theatre class is a place where they can make new friends while learning how to sing, dance, and act.
- Lesson 2: Make Believe. Students will use their imaginations to be different characters and go on make believe adventures.
- Lesson 3: Working with a Partner. Students will build trust and gain confidence by learning to work with a partner.
- Lesson 4: Working as a Team. Students will realize that theater involves teamwork and everyone has a role with something important to contribute.
- Lesson 5: Rhythm. Students will understand rhythm, be able to clap and follow a steady beat, and practice speeding up and slowing down their voices and movements.
- Lesson 6: Energy. Students will explore how energy is necessary when performing and learn how to control and focus using that energy.
- Lesson 7: Emotions. Students will explore how we use emotions to show the audience what we are feeling.
- Lesson 8: Actions. Students will use movement to learn the basic concepts of blocking, choreography, and stage directions.
- Lesson 9: Becoming a Character. Students will become familiar with the practice of pretending to be different characters.
- Lesson 10: Using Your Voice. Students will understand why projection and diction are necessary while singing and acting.
- Lesson 11: Acting Is Reacting. Students will understand that listening and reacting are just as important as speaking.
- Lesson 12: Putting it Together. Students will learn how their newly developed acting skills fit together as they prepare for a final presentation or show.
- Creating a Show for Little Ones. Tips for creating a short show.
- Performance Tips. Tips to guide you through the performance process.
We Are Monsters Songs and Scenes Version
It’s important to have a short performance at the end of a semester of classes. It allows little ones the chance to build confidence in front of an audience, and parents are able to fill up their iPhones with cute video of their children 🙂 We’ve included in this book a few tips on how to create your own show, but if you’d rather leave the work to us we’ve created a special “little ones” edition of Beat By Beat’s most popular musical We Are Monsters. With an approximate 15-minute run time, this script has scenes and songs that are the perfect length for 3-7 year olds. You can download the We Are Monsters Songs and Scenes classroom kit as an additional purchase and have everything you need to put on the show, including a printable script, piano sheet music, vocal MP3s, accompaniment MP3s (backing tracks that the kids can perform along with) and unlimited classroom use. All for a tiny fraction of the price of the full-length show!
Click here for a read-only preview of the show!
At Beat by Beat, we’re passionate about raising the bar on the quality of resources that are available for young actors…and you’ll find this book to be no exception. Over 30,000 people a month visit the Beat by Beat website, discovering tools and resources which have brought joy to teachers and creativity to young actors around the world.
You have our personal guarantee that if you aren’t completely satisfied, if you don’t love this monologue book and use it all the time, call or email us within 30 days and we’ll refund every penny immediately.
You can purchase Teaching Drama to Little Ones and We Are Monsters Songs and Scenes Kit separately.
Or, buy them together and save $15!
Teaching Drama to Little Ones eBook only:
- Instant download of a 39-page PDF eBook containing 12 lesson plans
- Over 70 activities for kids age 3-7
- The ability to print and photocopy as much as you need for personal or single-classroom use
- A 30-day no-risk guarantee!
List Price: $39.95
Order your copy and get started today!
We Are Monsters Songs and Scenes Kit only:
- Instant download of the 15-minute Script, Piano-Vocal Sheet Music, Vocal MP3s, Accompaniment MP3s (backing tracks)
- A license to print and photocopy all materials
- Unlimited classroom use!
Teaching Drama to Little Ones & We Are Monsters Songs and Scenes Kit (save $15)
- Instant download of a 39-page PDF eBook containing 12 lesson plans and over 70 activities ($30 Value)
- Instant download of the 15-minute We Are Monsters Script, Piano-Vocal Sheet Music, Vocal MP3s, Accompaniment MP3s (backing tracks) ($60 Value)
- Unlimited classroom use
- A 30-day no-risk guarantee!
List Price: $99.00
| Options: | Teaching Drama to Little Ones (eBook Only), Teaching Drama to Little Ones & We Are Monsters Songs & Scenes Kit, We Are Monsters Songs & Scenes Kit Only |
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Sarah –
Five Stars
Fab book
Shelley –
… first and second graders and this book has been fantastic. I don’t have time to do a lot …
I teach music and drama to first and second graders and this book has been fantastic. I don’t have time to do a lot of planning and searching for activities, and I love that I can pick up this book and teach without a lot of prep. I don’t use all of the activities, but I use most of them and the kids love it. In fact, I have a hard time getting them excited about music because they only want to do the activities in this book.
Susie R –
Five Stars
Excellent reference book
Kristi M. Dyer –
Best Resource for Young Students
This book is wonderful for streamlining your plans for theatre to younger students. It allowed me, a novice, to plan an entire theatre semester for a homeschool co-op. There is much crossover and overlapping of games in whatever theatre resource you use. However, this book spared me from reading all 100+ games in another resource, when I needed to see which games would work with a younger class. It’s an added bonus that the writer has organized the games into doable lesson plans, grouping games together that build on one another for that lesson’s specific goal.
Ryan –
Awesome resource
This has been a necessary addition to my curriculum as a performing arts teacher. The kids love the movement activities especially.
Amazon Customer –
Great resource
Really great resource. I use it in conjunction with the Drama Handbook, also by Beat by Beat. My students love the games and activities and I can see progress. Thank you!
P. –
Very satisfied with my purchase
Very satisfied with my purchase.
turners –
Great Resource!
I struggle with the little ones when teaching drama. This resources is easy to follow and implement. Can’t wait to start!
YvE –
For novices
Excellent for KS2 and novices to teaching Drama. Highly recommended
Cecilia Terrones –
Muy útil y fácil de aplicar con niños
Me ha encantado recibir este libro. Gracias de verdad que aún hay autores que se dedican a facilitar la tarea de otros maestros. Tengo que hacer un proyecto de drama con mis alumnos de 3 años y cuando he leído este libro me di cuenta que no era tan difícil como yo pensaba.
Lo he leído y se que podré utilizarlo y aplicar todas las actividades en mi clase.
THANKS A LOT JESSICA Mc CUISTON!!!!
Amazon Customer –
Great lesson plans….
This book is full of fun drama lesson plans that are easy to use.
Amazon Customer –
Great for starting or tired drama teachers with clear lesson plans and objectives.
This was just one of my purchases from Beat by Beat theatre publications that I have found useful along with their musical theatre ideas and drama blog. I certainly recommend the child friendly and teacher-supportive ideas.
PH –
Lots of helpful tips. Very clear and easy to read. Lots of great ideas to incorporate when working with very young actors.
kristie –
Easy to follow. Good variety and well laid out.
Melessia R. –
I used this to teach my 56 year old husband how to act because it has always been his dream. He is a slow learner so I figured this book would match his learning speed pretty well. Almost immediately he started singing around the house and imitating his favorite cartoon characters. Unfortunately he has developed some interesting tendencies such as asking me to take him to the playground but I’m happy that he is happy. He has an audition for the Broadway showing of Looney Toones this weekend and I have this book to thank for it!
J C C –
I was in drama class all through High School and College, but I never taught it. I was asked to teach a class of young kids for drama class, and I was nervous to start. I purchased this, and it gave me the confidence I needed to dip my feet back in to the drama world. I love the warm up games and how each lesson is simple. Great if you are just starting out, or a little rusty.
Sally C. –
I started teaching 2 years ago after being an actress here in the UK for 20 years and I have to say that you guys have been invaluable to me. I was able to purchase your Teaching Drama to Little Ones book and the Teaching Drama Handbook and they were like a safety net that gave me the confidence to begin.
I am now 2 weeks into teaching Musical Theatre and I will give you one guess which publication is seeing me through my first term.
I want to say thank you so very much and bloody well done!