Learning Level I: Foundations for Drama
Drama activities make up this foundational level to introduce a skill or concept needed to do dramatic work. These are “pre-drama” activities. There is no story involved.
Participants focus on developing skills needed to participate in drama. You can read a more in-depth description of the level along with a chart showing the skills mastered, a planning checklist, and strategies for using this drama form.
Find original drama activities below that you can use to practice the 3 drama tools (body, mind, voice). Use the search bar to find specific topics, skills or concepts. Additionally, we have included specific activities into grade-appropriate curriculum teaching drama objectives to national standards.
Join us at OneStopDRAMAShop and and unlock our resources refined in classrooms for over 45 years. Drama is already in your classroom: let us show you how to draw it out of your students. Take the next step in your drama journey!
“Who Am I?” Charades Activity

Abstract Story Shape

Action and Dialogue

Action Reaction Activity

Advanced Balloon Sphere Activity

Advanced Patty Cake

Airplane Control Tower Activity

Alice in Wonderland Activity

Animal Freeze Activity

Animal Observation Activity

Antonyms in Motion

Articulating Movement

Articulating Pantomime

Back to Back

Bag of Smells

Balloon Ride Activity

Basic Charades Activity
Basic Mirror
Bean Bag Hot Potato
Before I Couldn’t, but Now I Can
Big, Bigger, Biggest

Blind Walk Activity

Body Objects – a drama activity
Body Reactions I Activity
Body Reactions I Activity If your students are ready or excited to move into more story building – ease them in with this activity called Body Reactions which has a Level I and Level II. This activity has all students moving and pantomiming simultaneously …
Body Reactions II Activity
Body Reactions II Activity If your students are ready or excited to move into more story building – ease them in with this activity called Body Reactions II which is a follow-up to Level I. Building on the first one, this activity introduces everyday …
Body Sound Effects-Making Rain
Bop
Bounce the Ball

Career or Job Imitation Activity

Caught in the Act Activity
Change an Item Activity

Changing Action and Dialogue
Character Interviews
Character Observation Walk
Circle Claps
Circle Game
Class Sculpture
Classroom Sculptures Activity

Concentration Bubble Activity

Crazy Shapes Activity
Crossing the Road Activity

Discover, Explore, Use I Activity
Discover, Explore, Use II Activity
Down, Down, Down

Drawing Charades Activity
Emotion Bubble Activity

Emotion Masks Activity
Emotion Scene Activity
Emotional Responses Activity

Equidistant
Everybody Counts

Exchange Places Relay
Fabrics
Falling Down I Activity
Falling Down II Activity
Feather Activity

Flocking Activity
Follow the Leader Activity
Follow the Line Leader Activity
Follow the Parade Leader Activity
Gibberish Interview
Give and Take Activity
Gotcha!
Grandmother’s Footsteps Activity
Hat Pile

Heigh Ho

Help and Hinder Activity
Hey Everybody!
History Charades Activity

Hot Potato
Human Jigsaw Sculpture
Hunter and Hunted Activity
I Remember When Activity

I Spy

Imaginary Closet Activity
Imitating Objects Activity
Imitation Relays
Impossible Sculptures Activity

Improvisation: Saying “Yes”
Introducing Gibberish
Introducing Pantomime
Jumping Mirror Activity
Knots

Landscape Activity

Lemonade Activity
Lifting and Passing Objects

Light and Dark Activity
Listen to the Beat Activity
Listening Mirror
Lumi Sticks

Magic Carpet Ride Activity
Making Machines Activity
Making Objects Move
Man Made Rhythm

Math Improvisations Activity

Math Stories Activity
Meet and Greet Activity

Molding Space & Objects Activity
Motivation I: Move the Chair Activity

Motivation II Activity
Motivation III Activity
Motivation IV Activity
Music Mime I Activity
Music Mime II Activity
Nature Rhythm
Nature Rhythm Walk Activity
Noiseless Sounds
Object Box Activity
Obstacle Course Activity

One Word Story – Advanced
Pantomime-Creating a Room in Space
Pantomimes Activity
Partner Lifts Activity
Partner Pantomime Activity
Pass the Emotion
Pass the Face

Pass the Imaginary Object I
Pass the Imaginary Object II
Pass The Object
Pass The Story
Pass the Word
Peanut Butter and Jelly Activity
Peanut Butter and Jelly for Early Childhood

Pencil Sharpener
Phone Booth Activity
Photographs
Phrase Charades Activity
Pirate’s Treasure Activity
Poison Activity
Punctuation Walk Activity
Puppet Hands Activity
Rabbit, Elephant, Duck, or Horse Activity
Rag Doll Drop Activity
Reaching and Stretching
Red Light, Green Light Activity
Reflections Activity
Refrigerator Activity
Rhinoceros Activity
Rhythm of My Name Walk Activity
Robbers at the Door Activity
Rubber Band Activity
Rumors are Flying Activity
Sensory Observation and Recall
Simon Says Activity

Size, Shape, Weight
Snake in the Grass Activity
Snakes, Spiders, and Snails Activity
Snatch the Bacon Activity
Snowmen Activity
Sound Catch Activity
Sound Catch: Advanced #1 Activity
Sound Catch: Advanced #2 Activity

Sound Story

Sound Story #1

Sound Story #2

Sound Symphony
Space Chase Activity
Sport Pantomime
Stand Up for Teamwork
Statue Maker Activity
Statue Redesign Activity
Statues Alive Activity
Statues Speak Activity
Stick Foot to Floor Activity
Stop and Go
String Pull Activity
Tableau Activity
Tangled Arms I Activity
Tangled Arms II Activity
Tap Tap Activity
Team Chairs Activity
Team Juggling Activity
Team Object Vehicles
Team Pantomime

Texture Characters
The Adverb Game

The Chair

The Freeze Drama Activity
The Journey
The Kite Activity
The Letter Activity

The Liars’ Club
The Line Up Activity
Three Beanbag Toss
Tongue Twisters

Train Station
Transform the Chair Activity
Transform with a Chair Activity
Transforming Movement Activity
Transforming Sound and Movement

Traveling Through a Setting

Tray of Objects
Treasures on the Beach Activity
Truth on Stage Activity
Tug of War Activity
Vampire Activity
Vocal Character Responses Activity

Vocal Environment

Vocal Symphony

Voice Warm-up #1

Voice Warm-up #2

Waiting for the Bus
Walking Activity
Walking the Gauntlet
Walking Through Space Activity
Wall Mirror

What Are You Doing?
Who Started the Motion?
Who’s Got My Song? Activity
Word List Activity

Word Pictures
Word Rhythm Dance
