Stageworthy by Widy

As the holidays approach, it can be tricky to keep your elementary students attentive and engaged. These Christmas-themed drama and dance activities will spark creativity in your students while continuing to build curriculum-based skills.

Stealing Christmas: A holiday themed version of the classic drama game “Keeper of the Keys”. In this version, the “Grinches” are sitting in a circle while “Cindy Lou Who” sits on a chair in the center, eyes blindfolded or kept closed, with a set of keys underneath. Grinches can sneak forward and try to get the “present” (keys) without Cindy hearing them. If Cindy hears someone, they raise a hand and point at where they heard the sound. If they point at a player trying to steal the keys, that person must go back to the outer circle and begin again. The game continues until someone steals the gift and brings it back to the outer circle without Cindy knowing. Once the present has been taken, all players pretend they have it behind their back. Cindy then takes off the blindfold and gets three guesses to figure out who has taken the present. Repeat with a new person as Cindy. More info on the original version of the game can be found here.

Christmas Roll-A-Dance Worksheets: These fun printables guide students through the steps to create holiday-themed dance phrases using a regular dice roll to choose a prompt. Dance phrases are great for single lessons because they are short and don’t require a lot of rehearsal time to be effective. Get in a quick and easy dance assessment before Christmas!

Christmas Carol Charades: Engage students in a game of Christmas-themed charades based on popular holiday songs. Divide the class into teams and have each team choose a Christmas carol to act out without speaking. Students can use gestures, expressions, and movements to convey the song title while their teammates guess. This activity promotes communication, creativity, and familiarity with traditional Christmas tunes. You can download some free printable Christmas charades cards here.

The Nutcracker Ballet Exploration: Introduce elements of the classic ballet “The Nutcracker” to your students through a simplified exploration. Show excerpts of the ballet (personally, I’m partial to the 1993 New York City Ballet version featuring Macaulay Culkin) and discuss the characters, storyline, and the magical world of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. Encourage students to create their own short dance sequences inspired by different characters or scenes from the ballet. This activity nurtures creativity, expression, and appreciation for the arts.

Slow Motion Snowball Fight: Work on your students’ physical control and expression with a slow motion snowball fight! Place students in two teams or make it a free-for-all. Then, when you say go, they’ll throw, dodge, and be hit by imaginary snowballs. Enhance the difficulty by adding sound instead of just pantomime – the slow motion dialogue adds an extra level of hilarity.

Incorporating Christmas drama and dance activities into your elementary classroom not only keeps your students focused but also enhances students’ creativity, teamwork, and imagination. These engaging activities provide opportunities for expression, movement, and exploration while celebrating the spirit of the season. Embrace the holiday magic in your classroom and watch as your students revel in the joy of learning through drama and dance during this wonderful time of year. Merry Christmas and happy teaching!

More Christmas Activities for Music, Drama, & Dance