Create Your Family Play
This challenge invites your family to unleash its creativity by writing, designing, and performing a unique play. It's a fantastic way to develop storytelling skills, encourage teamwork, and create lasting memories together.
Our goal: In this spark, your learner will collaboratively brainstorm and develop a simple play narrative, practice creative writing and character development and work as a team to assign roles and stage a short performance.
What You Need
Paper • Pens • Crayons • Scarves • Blankets • Hats • Pens/Crayons • Simple costume items
and this is just the baseline.
Scan to jump into the app and easily personalize this Spark to match your child's exact learning level and see how Mai will guide this lesson.
Learning Guide
A simple guide to lead you through the kickoff, the core challenge, and everything in between.
Mai’s Tips
- Encourage younger children to draw the characters or scenes, or dictate their ideas while an older family member writes them down. All contributions are valuable!
- Remind everyone that this is about creative exploration and fun, not a Broadway production. Keep it light, flexible, and celebrate every silly idea.
1Introduction 5 min
Imagine a grand theatre and a blank stage! Ask your child what kinds of stories they love seeing come alive. Encourage them to think about how stories get from someone's imagination to a live performance. Engage them in a quick brainstorm.
Guiding Questions:
- What kind of stories do you love to see come alive?
- Have you ever thought about how a story goes from an idea in someone's head to a performance on stage?
- What makes a good story?
Done: They've shared initial thoughts on storytelling or plays and shown interest.
Done when: Student expresses interest and shares some initial ideas about storytelling or plays.
2Explore & Plan 8 min
Lay out paper, pens, and crayons for your family. Guide a discussion about the three key elements of a play: Characters, Setting, and Plot.
- Characters are the people or creatures in the story who drive the action.
- The Setting is where and when the story takes place, creating the backdrop.
- The Plot is the sequence of events – what happens from start to finish.
Help them brainstorm ideas for each of these elements for your unique family play. Younger children can draw character ideas or suggest sounds.
Guiding Questions:
- Who are the main characters for our play?
- Where will our story take place?
- How does the story begin, develop, and end?
Done: They've contributed ideas for characters, setting, and a basic plot outline.
Done when: Student has contributed ideas for characters, setting, and a basic plot outline.
3Discussion 6 min
Now that you have some fantastic ideas, prompt your child to think about how working together will enhance your play. Emphasize that collaboration (or teamwork) means working together, combining different ideas to make the final result stronger.
Guiding Questions:
- How do you think working together will help us make our play even better?
- What parts of creating a play sound the most exciting to you?
- How can we make sure everyone's ideas are heard?
Done: They can articulate why working together is important for this project.
Done when: Student can articulate why collaboration is important for this project.
4Activity 9 min
Act as a facilitator to help bring your ideas to life. Start by outlining your story, deciding on a few key scenes or bullet points for actions. Help transcribe ideas if younger children are dictating. Have everyone choose or be assigned a role they are excited about.
Next, gather simple costume items from around the house, like scarves, hats, or blankets, using everyday objects as creative props. Finally, encourage a quick role-play or practice of your scenes, focusing on fun and experimentation over perfection.
Done: The play is outlined, roles are assigned, household items are found for costumes/props, and role-playing has begun.
Done when: Student has completed the physical activity of outlining the play, assigning roles, and finding costume pieces.
5Summary 2 min
Praise their efforts, creativity, and the collaborative spirit shown in creating and performing their play. Ask them to reflect on the experience.
Guiding Questions:
- What was the most fun part of creating and performing your play?
- How did working as a team help make your play a success?
- What did you learn about telling a story through a play?
Done: They've shared a key takeaway or their favorite part of the activity.
Done when: Student shares one key takeaway or a favorite part of the activity.
Beyond The Spark
Fuel their curiosity beyond the Spark with bonus extras.
Table Talk
Professional playwrights, actors, and directors work together to create plays and movies for audiences all around the world.
Challenge
Extend the play! Add more characters, create a longer story with several acts, design a simple set, or perform your play for grandparents or friends.
Quick Recap Quiz 4 min
Customize this quiz, add questions, or follow your child's lead! Each question has a 'Parent Tip' to help them find the answer without giving it away.
1. What's the first step in creating a play?
- Performing it for an audience.
- Brainstorming characters and a story idea.
Remind them that ideas come before action!
2. Why is teamwork important when making a play?
- Everyone can share ideas and help create it.
- Only one person's ideas matter.
Ask how different ideas make a project richer.
3. What can you use for costumes in a family play?
- Only store-bought costumes.
- Everyday items like scarves, hats, and blankets.
Encourage them to think creatively about household items.
4. How can creating a play help you in real life?
- It helps you tell stories and work with others.
- It teaches you how to buy tickets for a show.
Discuss how communication and creativity are valuable skills.
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