Create a character and write a speech from their point of view.
What you’ll need: A piece of paper and something to write with
What’s it for?
This activity will help you imagine how you might feel and express yourself as a character in a play. This will help you think about things from different points of view and give you the opportunity to express yourself in new ways.
Check In:
Notice how you’re feeling right now. Close your eyes and notice what’s going on inside your mind and body.
How are you feeling?
What are you thinking?
How does your body feel?
Method:
In a play characters sometimes speak on their own for a long time about what they are thinking or feeling, rather than in a conversation with another person. This is called a monologue. You are going to write your own monologue to share how a character you design might think or feel.
To start, decide who you are going to pretend to be. Write down or draw some things about this character and imagine what kind of play they are in. Choose some personality traits for your character, like kind or angry or shy or energetic.
Next, decide what your character is going to talk about. Has something really good or really bad just happened to them in the play? Are they talking to someone else or are they talking just to the audience? Write down what your character is going to say. Think about what kind of thoughts or feelings they might want to share.
Finally, you can perform your monologue! You might like to do this on your own, in front of a mirror, or to someone else in your house. Think about what expressions and body language the character mighty have while they talk. What would their face look like? Would they be sitting, standing, or moving around?
Extra Activity: If you’d like to perform your monologue to someone else, you could make a costume first. What do you think your character looks like? Do they need any special clothes or props for the scene you’ve written? Use your imagination to think of what you could use in your performance.
When you’ve finished, spend a moment reflecting on the activity and ask yourself the following questions:
Who did you pretend to be? How are they like you and how are they different?
What did your character talk about in their monologue?
How was the character feeling? Is this the same or different as you would feel in this situation?
What do you imagine might happen next in this play?
How did your body feel when you were pretending to be your character?
Conclusion:
This activity helps you to imagine how another person might feel or think, and how they would express it in words and body language. This can help your emotional literacy and expression, and develop empathy with other people.
Take a moment to notice how you are feeling at the end of this activity. Did you discover anything surprising? What can you take away to make you feel better about yourself from this activity?
If you would like to, share something about your experience with this activity with someone you live with! Ask the person who looks after you to send us an email if you have any questions or comments about the activity, or would like to send us any pictures (info@catcorner.co.uk). Don't forget to subscribe for more fun CAT activities!
Created by Heather Dingle © September 2020
Creative Arts Used: Drama, Creative Writing
Psychological Areas Explored: Emotional Literacy, Communication, Relationships
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These activities could be done by children of all ages, but some may need the support of their parent or carer to read the instructions or complete the activity safely.
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