SPLASH
A Name-Learning Drama Game for Kids

Students mime throwing water balloons and ducking, while learning names in this fun-filled warm-up game.
It’s also a great way for young actors to practice listening and concentration.

Step-by-Step Instructions

After an initial introduction or game where students say their name, try this game to reinforce those names.

• Gather the students in a large circle. Make sure everyone knows the name of the person to their left and to their right.

• One person stands in the center of the circle and calls out the name of a student. When that person hears their name, they must immediately duck down, while the students to their left and right pretend to throw an imaginary water balloon at each other while yelling “Splash”.

• The last one of the three to either duck or throw a balloon is “out” and must go to the center of the circle to call the next name. (If all three move at the same time and there is a tie, the person in the center remains in the center and calls another name.)

• As people move in and out of the circle, the students on their left and right may change, so tell everyone to make sure they always know the name of the person to their left and right

MORE WARM-UP GAMES AND THEATER ACTIVITIES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
Concentration Claps - A concentration game that develops group focus through synchronized clapping
Name Game with Gestures - Each student improvises an action to accompany their name in this name-learning warm-up
Sound Ball - A fun warm-up where students pass an imaginary ball around a circle with improvised sound effects

© 2023, Friends of the Groom Theater Company

Curtains Up Curriculum by Friends of the Groom Theater Co. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Curtains Up is a training program designed for young actors sponsored by Friends of the Groom Theater Company.
It is available to the general public for free under the terms of the Creative Commons License above.