The following activities have been developed by partner organisations, youth workers and young people of the local teams. Therefore, they have been tested with children and young people and adapted according to their feedbacks, if deemed necessary.
The activities have been divided in five main categories: team building; dramatization; visual arts; gamification and cooperative learning.
Here, you will find a description of all the activities, so that you can use them or find some inspiration to develop your own.
Line-up
Target group: Young people, Youth workers
Duration: 20 minutes
Group size: 10-30+
Objectives:
- Using nonverbal communication
- Group work
- Improving communication skills
Description:
- Participants should line up, according to the instructions given by the facilitator (e.g. alphabetically, by heights, by birthday, etc.). However, they will not be allowed to speak.
- Once they have finished, the facilitator checks if they lined up correctly and then asks participants to form a new line.
- In the end, the facilitator asks participants how they communicated, how they felt during the activity and what problems they faced.
Learning outcomes: To develop problem solving skills using non-verbal clues
Personal Passport
Target group: Young people, Youth workers, Children
Duration: 20 minutes
Group size: 10-30+
Materials: Cardboards, Markers, Pens
Objectives: Getting to know better all members of the group
Description:
- Give participants an A4 cardboard fold in half to be filled in with personal information such as:
- Name and surname
- Birth place
- Place of residence
- Job
- Hobbies
- Any information they would like to share or the facilitator would like to add (e.g., favourite books, place they would like to visit, where they would like to live, etc.)
- Once they have finished, they will show and exchange their passports with the other members of the group
Marshmallow challenge
Target group: Young people, Youth workers
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Group size: 2-30+
Materials: 20 Sticks of spaghetti (per group); 1 marshmallow (per group); Measuring Tape; 1 meter of tape (per group)
Objectives: Building the tallest freestanding structure with a marshmallow on top.
Description:
- Create a marshmallow challenge kit for each team.
- Divide participants into teams of 3-6 people and give each team a space in the room.
- Give clear and concise instructions about goals and rules of the challenge: a. Build the tallest freestanding structure b. The entire marshmallow must be on top c. Use as much or as little of the kit as needed d. Break up the spaghetti or tape (teams are free to break the spaghetti and cut up the tape) e. The challenge lasts 18 minutes
- Ensure everyone understands the rules and repeat them if necessary.
- During the 18 minutes, walk around the room to check the work of the teams and remind them about the time.
- After 18 minutes, measure the structures and identify the winning team.
- Teams reflect on how they dealt with the challenge. Facilitator introduces some questions to guide their reflection. Examples: a. How did we work as a group? b. What role did I take? How did I contribute? Is there anything I held off from doing? Why? c. Who took the leadership in the group? How did it manifest in different moments? d. What did I learn about my behaviour and myself? About other people and their behaviour? About the behaviour of groups? What insights can I take from this experience that I could apply in other contexts?
Learning outcomes: Marshmallow challenge gives participants the opportunity to reflect about cooperation, teamwork, leadership, roles, resource optimization and time management. It is a perfect metaphor of daily teamwork in real life.
Note: This activity is based on and has been inspired by the activity “Marshmallow challenge” developed by Tom Wujec: http://marshmallowchallenge.com/Instructions_files/TED2010_Tom_Wujec_Marshmallow_Challenge_Web_Version.pdf
Mission is possible
Target group: Young people, Youth workers, Children
Duration: 60 minutes
Group size: 10-30+
Materials: Flipchart papers, Markers, Recycled materials
Objectives: Carrying out all the tasks provided by the facilitator
Description:
- Tell the whole group they will have 45 minutes to carry out the tasks. For instance, during READ Final Workshop, participants had to:
- Make a list of the people participating for the first time in an Erasmus+ project.
- Gather Information on all the participating countries.
- Create a 2-minute choreography on the project
- Translate “I am dancing in the rain” in as many languages ad possible
- List all the reasons why people are participating in the activities. Each participant had to write something.
- Create the project anthem
- Make a promotional poster for the course/project
- Find three objects characterizing the place where the activities were held
- Create a collage
You can change the list of tasks according to the context you are working in.
- Check how many tasks they have done: was the mission accomplished?
- Ask participants to explain how they managed to carry out the activities as a group. Ask them to tell you what has worked, and what has not.
Performing Arts
Act out a Story
Target group: Children aged 7-13 years
*It can also be adapted to other age ranges by choosing different texts.
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Group size: 6-30+
Material: Copies of a book chapter or novel Paper Pencils, Markers, Colours, Pens, Glue Scissors, Coloured paper
Objectives:
- Increasing interest in reading books and enhancing participants’ sense of connection to their community
- Allowing young people at risk of social exclusion, poverty, and marginalization to improve their key competences
Description:
- Choose the book you will use during the activity.
- Introduce the text to participants. Tell them they should create a play based on that text. The play should be aimed at introducing the topic of the book to young people, making it appealing and interesting.
- Divide participants in small groups (3-8 each).
- Participants will have 1 hour to analyse the text and create the play.
- Each group will show the play to the whole group.
Learning outcomes:
- To plan, develop, design, produce, and perform a short play
- To put what they learned into practice
- To learn how to use communication, organizational and assessment/problem-solving skills
- To develop creative skills
Miming
Target group: Children and young people
Group size: 5-20+
Duration: 2 hours
Material: Copies of the short stories
Objectives:
- Promoting reading comprehension among participants
- Fostering creativity among participants, being able to convey a message without using words
- Strengthening confidence while playing one of the character of the story
Description:
- Divide participants in small groups (5-10 each).
- Provide each group with a short story.
- Give each group 15 minutes to read the story and analyse it.
- Each group will have enough time to create a play in which no one can talk or make sounds.
- The play should be based on the art of mime.
- At the end, each group will present the play to the whole group.
Learning outcomes:
- To understand the flow of the story while identifying important scenes.
- To overcome stage fright and gain self-confidence. Miming proved to be a very meaningful technique that helped participants learn and understand the story without cramming.
Shadow Theatre
Target group: Children and young people
Group size: 8-30+
Duration: 3 hours
Material: Copies of tales, Paper, Colour Cardboard, Flip-Chart Paper, Sticks Glue, Scissors, Pencils, Markers, Colours, Lamp
Objectives:
- Increasing interest in reading books
- Use drama and theatre to reinterpret a story
Description:
- Introduce participants to the activity and the shadow theatre
- Divide participants in small groups (4-6 each).
- Hand out a tale to each group.
- Give each group at least 1 hour and 30 minutes to analyse the text, create the puppets and the stage with the materials provided.
- Then, each group will present the play. You can suggest using music and background noise.
- Invite participants to reflect on the activity: what did they learn from it? How can they use it to work with young people?
Learning outcomes:
- To encourage reading, as participants should analyse the story, read it carefully and be familiar with it in order to achieve good results
- To put what they learned into practice To learn how to use communication, organizational and assessment/problem-solving skills
Dancing
Target group: Children and young people
Group size: 5-20+
Duration: 2 hours
Material: Copies of the short stories, Pencils, Costumes (if possible)
Objectives:
- Developing an alternative approach to reading to foster participants’ commitment, sense of responsibility, sensitivity, self-esteem and pride.
- Developing an understanding of the styles, the language, and the structure of performing arts.
Description:
- Divide participants in small groups (5-10 each).
- Provide each group with a short story.
- Give each group enough time to read the story and analyse it. They will have to agree on the roles they will play and create a choreography.
- In the end, each group will present its performance to the whole group.
Learning outcomes: To read and to revisit the contents of a short story through dance.
Visual Arts
Draw a story
Target group: Children and young people
Group size: 2-30+
Duration: 120-180 minutes
Material: Copies of the short stories, Paint, Cartons, Cardboards, Flipchart Paper, Sticks, Scissors, Glue, Tape, Pencils, Colour Papers, Other Artistic Material
Objectives:
- Enjoying reading
- Reinterpreting a story using visual arts such as painting and drawing
Description:
- Divide participants in small groups (2-3 each).
- Provide each group with the copy of a short story. Use different stories.
- Give each group 1 hour to read the story, to analyse the characters and the situations and create a poster or mural.
- Each group will present its work of art to the whole group.
Learning outcomes:
- To encourage reading, as participants should analyse the story in order to achieve good results.
- To allow participants use their artistic skills.
Extra info: Here, you can find more short stories: http://fairytalesoftheworld.com
Drawing a Comic strip
Target group: Children aged 6-8
*It can be adapted to other age ranges by choosing suitable books.
Group size: 5-20+
Duration: 3 hours
Material: Copies of book chapters or short stories, Pencil, Rubber, Paper, Markers, Pens
Objectives: Stimulating participants and allowing them to come up with new ideas to tell a story by drawing a comic strip.
Description:
- Introduce the activity.
- Divide participants in small groups (4-8 each).
- Provide each group with a book chapter or a short story.
- Give each group 1 hour to read, analyse the text and characters, develop a storyboard and draw their comic strip.
- Each group will present its work.
Learning outcomes:
- To learn that images can improve your memory and encourage people to read
- To develop new skills so as to understand a create a new story
Pop-up Book
Target group: Young people aged 14-18
Group size: 5-10
Duration: 3 hours
Material: Short stories, Pencil, Rubber, Paper, Cardboards, Paintings, Markers, Pens, Scissors
Objectives:
Developing young people artistic skills Giving young people new perspectives on books
Creating a pop-up book
Description:
- Hand out the short story to participants and give them 15-20 minutes to read it.
- Give the group some time (about 20 minutes) to plan a new storyline based on the text they have read.
- Help participant create a pop-up book.
- The final product could be shared with local organisations and schools. Moreover, it can be used for activities targeted at children in order to entertain them and let them read a book in playful way.
Learning outcomes:
- To help children create a pop-up book
To foster a new attitude towards reading among young people
Tell a story with your photos
Target Group: Children and young people
Group size: 5-30+
Duration: 120-180 minutes
Material: Copies of book chapters or short stories, Cartons, Cardboards, Flipcharts, Sticks, Scissors, Glue, Tape, Pencils, Colour, Papers, Rope, Smartphone or camera
Objectives:
- Learning to enjoy reading
- Telling a story using photography
Description:
- Divide participants in small groups (5-6 each).
- Provide each group with a book chapter or a short story. For instance, we have used chapters of “The Little Prince”.
- Give each group enough time to read and understand the story. They should write a tale inspired by a character, a place and/or situation they read about in the story.
- The group should take pictures to tell their new story.
- Pictures will be printed out and presented in plenary using artistic media: e.g. posters, booklets, etc. If you cannot print out the photos, ask participants to create a ppt presentation.
- Each group will present its work in plenary.
Learning outcomes: To encourage reading, as participants should analyse the story in order to achieve good results.
Paintings
Target group: Children aged 5-8
Group size: 5-20+
Duration: 2 hours
Material: Short stories or book chapter, Pencil, Rubber, Paper, Cardboards, Paintings, Markers, Pens
Objectives:
- Developing children creativity
- Making reading enjoyable for children
Description:
- Read the story and ask children to tell you what they think about it.
- Allow each child to create a small painting based on the story they have listened to.
- In the end, children present their painting, while their peers have to guess which part of the story they have portrayed.
Learning outcomes:
- To learn that visual images can favour memory and encourage people to read
- To develop new artistic skills
Gamification
Crossword Puzzle
Target group: Children aged 6-8
*It can be adapted to other age ranges by choosing suitable books.
Group size: 5-20+
Duration: 1 hour
Material: A short story or a book chapter, Flipchart paper, Markers, Pens, Pencils, A3 copy of the crossword puzzle, Copies of the clue cards/sheet
Objectives:
- Helping participants identify important words and review the story.
- Making learning fun and interactive.
Description:
- Introduce the short story/book chapter.
- Divide participants in small groups (4-8 each).
- Provide each group with a copy of the short tale or of the book chapter.
- Give each group 40 minutes to read the text.
- Then, give each group 20 minutes to complete the puzzle.
De-briefing
Ask participants to share their opinions about the activity. Did they enjoy it? What did they learn from it?
Learning outcomes:
- To enhance young people’s learning, allow them to understand important topics, and review the story.
- To foster cooperative learning.
Create a Board game
Target group: Young people aged 14-17
Group size: 8-30+
Duration: 3 hours
Material: Copies of a short story or a book chapter, Paper, Coloured paper, Scissors, Glue, Markers, Pencils, Pens
Objectives:
Introducing a creative approach to reading.
Fostering young people’s attitude towards reading by playing games.
Description:
- Divide participants in small groups (4-8 each).
- Provide each group with a different book chapter.
- Give each group 1 hour and a half to read the chapter and create a board game out of it.
- Then, each group will present the game and play it with the other participants.
Board games developed during READ
Board game
Participants have developed a typical board game inspired by the book “Matilda”.
Matilda’s cake
The game is inspired to a scene of the movie “Matilda”, based on Roald Dahl’s novel. During this scene, a boy is forced to eat an entire cake as he lied about having eaten a piece of the one belonging to his school principal.
Participants created a cake with coloured paper and cards. Each card asks participants to tell either a true or a false story. Each participant has to take a card and follow the instructions.
The others have to guess if the story is true or false. If the player who is telling the story accomplishes his/her task, he/she can move one space on the board-cake.
Be careful: if the card says that you have to tell a fake story, make it plausible. Otherwise, you will lose a point.
Learning outcomes:
To learn how to create a board game based on a book.
To discover the playful side of books.
- Draw your board on an A3 sheet of paper: be as creative as possible!
- Create your pawns and cards with the questions players should answer during the game.
- You can also create cards with bonuses and maluses.
Charades
Target group: Young people aged 14-17 *It could be adapted to other age ranges by choosing suitable books.
Group size: 5-20+
Duration: 1 hour
Material: Copies of the story, Clue Cards, Tokens
Objectives:
Introducing a creative approach to reading.
Charades is an activity that will help children review learning content in a fun and creative way.
Description:
- Prepare the clue cards by choosing different words from the story, e.g.: an object, a place, a person, an occupation, a feeling, etc.
- Put the clue cards in a basket so that nobody could see them.
- Divide participants in small groups (4-8 each).
- Provide each group with a copy of the story and give them 20 minutes to read it.
- Each group shall pick a clue and mime it (no props, noises or sounds are allowed).
- The rest of the group should guess the answer.
Learning outcomes: Charades is an activity that can be used during revision to help kids review a topic.
Card Game
Target group: Children and young people
Group size: 8-30+
Duration: 2 hours
Material: A short story, Dixit Cards (*if you do not have or are not able to purchase the Dixit Cards, you can create your own cards)
Objectives:
Fostering participants’ creativity by allowing them to share ideas and stories.
Developing communication and narrative skills.
Description:
- Divide participants in small groups (4-8 each).
- Provide each group with a short tale and cut out the ending.
- Give each group some Dixit cards.
- Tell participants that they will have to continue the story using the cards. Each member of the group should take a card and continue the story according to the image he/she draws.
- Give each group 30 minutes. Be sure that each member has picked at least one card.
- Each group has to write down the story they came up with.
- In the end, each group will present the story to the other participants.
Learning outcomes:
- To favour interaction among participants.
- To develop participants’ storytelling skills.
Cooperative Learning
Jigsaw
Target group: Youth workers, young people
Group size: 10-30+ people
Duration: 60-240 minutes
Material: Flipchart, Post-its, Markers, Pens, Papers, Handouts
Objectives:
- Learning to enjoy reading
- Analysing an issue
- Enhancing participants’ motivation
- Reducing conflicts among participants
Description:
- Divide participants into 5- or 6-person jigsaw groups.
- Divide the topic into 5-6 segments.
For example, we have used the State of Art developed within READ project and divided it into its different chapters: (1) Literacy and early school leaving, (2) Major obstacles faced, (3) Examples of national and local good practices, (4) Potential use of social networks, and (5) Key books in the country
- Give each participant a segment to learn. Make sure participants access only their own segment.
- Give participants time to read their segment at least twice and become familiar with it. There is no need for them to memorize it.
- Form temporary “expert groups” by having one participant from each jigsaw group join other participants who had to read the same segment. Give participants in these expert groups time to discuss the main points of their segment and to rehearse the presentations they will make to their jigsaw group.
- Bring the participants back into their jigsaw groups.
- Ask participants to prepare a creative presentation for the other groups.
- Each group has 15-20 minutes for its presentation.
Reflect with participants on the learning process with some questions. Examples:
- Was it useful for you to know about the situation in your country? And in the other countries? Was this technique useful?
- What was the most interesting step of the process?
- Do you think you can use it to work on other issues?
Learning outcomes: To learn more about one topic in an interactive way.
Note: This is an adaptation of “Jigsaw Classroom” Method. Visit website for more information: https://www.jigsaw.org/
Follow-up
Target group: Youth workers; young people
Group size: 10-30+ people
Duration: 60 – 180 minutes
Material: Flipchart paper, Post-its, Markers, Pens
Objectives: To develop new ideas
Description:
- Invite participants to write ideas on post-it (one idea, one post-it).
- Put all post-it on a flipchart. In plenary, a volunteer will read the post-it aloud and order ideas according topics.
- Define 5-6 topics and demarcate one place per topic on the training room, putting a flipchart with the title and some markers on the floor.
- Participants have limited time to develop the topic in concrete ideas, and they have the material to write it (flipchart and markers).
- They can stay always in the same group or rotate on different topic groups to favour the exchange of ideas and come up with new ones.
Learning outcomes:
- To develop new ideas
- To cooperate with the other participants
- To realize what has been learnt by participating to a specific activity (e.g., training course, international workshop, etc.)