Short Playscripts for Children

Short play scripts for children bring stories to life and strengthen reading and social skills in the process. Scripts are read rather than memorized and can be performed seated or with a bit of movement. The emphasis, however, is on reading with expression and using gestures to accentuate the story's action.

  1. The Magic Brocade

    • "The Magic Brocade: A Tale of China" is a short play for children 8 to 15. An estimated 12 minutes in performance length, the play is adapted from Aaron Shepard's picture book of the same name. It calls for a cast of at least nine. The Chinese folktale focuses on creativity and the pursuit of dreams. Chen, who lives with his widowed mother, spends most of the story trying to help her recover a beautiful brocade she created. A brocade is a woven cloth with raised images. His journey takes him to the magical palace his mother wove into her brocade. His triumph over adversity and her artistry is rewarded in the end.

    Slappy Hooper

    • "The Legend of Slappy Hooper: An American Tall Tale" is loosely based on "Slappy Hooper, World's Biggest, Fastest and Bestest Sign Painter," a Depression-era story gathered in 1938 through the Federal Writers' Project. The play was adapted from Aaron Shepard's 1993 picture book of the same name. Geared toward ages 8 to 13, the 10-minute play has a cast of eight or more along with small groups to play the non-speaking parts of vacationers and firefighters. The theme is pursuit of excellence. Three narrators tell the story of Slappy Hooper, a larger-than-life character whose paintings have a habit of coming to life. The ensuing commotion caused by paintings that attract bees and create weather events leads Slappy to the ultimate painting assignment.

    Outwitting the Imp

    • "Outwitting the Imp" is based on a folktale from the Congo. Suitable for ages 8 to 13, the short play calls for a cast of six and a narrator. The story follows a husband, wife and son as they harvest cassava roots. They are beset by a pair of feral pigs, and as they try to determine how to get rid of the bothersome beasts, an imp appears and poses an even greater problem. Whootie Owl offers several enrichment activities for the play, including writing and research activities as well as games and public presentation exercises.

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