Guess the Pantomime

Grade level

Grades 1–3

Time

About 15 minutes

Topic

Body and movement

Answer key

Yes, page 2 of the PDF

Kids practice

Pantomime without words or props, Showing size and weight of pretend objects, Reading body language, Making freeze frames

What kids do

Printed on the sheet:

1. Each actor is doing a pantomime: no words and no real props. Read what they do and write what they are pretending to do.
2. What is the actor pretending to do?
3. 1. Both hands hold an invisible wheel and turn it left and right. One foot presses down on the floor.
4. 2. Both hands hold something small at the lips. The cheeks puff out again and again, and the hands move farther apart each time.
5. 3. The tongue licks the air, again and again. Then one hand wipes the other hand fast, because something is dripping.
6. 4. The hands reach up and grab, one at a time. The feet step up, one at a time.
7. 5. Both hands hold a long handle and swish it side to side across the floor.
8. 6. One hand holds something small and moves it up and down over the front teeth. Then the actor spits.

Teacher tip

After kids write each answer, have a volunteer act it out from the description. The class checks whether the clues match.

How to use it

• Remind kids that no talking is part of the challenge.
• Show a pantomime first, like holding a heavy box, and ask the class what clues they saw.
• Read the box at the top of the sheet together, then try the first item out loud as a class.

Watch for

Using real props. The point is to show the object with hands and body.

Talk about it

• What did your body say without words?
• What would you try differently next time?

Take it further

Play pantomime charades at the end of the day.

US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.