hi there, plese help, I often do birthday parties with very young children -(aged three- four). most jokes and gags bypass them. Please help with some skits for these young audiences. I am too old to do fall-down things. Any other suggestions? I am in South Africa, and some children do not understand english. :D

I am a preschool teacher. Draw and tell stories are always good with this group as well as puppets. Sing silly well know basic songs like ABC's or Twinkle Twinkle or what ever you kids know. If you can play an instrument would be a good thing to add. Think visual and short, change activities and be quick or you'll lose them. Always have a new activity ready to go at a moments notice. I can give you a ton of ideas for movement games if you wish. One of my favorite with 3's is chase the tail if you have alot of room. Use chiffon scarves tuck one in each child's waistband for a tail and everyone chases everyone else trying to pull out their tail. You have to warn them to watch out and not run into others they can get so into the game. Another is hid the timer. Have a ringing non ticking kitchen timer hid it some where and everyone or one or two depending upon the degree of control you want go to look for it. Set it to ring in a couple of min. If they don't find it right away they have to listen for the beeping sound to localize where it is. This is kind of like a new version of hot/cold where the kids where the callers and one was the searcher. T
Sara K.

thanks a lot. I do have a puppet named archie and can do some ventriliquism. I do need some more lines to use with the young ones. if you could help me with some of that too, that would be appreciated.
Asjas

Keep it simple. Think about what they are just capable of doing. Do it but don't be capable. I like to dress up in front of them while everything that can go wrong goes wrong. They love it because you arent capable of doing something they are. They are going to help you. Another one the small ones love that I do is an eatact. Setting the table on a suitcase where all the stuff is in. Everything will fall everytime you have to get something out of the suitcase. You make this mistake over and over again and don't understand it. They find it hilarious. Be clumbsy. I like to be a clumbsy clown who doesn't know how even the simplest things have to be done and do everything wrong. Small children love this. Another act they love is my travelersact. Cary more things you are capable to cary so everytime you pick up one thing like for instance a suitcase another thing or things will drop. Let the children help you pick up, drop things etc. etc. Little children can continu this "game" for a long, long time.

While writing this I get another idea. How about carying a suitcase full of balloons. But the suitcase isn't closed properly. So when you pick up this suitcase the balloons will fall out. Try to pick up all the balloons and get them back in the suitcase. Have to try this one out one time.

Anyway hope this will cive you some ideas

thank you! this gives me some ideas and I will definitely try it out. I bought some really easy magic tricks also and tried them on my own 3 yr old granddaugther. the colouring book, a dissapearing silk that bchange into some sweets.. etc. love ye all!!
Asjas

kids that small find even words like underwear are funny...
I play a lot of games for my show... you may also find a parachute helpful to play with. Get at least a 12 foot one or it will be too small. You can always roll in the edges if you find it too big for the space or number of people, but you can't make it bigger if you get one that's too small. There is a thread around here somewhere about parachute games that was pretty good... if you search parachute, I'm sure you'll find it.

The best parachute activity I've done with young ones involved the kids moving the parachute as many ways as you can sung to the tune. Go round and round the village. I change it to Go round and round with a parachute. Go round and round with a parachute go round and round with a parachute. As we play this parachute game. Next verses are: 2nd: Go around the other way. (repeat 2 more times then end with same last line), 3rd: Go in and out with the parachute (again repeat 2 X's and end same line above), 4th: Jump up and down with a parachute -same repeats and ends, 5th: Shake, Shake the parachute (same repeats and end). I've done something similar with a long strip of elastic with ends knotted together to make a big hoop. You can do a couple of other things with that. The kids can step over the band to stand inside and put the band at their waist then spin around with the band rubbing on their waist. They can "twang" it. The can stretch it big place it on the floor and then stand on it. All kids then jump at a signal and it springs back to the middle. That always gets screams and giggles. I use the same song with the elastic band. Very simple and repetitive but that is what works with them.

One thing about your puppet. I had one who was a shy character and the kids seemed to love him best. It helped get their attention when they were noisy that they had to settle down cause the puppet would get to scared to come out. He would shyly peak out from his hiding place which helped get their attention. When planning activities for young ones you have to have a balance of active and quiet games. You will begin to sense them getting wiggly and needing to get up and move so having a list with lots of variety will help.
Sara K.