Ages 11–13
Middle school — text work, scene-building, vocal range
39 resources
Drama Games
See all in Drama Games →Free Drama Games & Activities
A huge searchable index of drama games — warm-ups, focus, ensemble, and ice-breakers, sortable by grade and group size.
Drama Games for Kids
Curated games library from one of the most-used theater education publishers. Step-by-step instructions and demo videos.
Drama Games: Improvisation for Connection & Confidence
Standards-aligned lesson plan using ensemble drama games to build trust, focus and listening for grades 3–5.
10 Theatre Games and Warm-Up Exercises for Kids
Compact list of go-to warm-ups every kids' rehearsal should have in its back pocket.
Great Acting Games for Kids
Industry-trusted list of acting games working directors actually use in kids' rehearsals and classes.
Improvisations and Drama Warmups
A long-running educator's collection of warm-ups and short improv prompts — plain text, easy to print and run.
Fun Indoor Drama Games for Kids
West End–produced list of indoor games for small spaces and home practice.
Improv
See all in Improv →Teaching Improv: 16 Lesson Plans for Kids and Teens
150-page handbook with 16 step-by-step lesson plans, 114+ improv games, and demo videos. Paid resource — the gold-standard curriculum.
Improv Games for the Drama Classroom
Practical short-form improv games organized for classroom use, with rules and variations.
5 Improv Games for Joyful Student Writing
Improv prompts that double as creative-writing scaffolding — useful for cross-disciplinary teachers.
Using Improv Exercises as Guided Play
Why improv works as a learning tool, plus exercises any teacher can run without theater training.
Short Plays
See all in Short Plays →Children's Plays (Royalty-Free)
D. M. Larson's library of free, royalty-free children's plays — small-cast and full-cast pieces, downloadable scripts.
Short Plays and Skits for Kids
Short skits and 5-minute plays — ideal for classroom showcases and rehearsal openers.
Plays for Kids & Teens
750+ royalty-free play scripts — musicals, one-acts, scenes, monologues, holiday plays. Filter by length and cast size.
Free Plays
Drama Notebook's free-tier scripts — a generous selection without subscription.
Kidsinco — Free Play Scripts for Kids
Decades-deep archive of free play scripts adapted from folktales and original short plays.
Free Scripts
Free downloadable classics, fairy tales, and modern short plays.
Reader's Theater
See all in Reader's Theater →Reader's Theater Editions
Free, acclaimed reader's theater scripts adapted from world folktales, humor and fantasy. Free for non-commercial classroom use.
Free Reader's Theater Scripts (Middle School)
Reader's theater script roundup pitched at middle-grade readers.
Reader's Theater Scripts and Plays
Long-running classroom resource site with free reader's theater scripts across reading levels.
Shakespeare
See all in Shakespeare →Shakespeare for Kids
The authoritative kids' hub from the Folger — character intros, performance videos, coloring pages, and short activities.
Teach Shakespeare — Lesson Plans & Resources
Free, classroom-ready lesson plans built around the Folger Method — text-first, performance-based teaching.
Short Shakespeare Scripts for Schools
20- and 30-minute versions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, and others — using Shakespeare's actual dialogue with bridging narration.
Shortened Shakespeare
Cut-down adaptations of major plays designed for school productions.
Playing with Plays
Best-selling 'Shakespeare for Kids' book series — short, performable adaptations of Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest and more.
Shakespeare for Kids: Plays for Children
Plain-language summaries and child-friendly retellings useful for context before tackling the text.
Songs
See all in Songs →200 Great Musical Theatre & Film Songs for Children
A massive curated list of age-appropriate musical theater and film songs written for child characters (treble voices).
32+ Musical Theatre Audition Songs for Young Boys (5–14)
Repertoire suggestions tailored to young male voices, sortable by show and tempo.
12 Audition Songs for Male Actors Under 12
Industry-vetted picks for young male actors — tested in real audition rooms.
Great Audition Songs for Girls Under 12
Companion list for young female actors — strong storytelling cuts that read well in 16–32 bars.
Audition Songs for Kids & Teens
Big-tent overview of go-to audition songs across age ranges and voice types.
Audition Songs for Kids — by Time Period
Useful when a casting call asks for a Golden Age, contemporary, or pop-rock cut.
21 Best Audition Songs for Children & Teenagers
Round-up from the leading musical theater news site — solid starting point.
Voice & Movement
See all in Voice & Movement →Theater Warm-Ups (PDF)
Printable PDF of vocal and physical warm-ups used in Geffen's education programs.
8 Theater Vocal Warmups for Actors
Lip trills, hums, tongue twisters and yawn-sighs — fundamentals every young actor should know.
Vocal & Physical Performance Exercises
Practical exercises grouped by goal: breath, projection, articulation, body awareness.
Voice Exercises for Actors
Conservatory-style voice exercises adapted for younger learners.
Vocal Warm-Up Exercises for Young Actors (Middle School)
Routines built specifically for ages 9–13 — fun, varied and protective of developing voices.
Vocal Warm Up for Actors
Teacher-facing breakdown of vocal anatomy, breath support, and warm-up sequencing.