Helpful Guides
How to Put on a Short Play
Three-page guide to putting on short plays with young children.
How to Turn Stories into Plays
Complete guide to creating plays based on children’s books!
Books for Children to Act Out
List of 75 children’s books to use in drama class. Includes extra information on each title!
Plays with Flexible Casting
(These plays contain characters which can be played by either male or female actors.)
Fable and Folk Tale Scenes for Early Readers
Ten short fable and folk tale scenes for early readers or English language learners.
Friendship and Fun Scenes for Early Readers
Ten short friendship and fun scenes for early readers or English language learners.
Fairy Tale Scenes for Early Readers
Ten short fairy tale scenes for early readers or English language learners.
Occupations-Short Scenes for Early Readers
Ten short scenes about different jobs for early readers or English language learners. Each script is one page in length. Sight words and rhyming make scenes easy and fun to read.
Emotions Scenes for Early Readers
Ten short scenes about emotions for early readers or English language learners. Each script is one page long and contains a discussion prompt at the end. Sight words and rhyming make scenes easy and fun to read.
Snow White Rap
15+ characters. Approximately 7 minutes running time. Fun version of Snow White that includes rap!
Dolly the Polka Dotted Lama and the Mackindoo Zoo
15+ characters of any gender. Approximately 20 minutes running time. Dolly has a hard time fitting in because she looks different, but it is her uniqueness that ultimately saves the day. Comedy for all ages by Chuck Novatka.
Fred the Skunk
15 characters. Flexible gender casting, as characters are all animals. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play about a skunk who wants to make friends.
The Explorers and the Aliens
Two-page science-fiction themed script for young children. Parts for fifteen, with flexible casting.
Happy Birthday Beatrix Potter
13 characters with flexible casting. Approximately 20 minutes running time. Join Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, Hunker Munker, and other animal friends as they surprise Beatrix Potter with kindness and friendship. Written by Jennifer Reif.
Jack and the Beanstalk Rap
12+ characters. Flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Fun version of Jack and the Beanstalk that includes raps!
The Dilemma of the Broken Feeder
12+ characters, flexible cast. 8 pages long. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A short play featuring animal characters.
Dorothy’s Adventure in the Magical Kingdom of Oz
12+ characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time.
The Three Little Pigs Rap
11+ characters. Approximately 7 minutes running time. Fun version of the Three Little Pigs that includes rap!
The Slumber Party in the Woods
11 characters. As written, it is for an all-girl cast, but can be adapted to accommodate male cast members. 7 pages. Approximately 8 minutes running time.
Stone Soup with Simple Songs
10 characters. Approximately 10 minutes long. Based on the folktale about sharing with strangers. Includes simple songs to familiar tunes.
Puss in Boots for Early Readers
10+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 5 minutes long. Based on the Italian folktale, Puss in Boots.
The Ever Changing Story
10+ characters. 5M, 5F, Flexible Cast; 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A comedic journey along America’s West-Coast for children written by Terence Patrick Hughes.
Alice in Wonderland for Early Readers
Flexible casting for 10+ characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Leading narration and rhyming make it perfect for preschool and elementary. Includes suggestions for adding more poetry to your production.
BUGS (play script)
10+characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Original play script about bugs and insects perfect for primary grades.
A Sea Change in the Forest
9 characters. Approximately 5 minutes running time. Short environmental play about keeping our woodlands safe, while continuing to provide lumber for society.
Celebrate Winter
9 characters. 5 minutes running time. The animals of the forest gather to celebrate the changing of the seasons.
Little Red Riding Hood Rap
9+ characters. Approximately 5 minutes running time. Fun version of Little Red Riding Hood that includes rap!
Ghostly Rap
7-20 characters.6 pages long. Approximately 5 minutes running time. Ghost story play for children that includes ‘raps.’
The Velveteen Rabbit
7-10 characters, approximately 15 minutes running time. Touching story based on the beloved children’s book, The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. Incorporates tableaus and creative movement. Adapted by Jennifer Reif.
A Lamb’s Tale
6+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Simple play for very young children based on ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb.’
Dog, Cat, and the Red Bird
6 characters. Flexible cast; 3 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time. A short play for children about acceptance by Shaneisha Dodson.
The Google-Bob Berry Bush
Short Dr. Seuss-style script for ages 5-7. 6+ parts. Flexible casting. 3 pages long.
The Banyan Tree and the Little Grass
5+ characters. 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A folktale for young children written by Sashi Mendis.
The Swan and the Rubbish
5-14 characters. 4 pages long. Approximately 3 minutes running time. A kind swan picks up garbage after people visit a park.
The Moon and Her Mother
5+ characters. Approximately 3 minutes running time. Short play based on an Aesop fable.
The Little Grey Cloud
4 characters. Flexible casting. 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A story about making friends for young children written by Sashi Mendis.
Little Miss Muffet
4 characters with flexible casting. Approximately 5 minutes running time. Adapted by Val Neubecker.
Plays by Cast Size
(Organized by size of cast with larger casts listed first.)
18 Siblings in the Old Woman’s Shoe
18 characters. 6 pages in length. Approximately 6 minutes running time. A short nursery rhyme adaptation by playwright, Mariah Beachboard.
The Explorers and the Aliens
Two-page science-fiction themed script for young children. Parts for fifteen, with flexible casting.
The Troll’s Heart
12+ characters. This can be a whole-class play. Approximately 7 minutes running time. Fantasy play about a troll who turns a little girl into different animals.
The Dilemma of the Broken Feeder
12+ characters, flexible cast. 8 pages long. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A short play featuring animal characters.
The Bravest Badger
12+ characters, 5 minutes running time. It’s no wonder the animals on Apple Tree Farm are suspicious of this new creature. None of them have ever met a badger before. Rhyming and narration make this a perfect choice for early elementary. Royalty-free for educational use.
The Slumber Party in the Woods
11 characters. As written, it is for an all-girl cast, but can be adapted to accommodate male cast members. 7 pages. Approximately 8 minutes running time.
Benjamin the Hiding Bunny
10+ Characters. Cast size and gender breakdown are flexible. Leading narration and animal characters make this a perfect play for young children. Inspired by stories of Beatrix Potter. Approximately 15 minutes running time.
The Ever Changing Story
10+ characters. 5M, 5F, Flexible Cast; 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A comedic journey along America’s West-Coast for children written by Terence Patrick Hughes.
Dog, Cat, and the Red Bird
6 characters. Flexible cast; 3 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time. A short play for children about acceptance by Shaneisha Dodson.
The Owl and the Pussycat
6 characters. 2 minutes running time. Adaptation of the classic Edward Lear poem into a play script.
The Banyan Tree and the Little Grass
5+ characters. 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A folktale for young children written by Sashi Mendis.
The Swan and the Rubbish
5-14 characters. 4 pages long. Approximately 3 minutes running time. A kind swan picks up garbage after people visit a park.
The Little Grey Cloud
4 characters. Flexible casting. 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A story about making friends for young children written by Sashi Mendis.
How Chipmunk Got His Stripes
4 characters, 3 minutes long. Native American Legend about how the chipmunk got his stripes.
The Hula Hoop Girls: American Capitals
2 characters. 2F; 3 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time. A scene for young girls about studying written by David-Matthew Barnes.
Hula Hoop Girls-Sharing Means Caring
2 characters. 3 pages. Approximately 2 minutes long. Two girls learn a lesson about sharing.