Warm-Up for Middle Schoolers: “I’m Going on Vacation…”

Do you need a simple warm-up to quickly get your middle school students into the drama class mindset? Try this classic game, with a drama class twist. Students will share what they’re bringing on vacation with them, and then act out what they’re bringing. Start with the basic instructions below, then try out the variations, or make up your own variations! No special equipment is needed for this warm-up.

Instructions:

1. Have students stand in a circle.

2. Select a student to start. This student, we’ll call them Student A, will say “I’m going on vacation and I’m bringing my [insert item here].” This item can be anything: a tractor, a crocodile, an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics, a bowl of tapioca pudding. The more unusual, the better. Student A then must act out the item: driving the tractor, using their arms to show the crocodile’s jaws, lowering their head as if someone is putting the medal around their neck and waving to the crowd, making or eating the pudding, etc. They can mime the item, or add a vocalization, sound effect, or short simple line (for example, “Mmm… I love tapioca pudding!”) if they wish.

3. The student next to them, Student B, then says, “I’m going on vacation and I’m bringing [insert Student A’s item]” and acts out Student A’s item, exactly as Student A did. Then Student B adds on: “and I’m bringing my [insert item here]” and they act out their own item.

4. The student next to Student B, Student C, says, “I’m going on vacation and I’m bringing [insert Student B’s item]” and acts out Student B’s item, exactly as Student B did. Then Student C adds on: “and I’m bringing my [insert item here]” and they act out their own item. The play continues around the circle with each student bringing their neighbour’s item and then their own item, until each student has had the opportunity to participate.

Variations:

• Make it a name game by having students use each other’s names: Student B says “(Student A) is going on vacation and they’re bringing [insert Student A’s item]” and acts out Student A’s item, exactly as Student A did. Then Student B adds on: “and I’m going on vacation and I’m bringing my [insert item here]” and acts out their item.

• Make it a memory game by having students repeat everyone else’s item before adding on their own (a huge challenge for the students at the end of the circle!).

• Make it a physical warm-up game by having everyone in the circle mimic the student’s action after they present their item.

• Make it a brainteaser game by having students follow specific parameters for what they can bring, such as something that starts with the same letter as their name (for instance, Padma must bring peanuts, a pencil, or a pillar), or something that has the same number of letters as their first name (for example, Michael must bring something that has seven letters, such as a gorilla or a cabinet). Or, have them choose items in alphabetical order (Student A brings apples, Student B brings a bicycle, Student C brings a camera, and so on).

• Make it a mime exercise and charades combo game by having students say “I’m going on vacation and I’m bringing my…” and act out the item without saying what it is. Have the rest of the group guess what the item is.

• Create your own classroom variations. Have students describe and write out the instructions in their own words.

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