Every week in Speech Bubbles the children act out stories told by one of their peers. Our expert drama practitioners are always working out ways to best prepare the group to present the unique elements of each story. Sometimes they will adapt an old game or activity and some times they will make up a new one. 

Last term one of our practitioners created a new game to support the acting out of a story that included different times of the day! 

The game: Tick tock o’clock   

Steps  

1. Introduce 4 times of the day and give them actions ….for example  

   7 o’clock; Morning ; wake up and stretch  

   1 o’clock; Lunch; eat   

   4 o'clock; Play; skip and jump (or if seated wriggle hands and body)  

   Midnight; Sleep; hands at side of face  

2. Practice them. These times and actions can be altered to suit your purpose/ the story they are being related to.  

3. Group/class chant together; tick tock, tick tock, tick tock with facilitator/teacher doing visual countdown of the 3 times on fingers  

   Group sways like a pendulum  

   On 3rd tick tock all stop  

4. Teacher picks a child (or go around a circle) to choose one of the times. The group then all act out the action from that time until the teacher brrrrrings alarm and all start tick tock again.  

Purpose, learning and development  

This game can be used to support a story that has specific named times in the narrative or for any story that progresses throughout a day.  

It is also a stand-alone activity.  

Tick tock o’clock gives young people an idea that there is routine. It may allow them to recall their own routines giving a sense of self, as well as a chance to consider sameness and differences; it uses sequencing, breaking sequences and rhythm.  

The game requires memory recall and asks for leadership and following, speaking out and reacting. It also has elements of ensemble work (tick tock). It requires physical and verbal communication and is fun.    

It is good for  understanding our bodies; integrating input from the outside world, using listening skills, organising  and coordinating.  

It may help with developing the inner locus of control.  

Tick tock o’clock is great for group work, watching what your neighbours do, wondering what time they will choose and when implemented in a caring, light hearted, supportive atmosphere is relaxing and feelgood.  

The game can be adapted and used as a prelude for individual acting. One child can be frozen until the tick tocking of the ‘audience’ stops (then the group freeze) and a time is called out. The actions for that time of day are then performed by the ‘actor.’   

Hope you enjoy playing it!  

Julie