Character Runway Walk

Cones mark out a runway, and students walk it as different characters: a giant, a grandma, a robot, a princess or an astronaut on the Moon. Students practice imitation, different ways of walking and confidence performing in front of others.

How to play

1. Mark a 30 ft runway with cones and seat students along both sides as the audience (1 min).
2. The teacher introduces a character and everyone tries it in place at once: how it walks, where it looks, what its arms do (3 min).
3. In groups of five, students walk the runway as that character to music, strike a pose at the end and return along the outside (6 min).
4. Change the character each round so everyone walks at least three times (3 min).
5. Free round: each student picks their own character and the audience guesses who it is (2 min).

Rules

• Walk one at a time, leaving about 6 ft behind the person in front.
• The audience claps for every character and nobody makes fun.
• Return to your spot along the outside, never across the runway.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student rolls down the runway showing the character with arms, head and face.
• Shyness: the student can walk with a partner at first or be the announcer.
• Visual impairment: lay a rope along the runway floor as a guide for the feet.

Learning goals

• Imitate different ways of walking and moving.
• Show a character's personality with the body.
• Build confidence performing in front of the group.

Equipment for a class of 25

• music
• speakers: 1
• cones: 8

Teacher tip

Walk first yourself and exaggerate a lot: the class loosens up faster. Play different music for each character to help students get into the role.

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