What Are You Doing? Mime Game

A classic improv game in which one student acts out an action and, when the partner asks what they are doing, names a different one that the partner must start acting out. It trains attention, quick responses and a wider range of gestures.

How to play

1. Demo (2 min): with a volunteer, pretend to brush your teeth. The volunteer asks, "What are you doing?" and you answer something else, like "riding a bike"; the volunteer must start pedaling in mime.
2. In pairs spread out around the space (4 min), A starts with an action. B asks, A names something different, and B acts it out. Then A asks B, and so on without stopping.
3. If someone hesitates more than 3 seconds, names the same action they are doing, or laughs and stops, the pair scores a "blooper" point and restarts with a new action.
4. Theme round (3 min): the teacher gives a theme (sports, cooking, animals, jobs) and every action must fit it.
5. Circle round (4 min): groups of 6 in a circle; the turn passes to the person on the right, so everyone has to stay focused.
6. Share-out (2 min): each group shows its most creative action and the whole class copies it together.

Rules

• The action you name must be different from the one you are doing.
• Act it out with your whole body and no talking while miming.
• Each pair stays in its own space so nobody bumps into another pair.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: actions are performed with the upper body, and the group chooses actions that can be done seated.
• Autism: provide a picture list of 10 actions to choose from and remove the time pressure.
• Shy students: start in pairs with a trusted partner before moving to the circle.

Learning goals

• Act out everyday actions with clear gestures and the whole body.
• Respond quickly and creatively to a new prompt.
• Keep attention on the partner throughout the game.

Teacher tip

The hard part is saying something different from what you are doing: the brain wants to repeat, and that is where the laughs and the learning happen. Walk around suggesting big actions that move the legs, not just the hands.

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