Props and Costumes

Overview

In this 60-minute session, Year 2 students will further develop their dramatic skills by designing and creating simple props and costumes that reflect their fairy tale characters and settings. This practical activity is designed to deepen their understanding of characterisation and narrative, as well as enhance their performance through visual storytelling.

This lesson is the 7th in the 10-lesson unit "Fairy Tale Performance Adventure", building on previous lessons where students have explored fairy tale stories, character roles, and basic performance skills.

National Curriculum Links (England)

• Drama Programme of Study: Key Stage 1
  • Pupils should be taught to:
    • Use voice, movement, and facial expression to imagine and explore ideas
    • Recognise the role of the audience when performing
    • Explore and improvise ideas to develop drama
    • Use simple scripts and perform stories to small groups
• Art and Design Programme of Study: Key Stage 1 (linked for props/costumes)
  • Pupils should be taught to:
    • Use a variety of materials creatively to design and make products
    • Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Collaboratively brainstorm ideas for props and costumes that represent characters or story elements from their fairy tales.
2. Create simple, imaginative props and costume pieces using a range of materials.
3. Explain how the props and costumes help convey character, setting, or mood in their performance.
4. Show increased confidence in using visual elements to support dramatic storytelling.

Resources Needed

• Plain paper, card, tissue paper, fabric scraps
• Glue sticks, child-safe scissors, tape
• Colouring pencils, markers, crayons
• Lollipop sticks, string, buttons, feathers, pipe cleaners
• Old hats, scarves, jumpers, simple dress-up items
• A large brainstorming whiteboard or flip chart
• Space for small group work

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Lesson Structure

Starter (10 minutes)

Warm-up and Quick Review

• Begin with a brief whole-class circle time recalling their characters and stories.
• Ask: "What special things do our characters need to help us tell their story?" Guide the discussion towards identifying props (e.g., magic wand, basket) and costumes (e.g., crown, cloak).
• Write key ideas on the whiteboard/flip chart, organised into 'Props' and 'Costumes'.
• Reinforce the idea that props and costumes help the audience understand the story better.

Main Activities (40 minutes)

Activity 1: Brainstorming and Planning (10 minutes)

• Divide the class into their existing fairy tale groups (3–4 pupils per group).
• Each group discusses and decides on 1-2 simple props and 1 costume element that best represent their characters/story parts.
• Groups sketch or list their prop/costume ideas on paper.
• Teacher circulates, prompting children to think about how their chosen item helps tell the story.

Activity 2: Making Props and Costumes (30 minutes)

• Provide groups with craft materials and dress-up items.
• Pupils collaboratively create their chosen props and costumes. Simple construction encouraged (e.g., paper crowns, felt magic wands).
• Encourage creativity—using available materials in unexpected ways (e.g., pipe cleaners as crowns).
• Teachers support safe tool use and help develop ideas where needed.
• Meanwhile, children can practice putting on/taking off costume pieces to build familiarity.

Plenary (10 minutes)

Show and Tell with Reflection

• Each group shows their props and costumes to the class, explaining how they will help with their performance.
• Ask reflective questions:
  • “How does this prop help our audience understand our story?”
  • “What does this costume tell us about the character?”
• Reinforce that these visual additions bring stories to life and make performances more exciting.

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Assessment for Learning

• Teacher observations during group discussions and crafting to assess engagement, collaboration, and understanding of character/story representation.
• Listening to explanations during plenary to check pupils can articulate the purpose of their props/costumes.
• Informal assessment of creativity and use of materials to express ideas.

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Provide pre-cut shapes/materials for pupils who find fine motor tasks challenging.
• Use visual prompts and sentence starters to support less confident speakers when explaining their creations.
• Allow pupils to choose roles within groups (e.g., designer, artist, presenter) to play to their strengths.
• Ensure all materials are safe and non-toxic and the working area accessible.

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Links to Future Learning

• Props and costumes created will be used and refined in upcoming lessons as pupils rehearses and perform their fairy tale pieces.
• Supports ongoing development of spoken language, performance skills, and creative arts.

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Teacher Tips

• Encourage children to think beyond traditional props—could a scarf represent a magical river? Could a hat become a crown?
• Take photos of student creations to display as part of a classroom “Fairy Tale Performance” gallery.
• Celebrate creativity and effort, not ‘perfection’, to maintain enthusiasm.

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This engaging lesson blends drama, art, and design elements to help young learners vividly bring fairy tales to life, fully aligned with the National Curriculum for England.