A Study in Character Exploration

Educators can use the activity below to explore characters using one magical item and a lot of imagination.

Materials Needed: Chart paper, markers, one scarf (or other versatile object)

1. Invite students to sit together in a circle. Tell them you’re going to bring their favorite story characters to life!

2. Ask students to offer names of characters from their favorite stories or fairy tales. As they call them out, jot them down on chart paper—think princesses, dragons, pirates, superheroes and talking animals!

3. Hold up a scarf (or your chosen object) and tell students that it’s not an ordinary item—it’s a magical scarf with the power to bring fairy tale characters to life! Pass the object around the circle, allowing each student to feel the magic.

4. As the object is passed to each student, ask them to pick a character from the list and imagine how their character would use the object. Does the princess twirl it like a cape? Does the dragon turn it into its fiery breath? Encourage students to let the object guide their movements as they embody their character.

5. After everyone has had a turn, keep the magic flowing by passing the object around the circle once more! This time, students can dive deeper into their characters’ physicality—maybe a superhero realizes the scarf can help them fly, or a talking cat uses it as a stylish accessory.

Reflection Questions:

• Which character was the most fun to embody, and why?
• How did the magical object change the way you thought about your character?
• If you could pick a new magical object for the next round, what would it be and what power would you give it?