Encourage the children to brainstorm their favorite fairy tales and list them on a chalkboard. Prompt a discussion about which characters would be needed for each play and what the costumes might look like. Have the children take a vote to determine which fairy tale to focus on.
Allow the children the option of writing the script themselves or modifying another script. Memorizing lines can be especially difficult for younger children, but giving them the opportunity to explore a completely new realm of expression can solve this. Clue them in to concepts like "stage left," "stage right" and how to write in gestures and actions.
Let the children try on a few different hats after the script is written. In a production of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," for example, you can have seven different students practice becoming each of the seven different dwarfs. Choose one line, such as "Off to work we go," and have the children switch their tone of voices, facial expressions and body language to fit the appropriate character. For example, Grumpy would say this quite differently than Happy, and Bashful would hold himself very different than Doc.
Provide fabric, scissors, glue, cardboard and other materials so that the children can make their own costumes. Encourage them to work together so that those who truly enjoy this activity can assist students who are less artistically inclined. Provide demonstrations on how to make crowns and pointed hats out of construction paper, swords out of cardboard, as well as anything else that might be required.
Practice makes perfect, and nothing creates more motivation than a deadline. Choose a date and time to have friends, family and faculty come and watch the children perform. Provide juice and cookies for the children to enjoy after the performance. With the right attitude and encouragement, and a low-pressure environment, this activity will actually help students to feel more confident in front of an audience and to feel more comfortable in their own skin.