Funny Bones: Comedy Games and Activities for Kids

Kids love to be funny! Every classroom or neighborhood has a kid whose greatest ambition is to make people laugh—and all kids love to laugh at the jokes and antics of their friends. Funny Bones is designed to bring out the humor in every kid. For those who already have a comic streak, it provides wonderful new material for routines and scenes. For shyer children, it boosts self-confidence and a sense of fun. The first few chapters tackle the idea of comedy and what makes it funny, introducing famous comedians like Charlie Chaplin and Lily Tomlin and a variety of ways for young comics to create a trademark style. Later chapters offer hilarious improv games and valuable tips—for instance, don’t ask questions in improv routines, but instead make statements that other actors can build on. The book concludes with comedic scenes for young people and suggestions for comedic play that kids can perform.

Provides information on how to be funny, including ideas about comedic styles and routines, how to use props, developing a distinctive character, using music, improvisational techniques, as well as the history of comedy and some well-known people in the field.

Kids love to be funny! Every classroom or neighborhood has a kid whose greatest ambition is to make people laugh—and all kids love to laugh at the jokes and antics of their friends. Funny Bones is designed to bring out the humor in every kid. For those who already have a comic streak, it provides wonderful new material for routines and scenes. For shyer children, it boosts self-confidence and a sense of fun. The first few chapters tackle the idea of comedy and what makes it funny, introducing famous comedians like Charlie Chaplin and Lily Tomlin and a variety of ways for young comics to create a trademark style. Later chapters offer hilarious improv games and valuable tips—for instance, don’t ask questions in improv routines, but instead make statements that other actors can build on. The book concludes with comedic scenes for young people and suggestions for comedic play that kids can perform.

Children's Bookwatch

Chock full of comedic activities...ideal for birthday parties and budding comedians.

Lisa Bany-Winters is director of Northlight Academy, the children’s theater program at Northlight Theater in Skokie, Illinois, and the author of <On Stage and Show Time!