This is definitely an activity that stretches across age groups from 5 - 12! All you need are a bunch of superpowers, a few settings + problems, and some verbs. Easy!! Just like the lucky dip story, the surprise element of this is really motivating for kids, and the more fun and interesting the powers and settings, the more imaginations will be inspired. This is a great story to do as a comic.
🦸♂️A key tip here is that the superpowers should have limits. If there are no limits to superpowers then the hero can not be challenged and that’s the end of the story right there!
🦸🏻♀️For older kids especially, this is a great activity to challenge creative thinking and problem-solving skills!
🦸🏼I’ve made a list of superpowers, settings and verbs that you can use, adapt, or be inspired to make up your own!
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‘Ant Girl and the Oozing Aliens’
1. Grab 3 x envelopes or containers - one for superpowers, one for settings & problem, and one for some verbs.
2. Create your lists of superpowers, settings and verbs. You can use the ones below, adapt them, or make up your own:
Superpowers (For younger kids you can take the limits out)
The ability to make yourself as small as an ant, but only for 3 seconds
The ability to breathe underwater, but if you do it for longer than 5 minutes you turning a fish forever
The ability to fly, but only at night
The ability to have superhuman strength, but only in your jaw
The ability to walk up walls, but not down
The ability to freeze time, but no way of unfreezing it
Setting and problem
Balancing on the tip of the tallest skyscraper in the world
Locked in the classroom of an evil teacher at a magic school
Floating around an unbreakable bubble
In a spaceship, captured by aliens
Held prisoner in a lego room guarded by giant lego guards
Stuck in the past about to be eaten by a dinosaur
Verbs
Slither
gobble
swoop
hover
ooze
contemplate
wish
3. Kids should close their eyes and pick their pot luck story elements:
1 x superpower
1 x setting & problem
2 x verbs
4. Plan the story. Things to think about are:
Who is your superhero (name, age, what they look like, what are their powers?)
How did they come to be in the setting and situation they are now in?
Who is their enemy / villain?
What is their plan get out of their situation?
What challenges do they face? (don't make it too easy for them! The more challenges they have the more exciting the story!)
What happens in the end?
5. Write your story or make your comic!