Perform an impersonation

What can we use if we don't have costume pieces, props, or a full-length mirror?

Use household items like a towel for a cape, a hat or scarf for costume pieces, a wooden spoon or cardboard for props, and a metal tray or phone screen as a mirror substitute when you put on costume pieces and hold props in step 7.

My child keeps forgetting lines during the three practice readings and mirror rehearsals—what helps?

If they forget lines while reading the script aloud three times (step 6) or practicing gestures in the mirror (step 7), write the script on index cards, clearly mark shout/whisper cues from step 4, and rehearse in short, repeatable 30–60 second chunks.

How can I adapt this impersonation activity for a 4-year-old versus a 10-year-old?

For younger kids shorten the script to 15–30 seconds, pick one big gesture and one facial expression from step 5, and skip detailed voice warm-ups, while older children can keep the 30–60 second script, mark vocal dynamics in step 4, practice full warm-ups in step 5, and refine gestures and expression across three mirror rehearsals in step 7.

How can we extend or personalize the performance beyond the basic steps and sharing on DIY.org?

Make the piece more creative by building a simple backdrop from a sheet, adding homemade sound effects or extra props, recording multiple takes on a phone, and editing a short clip with an adult before sharing on DIY.org as described in step 8.