Creative Minds Through Improv provides interactive improv workshops for schools, youth organisations, libraries, community groups and theatre groups. Through age-appropriate games, storytelling and collaborative play, young people aged 4–18 can develop confidence, communication, creativity, listening and teamwork.

Our sessions are available for young people aged 4–18 and are carefully adapted to suit the age, ability and objectives of each group.

No scripts. No pressure to be funny. No previous experience needed.

More Than Making People Laugh

Improvisation is about much more than comedy.

It teaches participants to listen, communicate, contribute ideas, support other people and respond confidently when things do not go exactly as planned.

Creative Minds Through Improv uses entertaining games, storytelling activities and practical exercises to help young people develop these skills in an environment that feels playful, positive and accessible.

Participants are not expected to prepare jokes or become “the funny one.” The emphasis is on imagination, participation, communication and building positively on one another’s ideas.

What Can Participants Develop?

LISTEN

Active listening, concentration and awareness of others.

EXPRESS

Confidence when sharing ideas and communicating with a group.

CREATE

Imagination, storytelling and creative thinking.

CONNECT

Teamwork, cooperation and supporting other people’s
contributions.

ADAPT

Thinking on your feet and responding positively to unexpected
situations.

GROW

Confidence, resilience and a willingness to participate.

Age-Appropriate Workshops for
Ages 4–18

Every Creative Minds session is adapted to the age, experience, confidence level and objectives of the group.

Ages 4–6: Play Through Improv

Short, highly playful sessions using imagination, movement, characters, sounds and simple storytelling.

Activities encourage children to listen, take turns, share ideas and enjoy creating together.

Typical session length: 30–45 minutes

Ages 7–10: Creative Minds Primary

Energetic workshops focusing on speaking, listening, imagination, storytelling, teamwork and creative confidence.

Participants can begin exploring simple improvisation principles while still enjoying plenty of games, characters and silliness.

Typical session length: 45–60 minutes

Ages 11–16: Creative Minds Secondary

More developed sessions exploring communication, collaboration, adaptability, storytelling, character work and improvisation techniques.

Workshops can be delivered as general enrichment and confidence-building sessions or tailored specifically for Drama pupils.

Sessions available from 60 minutes to full-day experiences

Ages 16–18: Creative Minds Further Education

Sessions can move closer to adult improvisation and explore performance, devising, presentation skills, public speaking, creative risk-taking, character development and ensemble work.

They can be adapted for Drama and Performing Arts students or delivered as wider communication, confidence and employability workshops.

Sessions available from 60 minutes to full-day experiences

Choose Your Workshop

Play Through Improv

Ages 4–6 | 30–45 minutes

A playful introduction to imagination, characters, movement, expression and creating together.

Ideal for Early Years, Reception, Key Stage 1, libraries and younger children’s groups.

Improv Taster

Ages 7–10 | 45–60 minutes

A lively introduction to improvisation, listening, storytelling, confidence and collaborative play.

Ideal for primary schools, youth groups, libraries and first-time participants.

Creative Minds Workshop

Ages 11+ | 90 minutes

Our flagship workshop.

Participants explore active listening, communication, confidence, teamwork and the principle of building positively on other people’s ideas.

Sessions combine accessible group exercises with storytelling, character work and age-appropriate improvised scenes.

Creative Minds Half-Day

Ages 11+ | Approximately 2.5–3 hours

A more developed experience that gives participants time to build their confidence and explore improvisation in greater depth.

The session can include storytelling, character creation, group challenges, scene-building and performance skills.

Creative Minds Full-Day

Ages 11+ | Approximately 5–6 hours

A complete creative experience suitable for enrichment days, arts programmes, activity days, transition events and specialist projects.

Participants progress from introductory games and group exercises to creating and sharing their own improvised material.

Live Show and Workshop Experience

Available for ages 4+

Participants first see professional improvisation in action through an interactive, age-appropriate performance from The Halls of Ridiculous.

They are then invited to explore some of the games, techniques and ideas themselves.

For children under 11, the complete experience is adapted to remain within an appropriate 45–60-minute running time. Longer and more developed formats are available for ages 11+.

Multi-Week Creative Minds Course

Three weeks, six weeks or a bespoke programme

A progressive programme that allows confidence, communication and performance skills to develop over time.

Courses can culminate in an informal sharing session, celebration or performance for parents, staff or other pupils.

Sessions for children under 11 remain within an age-appropriate 45–60-minute duration.

Who Are The Workshops For?

Creative Minds Through Improv can be delivered for:

• Primary schools

• Secondary schools

• Sixth forms and colleges

• Drama and Performing Arts students

• Youth centres and youth organisations

• Libraries

• Community groups

• Holiday and enrichment programmes

• Theatre schools

• Youth theatres

• Amateur dramatic groups

• Arts and cultural organisations

• SEND groups and alternative provision

We can adapt the emphasis of each workshop to match your group, whether your priority is confidence, communication, teamwork, creativity, performance or simply providing an enormously enjoyable shared experience.

Supportive, Inclusive
And Adaptable

We understand that every group contains different personalities, confidence levels, communication styles and support needs.

Our workshops are designed to encourage participation without placing unnecessary pressure on individuals. Nobody is expected to prepare jokes, perform alone or compete to be the funniest person in the room.

Exercises can be adapted to suit the group, with an emphasis on:

• Positive participation

• Encouragement and mutual support

• Different ways of contributing

• Building confidence gradually

• Making mistakes without embarrassment

• Celebrating ideas rather than judging them

• Creating a safe and enjoyable group experience
  

We also have experience delivering activities for children and young people with SEND and will discuss the needs of the group with you before the session.

Why Choose Us?

Phil Allan-Smith and Chris Lumb are professional improvisers, comedy performers and experienced workshop leaders.

As The Halls of Ridiculous, they have performed interactive children’s and family shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and have extensive experience engaging young audiences through live improvisation.

Their experience includes:

• Performing children’s and family shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

• Delivering improvisation and comedy workshops in schools

• Workshops and performances in libraries and community settings

• Experience working with children and young people with SEND

• Interactive family performances for children aged four and above

• Youth-focused creative and performance workshops

• Professional live improvisation and comedy performance

• Working with participants with different confidence levels and communication needs

• Full DBS checks

For selected sessions, a third female facilitator from the wider Halls of Ridiculous team may also join Chris and Phil. We have found that this additional representation can help children feel comfortable, supported and engaged while also providing extra assistance during group activities.

The Halls of Ridiculous

The Halls of Ridiculous are an award-winning improvised comedy act featuring Chris Lumb and Phil Allan-Smith.

Their professional credits include television appearances on BBC One, CBBC, ITV, and BBC Three, tour support slots with Russell Kane and performances alongside leading comedians including Josh Pugh, Rob Rouse, Lou Sanders, Larry Dean, Troy Hawke, Gary Delaney, Harriet Kemsley, and Clinton Baptiste.

The duo were named Best Alternative Act at the Yorkshire Comedy Awards, nominated for Best Kids show at The Leicester Comedy Festival, and received a five-star Edinburgh Fringe review.

Their live experience means participants are learning improvisation from professional performers who use these skills on stage—not from facilitators who have simply learnt a collection of games.

Workshops For Teachers And Education Staff

We can also provide professional development, team-building and away-day experiences for teachers, support staff, leadership teams and Multi-Academy Trusts through our companion programme:

Better Teams Through Improv

These workshops use the principles of improvisation to explore communication, active listening, trust, adaptability, collaboration and creative thinking.

This means schools and education organisations can book:

• Creative Minds Through Improv for pupils and students

• Better Teams Through Improv for teachers and staff

• A live Halls of Ridiculous performance

• A combined programme tailored to the whole organisation

Frequently
Asked
Questions

Do participants need performance experience?

No. The sessions are suitable for complete beginners as well as young people with drama or performance experience.

Do participants have to be funny?
Absolutely not. Creative Minds is not a stand-up comedy class, and nobody is expected to prepare jokes.

The comedy happens naturally through imagination, characters, unexpected ideas and people creating together.

Are younger children expected to concentrate for 90 minutes?
No. Sessions for children under 11 are limited to approximately 30–60 minutes, depending on their age.

The 90-minute, half-day and full-day formats are designed for participants aged 11 and above.

Can you work with young people with SEND?
Yes. We have previous experience delivering workshops and performances for children and young people with SEND.

We will discuss the group’s needs, communication styles, confidence levels and any appropriate adaptations before the session.

Are your facilitators DBS checked?
All facilitators are fully DBS checked.

How many participants can take part?
This depends on the ages of the participants, the chosen format, the space available and what you would like the session to achieve.

Smaller groups allow for more individual participation, while larger groups may require additional facilitators or a different workshop structure.

Can you provide a live show as well as a workshop?
Yes. Our Live Show and Workshop Experience combines an interactive Improv performance with an opportunity for participants to try improvisation themselves.

Where are the workshops available?
We are based in the North East of England and Yorkshire and can deliver sessions across Teesside, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and further afield.

Please contact us to discuss your location.

How much does a workshop cost?
Every booking is quoted individually.

Prices depend on the format, number and ages of participants, location, preparation required, staffing and whether you would like to include a live performance.

Bring Creative Minds Through Improv To You

Whether you are planning a school enrichment day, youth project, library programme, Drama workshop, community activity or longer creative course, we can build a session around your participants and objectives.

Tell us about your group, what you would like them to gain and the type of experience you have in mind.

We will help you choose the most suitable format.

No scripts. No pressure. No previous experience needed.

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