Surrealism is a movement in art, poetry and literature that originated in the 1920s. It was an anti-rationalist movement, which focused on expression of the imagination, especially as it appeared in dreams. Surrealists used games to show the function of the unconscious and chance in the creation of art and writing. Surrealist games are a fun way of introducing kids to the surrealist movement.
Exquisite Corpse - Verbal
This game needs to be played with a group of children. First you decide on a sentence structure, for example article-adjective-noun and so on. Then you must pass around a piece of paper. Each student will take turns to write down one word, following the decided structure, and then fold the paper so that the next student can't see what's already been written. Once everyone has written their word, you can unfold the paper and read the strange sentence that has been written.
Exquisite Corpse - Drawn
The drawing version of Exquisite Corpse must be played in groups of four kids. The first child draws a head and neck, then folds the paper over so the head can't be seen, leaving only two very short lines showing where the bottom of the neck lies, so the drawing will fit together. The second child does the same but draws a body, the third draws legs and the last draws shoes. The resulting drawing is usually a funny sight.
New Definitions
The New Definitions game should be played in pairs. One child writes down a question, following the template "What is (noun)?" The child then folds over the paper so his or her partner can't see the question. The second child then writes a short answer; there is no set structure for the answer so he or she can be creative or silly with it. Now the children can unfold the paper to reveal a surprising new "fact."
Time Travelers' Potlatch
This is a simple game, where you first need to think of a figure from history or mythology. Then each child has to say what gift they would give if they met this person. Although the surrealist reason for this game is a complex philosophical matter, you could simply use it as an interesting way to introduce a historical figure to your class.
