15 Essential Improv Warm-Ups

A great improv scene often starts long before the players step on stage. The secret? A solid warm-up!

Why Start with a Warm-Up?

Warm-ups are more than a way to fill time. They help the group arrive, connect, and get ready to create.

Boost Energy

Physical and mental exercises shake off lethargy and lift the whole group’s energy.

Sharpen Focus

Games that demand attention and quick responses help everyone concentrate.

Build the Ensemble

Many warm-ups nurture connection, trust, and a sense of teamwork.

Encourage Playfulness

Warm-ups create a safe space to be silly, make mistakes, and enjoy the fun of improv.

Activate Creativity

Engaging the body, voice, and imagination can spark fresh ideas.

Quick, Energizing Warm-Ups

1. Zip Zap Zop

A high-energy classic that focuses the group while energy moves around the circle.

6–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand in a circle.
  2. One person claps towards another player, makes eye contact, and says “Zip!” to send them the energy.
  3. That player receives it and immediately claps towards somebody else while saying “Zap!”
  4. The next player receives it and sends it on with “Zop!”
  5. Keep repeating the order: Zip, Zap, Zop.
  6. If somebody hesitates or gets the order wrong, let them do a quick, playful forfeit, such as a jump, and continue.
View Zip Zap Zop in the game library

Energy flow

ZIPZAPZOP

Make eye contact, clap, and pass the words in order around the circle.

2. Pass the Clap

A simple, effective way to develop focus and a shared group rhythm.

5–20 players3–7 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand in a circle.
  2. One person makes eye contact with the player beside them and claps once towards them.
  3. The receiving player passes the clap to the next person in the same direction.
  4. Continue around the circle and settle into a consistent rhythm.
  5. Try variations: send two claps to reverse direction, or add a stamp to send the clap across the circle.
Suggested follow-up: Pass the Clap

3. Energy Ball

A physical warm-up that invites players to use their imagination and connect with one another.

5–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand in a circle.
  2. One person mimes an invisible ball of energy and gives it a quality: large, tiny, heavy, light, or anything else.
  3. They make eye contact and throw the imaginary ball to another player.
  4. The catcher responds to the ball’s imagined qualities, changes one if they wish, and throws it onwards.
  5. Encourage voices and sound effects as the ball travels around the group.
Suggested follow-up: Energy Ball

Focus & Listening Warm-Ups

4. One Word Story

A game that develops listening, quick thinking, and collaborative storytelling.

3–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand or sit in a circle.
  2. Tell one story together, with each player contributing exactly one word at a time.
  3. Move around the circle, adding the next word to make a coherent, or delightfully incoherent, story.
  4. Listen closely to the word before yours and make your contribution serve what the group has already built.
View One Word Story in the game library

One word each

Once
upon
a
time
a
penguin

Each player adds exactly one word. Listen to the word before yours.

5. Sound Circle

A playful way to accept offers, listen to the ensemble, and build a shared soundscape.

5–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand in a circle.
  2. One person begins a simple repeating sound with a simple repeating gesture.
  3. The next person copies the sound and gesture.
  4. Pass it around until everyone is repeating the same sound and movement.
  5. Once it is established, the first player starts a different sound and gesture as a new layer.
  6. Keep adding layers until the group has created a rich soundscape.
Suggested follow-up: Sound Circle

6. Red Ball, Blue Ball

An exercise that challenges focus, memory, and the ability to hold several offers at once.

6–16 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand in a circle.
  2. The first player says, “I have a red ball,” mimes it, makes eye contact, names somebody, and throws it.
  3. The receiver says, “Thank you, [sender’s name]. I have the red ball,” then sends it to somebody else.
  4. Once the red ball is moving smoothly, introduce a blue ball in the same way.
  5. Add more balls or different objects, such as a heavy suitcase or slippery fish, to raise the challenge.
Suggested follow-up: Red Ball, Blue Ball

Agreement & “Yes, And…” Warm-Ups

7. Yes, Let’s!

An exercise in positivity, agreement, and moving together as a group.

4–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Spread out in the playing space.
  2. One person suggests a group activity beginning with “Let’s…”, such as “Let’s all be penguins!”
  3. Everybody answers enthusiastically, “Yes, let’s!” and immediately acts out the suggestion.
  4. After a short time, another player offers a new “Let’s…” suggestion and the group switches together.
Suggested follow-up: Yes, Let’s!

8. Word Association

Encourages quick responses, connections, and building from other people’s ideas.

3–20 players3–7 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand in a circle.
  2. One person says any word.
  3. The next person immediately says a word associated with the one before it.
  4. Continue around the circle. Aim for speed rather than cleverness, and discover where the chain leads.
Suggested follow-up: Word Association

9. Compliments Circle

A feel-good warm-up that strengthens positivity and connection in the group.

4–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand in a circle.
  2. One person turns to the player beside them and offers a genuine, simple compliment.
  3. The receiver says, “Thank you.”
  4. They then turn to the next player and offer a compliment.
  5. Continue until everybody has given and received one compliment.
Suggested follow-up: Compliments Circle

Character & Physicality Warm-Ups

10. Character Walk

Helps improvisers explore different physical choices and embody characters quickly.

3–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Ask everyone to walk neutrally around the room.
  2. Call out characters or conditions, such as “Walk like a monarch,” “Walk as if you have a secret,” or “Lead with your nose.”
  3. Players immediately change their walk and physicality to embody each suggestion.
  4. Invite them to notice how the physical choice changes their inner feeling.
Suggested follow-up: Character Walk

Change your walk

Royal

Chin up, slow steps

Secret

Small steps, keep glancing

Nose first

Lean and lead forwards

Call out a character or emotion; players change their physicality immediately.

11. Mirrors

Develops observation, non-verbal agreement, and physical synchronization.

2–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Form pairs, face one another, and choose a leader (A) and follower (B).
  2. A moves slowly and smoothly while B mirrors the movement as precisely as possible.
  3. Explore facial expressions, arms, and posture while keeping every movement slow.
  4. Switch roles after a few minutes.
  5. For an advanced version, remove the assigned leader and let both partners find one shared movement.
Suggested follow-up: Mirrors

12. Group Environment

Uses bodies, voices, and imagination to create one shared environment.

4–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Name an environment, such as a busy kitchen, a jungle, or the Moon.
  2. Players use their bodies and simple sounds to become objects, people, or elements in that place.
  3. Without discussing it first, co-create a detailed, believable world.
Suggested follow-up: Group Environment

Fun, Simple Group Games

13. Kitty Wants a Corner

A light-hearted game that gets everybody moving, watching, and interacting.

6–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. One player is the Kitty in the middle of the circle.
  2. Everybody else has a corner, meaning their place in the circle.
  3. Kitty approaches somebody and says, “Kitty wants a corner.” They reply, “Ask my neighbor.”
  4. While Kitty is occupied, other players silently make eye contact and swap corners.
  5. Kitty tries to reach an empty corner. The player left without a place becomes the new Kitty.
Suggested follow-up: Kitty Wants a Corner

14. Ha So Ko

A silly sound-and-gesture game that rewards commitment and playful mistakes.

6–20 players5–10 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Stand in a circle. Learn three sound-and-gesture pairs: Ha (lean forward), So (point upwards), and Ko (squat).
  2. One person performs one pair and sends it to another player.
  3. The receiver repeats that pair, then chooses a pair to send onwards.
  4. Keep the repetition quick and celebrate mistakes rather than stopping.
Suggested follow-up: Ha So Ko

15. Alien, Tiger, Cow

A fast, energetic team game like rock, paper, scissors, played with the whole body.

6–30 players3–7 minutes

Instructions:

  1. Split into two teams and learn the three characters: Alien (antennae and “Bleeb!”), Tiger (claws and “Roar!”), and Cow (udders and “Moo!”).
  2. Each team secretly chooses one character.
  3. On three, both teams strike their chosen pose together.
  4. Tiger beats Alien, Alien beats Cow, and Cow beats Tiger. Replay ties immediately.
Suggested follow-up: Alien, Tiger, Cow

Who wins?

Alien

beats Cow

Tiger

beats Alien

Cow

beats Tiger

Both teams choose on three: use full-body poses, keep the energy quick, and replay ties.

Now You’re Warmed Up!

The best improv warm-ups engage the group and prepare it for the work ahead. Adapt these exercises to your group’s size, experience, and energy.

Most importantly, have fun!