Some mysteries don’t need a detective. Sometimes all you need is a kid, their little sister, an empty cookie plate, and a very guilty-looking dog. This worksheet introduces first graders to reading a play script through a tiny, solvable mystery that wraps up almost as fast as the cookies disappeared.
Grade 1 Play Script Worksheet
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Why Plays Belong in Grade 1 Reading Practice
A play script looks different from a storybook the moment you open it. There’s no narrator explaining what’s happening or how a character feels. Instead, you get character names printed right before their lines, so you always know who’s talking, and italicized stage directions tucked between the dialogue, telling you what’s happening on stage without a single word of regular narration.
First grade is a great time to introduce this format, and to introduce it gently. A script this short and this funny gives kids a low-pressure way to notice the pattern: names before lines, slanted text for actions, and a story that unfolds entirely through what people say and do rather than what a narrator tells you about them.
This also matters for a bigger reason. Kids who grow comfortable with different text formats early on, stories, poems, and now plays, tend to approach unfamiliar reading material with more confidence later. A script that once looked strange and unfamiliar eventually just looks like another fun way to read.
What Makes This Kind of Reading a Little Different
It’s worth pointing this out gently before your child dives in. In a play, you have to piece together what’s happening from two places at once: what characters say to each other, and the italicized stage directions describing what they’re doing. There’s no one to tell you directly that Rex the dog is looking guilty. You have to notice it because the stage direction says so, and because Ben and Daisy react to what they see.
This is a small shift for a six or seven year old, but it’s a real one. A simple comment like “notice how we know what’s happening even though nobody is explaining it in a regular sentence” often helps a first grader start noticing the pattern on their own, and once they see it, reading a script starts to feel a lot like reading the rules to a fun game rather than schoolwork.
What’s Inside This Worksheet
This worksheet features an original short play, “Who Ate the Last Cookie?” Ben and his little sister Daisy discover their cookie plate has gone from two cookies to zero, and set out to figure out who’s responsible. Neither of them ate the cookies, but a trail of crumbs on the floor, and a suspicious dusting of crumbs on their dog Rex’s nose, quickly solves the case. The mystery is gentle, funny, and entirely low stakes, which keeps the focus on comprehension rather than suspense.
The worksheet includes:
- Multiple Choice. Questions about the characters, the missing cookies, and how the mystery gets solved.
- True or False. Quick recall checks that reinforce careful reading of both dialogue and stage directions.
- Fill in the Blank. Vocabulary practice using words and phrases pulled straight from the script.
- Think and Explain. A question asking kids to point to a stage direction in the script and explain what it tells the reader, since a play doesn’t narrate actions the way a regular story does.
That last question is really the heart of the worksheet. It asks first graders to notice their own reading process, not just recall what happened, which is exactly the skill that makes reading a script feel different from reading a story.
How to Use This Worksheet
If you have a few extra minutes, this one is made to be performed. Assign the parts of Ben and Daisy to two family members, and let someone bark enthusiastically for Rex. Reading a script out loud, in character, tends to stick with kids far more than a silent read-through ever does, and first graders in particular love getting to be a little silly with the dog’s part.
This worksheet fits naturally into a home reading routine, a classroom introduction to drama as a text type, or a homeschool lesson exploring different kinds of stories beyond the usual picture book format. It also pairs nicely with our other Grade 1 worksheets: “Max and the Lost Ball” for realistic fiction, “The Ant Who Shared” for fable, “All About Ladybugs” for nonfiction, and “The Rainy Day Parade” for poetry, giving your first grader a well-rounded taste of fiction, fable, nonfiction, poetry, and now drama, all at the same reading level.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of It
Read the script once silently, then once aloud with different voices for Ben and Daisy. Ask your child to point out a stage direction and explain, in their own words, what it tells them before moving into the written questions. And if your child enjoys performing, let them add their own little touches, like an extra bark or a dramatic gasp when the crumbs are discovered. Acting out a stage direction is one of the best ways to understand exactly what it means.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need any acting experience for this worksheet?
Not at all. The script and its stage directions are written simply enough for a first grader to follow whether they read it silently, aloud, or as a mini performance with the whole family.
How long does this worksheet take to complete?
Most first graders finish in about 15 to 20 minutes, a little longer if you turn it into a short performance first.
Is an answer key included?
Yes, as a separate PDF, so you can print just the worksheet for your child and keep the key handy for grading.
Download the Worksheet
The printable play script worksheet and its separate answer key are ready to download. It’s a playful, format-focused addition to your Grade 1 reading library, giving your child an early, low-pressure introduction to reading drama.
Happy reading.