80s Days Activities For All The Family
This page is packed full of great 80s Days Activities for All.
Full of fun, creative 80s ideas to engage families, schools and community groups. Learn and complete activities around the 80s decade, the adaptation of Jules Verne’s Around The World in 80 Days, and learning about the great writer Jules Verne himself.
Our collection of (Around the World in…) 80s Days activities for all
The page is split into three areas:
Part 1: The Decade of the 80s
Fun activities all about the 80s! Look at 80s fashion, music and pop culture, share your memories or ideas of the 80s, and compare the 80s to now!
Part 2: The Story and its Adaptation to a Stage Musical
Explore the story of “Around the World in 80 Days” and how it has been adapted into the stage musical ‘80s Days’. Look at the costume, soundtrack and characters in the show, as well as the places in the world that Phileas Fogg travels.
Part 3: Jules Verne the Author
This section looks at Jules Verne, who originally wrote “Around the World in 80 Days”. Learn about the era in which the story was written, science fiction as Jules Verne’s main genre, and inventions of the era.
The activities are split into different themes:
Create
Use your imagination and create something, including Art, Design and Creative Writing.
Learn
Learn something new. This might be something we are teaching you, or it may be an opportunity to learn from those around you, in your family, in your school, or in your community.
Play
Have some fun, whether by playing a game, dressing up, or engaging in role-playing. You can share your creations with us by including our Twitter account @Grand_Theatre or hashtagging #80sDays!
What was the 80s like?
If you were born before the 80s…
- What do you remember about the 80s?
- What world events happened in that decade?
- How old were you?
- What did you wear?
- What music did you listen to? How did you listen to it?
- What did you watch on the TV?
- How did you communicate with friends and family?
- What did you do in your spare time?
- Did you have a job? What was it?
If you were born in the 80s…
- What do you remember about the 80s?
- Do you remember any world events which happened in that decade?
- How old were you?
- What did you wear?
- What music did you listen to? How did you listen to it?
- What did you watch on the TV?
- What games did you play/toys did you have?
- What did you do in your spare time?
- Were you at school? What was it like?
If you were born after the 80s…
What do you think of when someone mentions the 80s?
Do you know anything about that decade?
Can you find out if anyone in your family was born in the 80s or remembers it? What do they remember?
How does the 80s sound compare to your life now?
Chat to your family, friends and colleagues. What was their experience of the 80s?
Why not… CREATE
Write a postcard from the 80s. What did you love about it? What did you do? How did you spend your time? Use the POSTCARD TEMPLATE resource.
What are we like now?
The 80s was 40 years ago! What will our legacy be 40 years on? What will people look back and remember in 2060?
What would you remember from this decade?
What would people think of when they look back?
Why not… CREATE
Imagine you are writing an “Around the World in…” play in 40 years’ time, in the 2060s.
a) What music would you use to represent the music of the 2010s/2020s? Write your soundtrack or create a Spotify playlist.
b) In “80s Days”, look out for how the characters’ shoes represent 80s fashion. What clothing would represent the 2010s/2020s? Design a costume for Phileas Fogg.
c) There are references to 80s pop culture in the production (did you spot them?) What would you use to show the popular items of today?
Comparing Decades
What do you miss about the 80s?
How have things changed?
Whynot… LEARN?
Try the 80s PRODUCTS QUIZ. Use this opportunity to chat with different generations about the products on our shelves. Have they been improved? Why did they change, do you think?
How has technology changed and developed since the 80s?
Why not… PLAY?
Print and cut out all of the cards from the PAIRS GAME resource. You may choose to print on a card or laminate these to make them last longer.
Shuffle the cards and turn them face down. Take it in turns to turn over two cards- if they match (e.g. an 80s mobile phone and a 2020s mobile phone would be a match) keep the cards, if not, turn them back over. The person with the most pairs at the end wins.
While you play, chat about the pairs. Especially if you are playing one person who remembers the 80s against someone younger.
What did they have in the 80s that we don’t have now?
What do we have now that they didn’t have in the 80s?
Why not…CREATE?
Write a letter to someone in the 80s to tell them about the future. What do you think is better now? What do you wish had remained the same
80s Music
“Around the World in 80s Days” has an 80s soundtrack that promises to take any 80s teen back in time. But what if you didn’t grow up in the 80s?
- What songs have you heard before?
- How many artists could you name?
- Could you sing along with any songs?
Why not try learning some of the songs so you can sing along with the show?
Why not…CREATE?
Design an album cover for the soundtrack of “Around the World in 80s Days”.
Use the show’s artwork and 80s DAYS TRACKLIST to help you, as well as anything you know about the 80s and the story.
Why not… CREATE?
In “Around the World in 80s Days” there are a few tracks that are musical mash-ups, where two songs have been merged together. Can you mash up two 80s songs, or an 80s song with a current song?
80s Fashion
Do you think they had good fashion in the 80s?
The 80s might seem like history to many of us, but the fashions were not so different from today, with many making a come-back.
Have a look in your wardrobe, do you have any of these items?
- Denim, leather or bomber jacket
- Dungarees or a jumpsuit
- Active wear, leggings or bike shorts
- Bright colours or neons
- Hair bows or scrunchies
- Acid wash or distressed jeans
- Puff sleeves
- Sequins
- Logo t-shirts
- Oversized glasses or sunglasses
If yes, then you are wearing 80s fashion!
Why not… PLAY?
Have a dress-up day in clothing that was fashionable in the 80s.
Or, Set up a hair salon at home to do each other’s hair in 80s styles.
Or, Create an 80s look with make-up.
Find some inspiration at: (links to video tutorials for fashion, hair, makeup)
You could even wear your 80s get-up or hairdo when you come and see “Around the World in 80s Days” at the Grand Theatre!
Why not… CREATE?
Design a leather, denim or bomber jacket with an 80s theme. You can use the JACKET TEMPLATE resource to help you or draw from scratch.
Think about:
- Colour. Bright colours and neons were popular in the 80s
- Pattern
- Text and lettering. Will there be writing on the jacket? What will it say? How about using some of the 80s WORDS?
- Pictures and emblems. How about a popular brand or toy from the 80s?
80s Pop Culture
Why not… PLAY?
This one’s good for big groups or school classes.
Remember the game Guess Who? Have you ever thought about playing a live version?
- Use props (hats/glasses/etc) to give each person in the group a unique combination (see GUESS WHO HELP SHEET to help you).
- One person in the group writes down the name of their chosen player and keeps it secret.
- The guesser asks questions such as ‘are they wearing a hat?’ or ‘do they have blonde hair?’ to which the player answers yes or no.
- The guesser then eliminates anyone who does not match (e.g. if they said ‘no’ to wearing a hat, everyone with a hat is eliminated).
- You could have all players standing, then sit down when they are eliminated, or have them sitting on chairs and move to the floor or another area.
- Once all players but one have been eliminated, the guesser has found the player!
- You could make this competitive by timing each guesser or counting how many questions they ask, to see who guesses the quickest.
Why not… PLAY?
Video games had a huge increase in popularity in the 80s. One of these games was Tetris, where you had to fit coloured blocks together as they dropped from the top of the screen.
Using the TETRIS CUT OUTS resource, cut out the pieces and see how tightly you can pack them together without gaps, using the Tetris game grid. Try different alternatives- can you use all of the pieces?
Why not… CREATE?
Can you use the Tetris pieces to make mosaic-style pictures? How about spelling out words?
You can still play Tetris online at tetris.com!
Why Not… CREATE?
One of the most popular children’s toys in the 80s was My Little Pony. Each one had its own personality and its name/design reflected this.
Create your own My Little Pony to represent YOU. You can find the original six for inspiration in the MY LITTLE PONIES resource.
Think about: What colour will you be? What will your hair and tail look like? Will you be a unicorn or have wings? What will be your Little Pony name?
Don’t forget the classic My Little Pony ‘cutie mark’ on your pony’s hips to represent its character!
Why not… CREATE?
Some of the most celebrated and memorable films of the generation hit our screens in the 80s. Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Back to the Future are just a few.
Recreate the cover of an iconic 80s film. See 80s FILMS for some inspiration.
Send us your photographs and let’s see if we can identify the film!
Why not… PLAY?
Time for some acting!
Print out or copy down the iconic lines from the 80s FILM LINES resource.
Cut them out, fold them up, and put them in a hat or bowl.
Work in a group (you may have multiple groups if you are using this in a school, a community group, or at a party) and choose two lines from the hat. One of these lines will be the first line of your improvised scene; the other will be the last line of your improvised scene. Have 10-15 minutes of practice time to put together a scene using your two lines. Show your scenes to each other. Additional activity: Can anyone identify which film your lines are from?
Travelling the World
Why not… CREATE?
Phileas Fogg visits many countries, cities and towns in his journey around the world.
Use the POSTCARD TEMPLATE to design a postcard for one of the places he visits.
You could use an 80s theme for your postcard.
Write your postcard and post it to the Grand Theatre (Marketing Dept, 33 Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT).
Either:
– Tell us the things you loved about the 80s or;
– Imagine you are writing to somebody in the 80s about the things you love now.
Why not… LEARN?
A trip around the world would look very different today from what it was for Phileas Fogg in 1872!
Find out: How long would it take to travel the world now;
a) Stopping at all of the places Phil Fogg visits?
b) Stopping only when necessary?
How would you travel? What means of transport would you use?
If you were travelling the world, where would you want to go? Find these places on a WORLD MAP and plot your journey around the world.
You could even design a postcard (see the CREATE activity above) for each place you visit!
Why not… CREATE?
Phileas Fogg and his companions travel around the world, visiting many destinations but also facing many challenges.
Design “Around the World in 80s Days: The Board Game”. You could use existing board games as inspiration.
This is a good homework activity for schools, using instructional writing to explain how to play the game. The children could even make their board games and play them against their classmates.
Characters
Who is your favourite character in the show? Which character do you relate to most? If you were in the show, who would you want to play?
Why not… PLAY?
In “Around the World in 80s Days”, the characters face all sorts of problems, from missing their transport links, to Passepartout being pushed overboard on the ship.
Put yourselves in their shoes by role-playing as the characters. How would you overcome the problems?
The story shows one choice and one outcome for Phil but what if he, or someone else, had made a different choice? Using improvisation, explore the different options Phil has, and the outcomes of different choices.
How would the outcome of the story have been different if they approached problems in a different way? What might he learn from the different problems he faces?
See the CHARACTER ROLE PLAY resource for some ideas. You could pick them out of a hat or choose the ones you wish to role play.
Costume
In “Around the World in 80s Days”, the characters are dressed in Victorian clothing, however, they do have some small elements of 80s fashion (e.g. Phil and Passepartout wearing Converse trainers).
Why not… CREATE?
Design a costume (or costumes) for one or more of the characters which follow an 80s fashion theme.
Think about:
– Does this character get changed at any point in the show? If so, how will you make sure they can change quickly between scenes?
– What does this character do during the show? Do they have to run, jump, or climb? What elements of their costume might make these things tricky? How could you change them?
Post your designs to the Grand Theatre (Marketing Dept, 33 Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT), or share with us on Twitter @Grand_Theatre.
What if the show was based on the music of now instead of the 80s? What elements of the costume would you change to represent 2010s/2020s fashion (much like the Converse shoes for the 80s)?
Soundtrack
Why not… LEARN?
Do you play any instruments? How about learning to play one of the songs from the show?
Why not… CREATE?
Imagine you are putting on a show of “Around the World in…” but using the music from the 2010s/2020s rather than the 1980s.
What songs would you use? Which songs will still be remembered in 40 years’ time?
Think about what happens in the story and what themes you may need. You could use the 80s DAYS TRACKLIST to help you decide.
In “Around the World in 80s Days”, the musical director changed some of the songs into different musical genres. For example, “Making your mind up” was rewritten as a tango for the show.
How would you change some of the songs you have chosen into different genres? Or, try changing an 80s song into your favourite musical genre.
Around the World in 80 Days: The Novel and Author
“Around the World in 80s Days” was based on the novel “Around the World in 80 Days”, by Jules Verne, which was first published in French in 1872.
Why not… LEARN?
Have a go at these French words related to the story:
Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours – Around The World In 80 Days
voyage – travel
gentilhomme – gentleman
chemin de fer – railroad
former – train
l’éléphant – elephant
bateau – ship
pari – wager
balon – balloon
Why not… CREATE?
Jules Verne was mostly a science fiction writer. He imagined worlds, creatures and inventions which we can only dream of.
Much of science fiction looks into the future.
- “Around the World in 80 Days” was written just prior to 1880
- The show on our stage follows a 1980s theme
- Imagine what the world could be like in 2080
Write a description or short story, or draw a picture, of the world in 2080 (60 years into our future). What will we wear? What will transport be like? What new technologies will there be? Will there be any new species? Will any species be extinct?
The World in 1872
Why not… LEARN?
What do you think 1872 might have looked like (find out here)?
How was the world different (travel, technology, sport, nature, health, communication)?
Find out:
1) 1872 was a leap year. How many have there been since?
2) The world’s first National Park, Yellowstone Park in the USA, was established in 1872. How many are there around the world now? Why are National Parks important?
3) 1872 saw the first-ever final of the world’s oldest football competition, the FA cup. Who played in the final? Who won? How many teams played in the 1872 FA cup? How many teams play in the FA cup now?
4) Queen Victoria was the monarch in 1872. How long did she rule? Who was the next Queen of England after her? When will we see another Queen, and who will it be?
Science and Technology
It is amazing how much technology has been invented throughout the last century, but even more amazing how long ago some of the technology we use today was first discovered.
Why not… PLAY?
Place the INVENTION CARDS in a pile face down. Take it in turns to choose one and decide whether you think it was invented in the 1880s or 1980s. You may disagree so have a good debate and justify your thoughts.
Once you have sorted the cards, check if you are correct using the INVENTION CARDS ANSWERS.
Now, share the cards out evenly. Keep your pile face down. Play a game of Snap! where each snap pair comes from the same era.
Why not… CREATE?
Can you design your own invention?
Think about one of the following:
a) Something which you find to be a struggle in life, and find yourself thinking ‘If only I had…’
b) A struggle Phileas Fogg and his companions face in ‘80s Days’
c) Something you think the staff or performers at the theatre might struggle with
Invent something which could help overcome these problems.
Draw your design, or you could even make a mini model.
Don’t miss Around The World In 80s Days at Blackpool Grand Theatre Fri 8 Oct to Fri 5 Nov 2021. Book here.
Resources (C) Blackpool Grand Theatre Sept 2021
