“The Selfish Giant: The Boy Who Changed His Heart” is a touching and magical play based on Oscar Wilde’s beloved story. It follows a grumpy Giant who learns an unforgettable lesson about kindness, friendship, and the power of love. When he selfishly builds a wall around his beautiful garden, Winter takes over and refuses to leave. But everything changes when a gentle Little Boy appears—bringing Spring back, melting the cold snow, and helping the Giant discover a warm and generous heart. This enchanting play reminds children that sharing brings happiness, friendship opens doors, and a small act of kindness can transform the world.
CHARACTERS:
- NARRATOR
- GIANT: Big, grumpy, then kind.
- LITTLE BOY: Small, gentle, and important.
CHILDREN:
- BOY 1 (Leo)
- BOY 2 (Max)
- BOY 3 (Sam)
- GIRL 1 (Lily)
- GIRL 2 (Mia)
- GIRL 3 (Chloe)
NATURE CHARACTERS:
- SPRING
- WINTER
- SNOW
- FROST
- NORTH WIND
- HAIL
- AUTUMN
- TREE (Can be one child or a group of children)
SCRIPT:
Scene 1: The Happy Garden
(Setting: A beautiful, green garden. The Children are playing happily.)
NARRATOR: Every afternoon, after school, the children loved to play in the Giant’s garden.
LILY (GIRL 1): Wow, look at this garden! The grass is so soft and green.
MIA (GIRL 2): And the flowers look like bright, little stars!
LEO (BOY 1): Shhh! Stop talking! I want to listen to the birds singing. (He points up.)
SAM (BOY 3): I feel so happy here! I wish we could stay forever.
CHLOE (GIRL 3): Come on, it’s getting late. Our parents will worry. We can come back tomorrow!
CHILDREN: Okay, let’s go! (The Children run off stage. The Giant enters from the opposite side. He looks big and grumpy.)
NARRATOR: One day, the Giant came back. He had been away for seven long years. When he arrived, he saw the children playing in the garden.
GIANT: (Shouting) What are you doing here?!
CHILDREN: Run! It’s the Giant!
(The Children quickly run across the stage and exit.)
GIANT: Get out of here! This is my garden! Only I am allowed to play here! (He takes a large stick and pretends to build a wall around the garden.)
NARRATOR: The Giant built a very high wall all around his garden. He put up a sign that said: “Keep Out! Trespassers Will Be Punished!” The poor children had nowhere to play now.
MAX (BOY 2): (Entering with the other Children) Oh no, where will we play now?
LILY (GIRL 1): The road is dirty and full of hard stones. I don’t like it.
MIA (GIRL 2): I miss that beautiful garden so much.
CHILDREN: (Together, sadly) We were so happy there.
Scene 2: The Giant’s Endless Winter
(Setting: The garden is now covered in white, showing Winter. Snow, Frost, North Wind, and Hail enter. The Tree looks bare.)
NARRATOR: The Spring came to all the country, but in the Selfish Giant’s garden, it was still Winter. The birds wouldn’t sing, and the trees forgot to grow leaves. Only Snow and Frost were pleased.
SNOW: Spring has forgotten this garden! We will live here all year long!
FROST: I will paint all the trees bright silver! (He gestures to the Tree.)
SNOW: Let’s invite the North Wind to join us!
NORTH WIND: (Roaring) This is a perfect place! I’ll blow around all day! (He pretends to shake the castle walls.)
FROST: And we must ask Hail to visit!
HAIL: (Bouncing and rattling) I’m here! I’ll bang on the roof of the castle and run around the garden super fast! (He runs around the stage.)
AUTUMN: (Entering briefly, looking sad) I will give sweet, golden fruit to every garden, but not to the Giant’s garden. He is too selfish. (Autumn exits.)
GIANT: (From an upstage window or area) I don’t know why Spring is so late. My garden is still all white. I hope the weather changes soon.
WINTER, SNOW, FROST, HAIL, NORTH WIND: (Shouting with joy) We will stay here! Spring and Summer are not welcome here anymore!
Scene 3: The Little Boy
(Setting: Wintery garden.)
NARRATOR: One morning, the Giant heard the most lovely music.
GIANT: (Listening carefully) What is that sweet music? It sounds like the most beautiful music in the world!
(The Hail stops rattling. The North Wind stops roaring. A nice smell comes from the window.)
GIANT: I think Spring has finally come! I must get up and see what is happening! (The Giant comes out of his castle and steps into the garden.)
NARRATOR: The Giant saw a wonderful thing. The children had found a little hole in the wall and had crept inside! They were sitting in the branches of the trees.
(The Children enter quietly and climb up on chairs or platforms to look like they are in the trees.)
GIANT: Oh! There is a little child in every tree!
TREE: (Happily) We are so glad you came back! Now we can grow our blossoms! (The Tree and the Children pretend to blossom.)
CHILDREN: We are so happy to be here!
SAM (BOY 3): Look! The birds are singing again, and the flowers are blooming!
NARRATOR: But in one small corner, it was still Winter. A little boy stood there, crying because he was too small to climb the tree.
LITTLE BOY: (Crying) I can’t reach the tree’s branches.
TREE: Climb up, little boy!
LITTLE BOY: I can’t. I’m too small to climb.
NARRATOR: The Giant’s heart felt soft when he saw this.
GIANT: How selfish I have been! Now I know why Spring wouldn’t come here. I will help that poor little boy. Then, I will knock down the wall so my garden is the children’s playground forever! I am very sorry for what I have done. (The Giant walks softly into the garden.)
CHILDREN: (Seeing the Giant) Run! The Giant is here!
(The Children run off stage, except for the Little Boy, who is still crying and doesn’t see the Giant.)
GIANT: (Gently) Don’t be afraid. Take my hand. I will lift you into the tree.
LITTLE BOY: (The Little Boy takes the Giant’s hand. The Giant lifts him up. The Little Boy wraps his arms around the Giant’s neck and gives him a big hug.) Thank you! (He kisses the Giant.)
NARRATOR: The other children saw this and came back.
CHLOE (GIRL 3): Did you see that?
LEO (BOY 1): The Giant isn’t angry anymore!
MIA (GIRL 2): Let’s go back and play!
SPRING: (Entering) And I will stay with you now!
GIANT: This is your garden now, little children. I will knock down the wall, and you can come here every day! (He pretends to knock down the wall.)
CHILDREN: Thank you, Mr. Giant! We love you and your beautiful garden!
Scene 4: Paradise
(Setting: The beautiful garden. Years pass.)
NARRATOR: The Giant played with the children every afternoon. But he missed the Little Boy he helped first.
GIANT: Where is my little friend? The boy I put in the tree?
CHILDREN: We don’t know, Mr. Giant. He went away.
MAX (BOY 2): We’ve never seen him before.
GIANT: I wish I could see him again!
NARRATOR: Years passed, and the Giant grew very old and weak. He sat in a big chair and watched the children play.
GIANT: I have many beautiful flowers, but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.
NARRATOR: One cold winter morning, the Giant looked out and saw a tree in the farthest corner, covered in beautiful white flowers. Its branches were golden, and silver fruit hung down. Underneath stood the Little Boy.
GIANT: (Excitedly) I can’t believe it! It’s the Little Boy! He came back! (The Giant rushes into the garden.)
NARRATOR: When the Giant came close, he grew angry because he saw wounds on the boy’s hands and feet.
GIANT: Who dared to harm you?! Tell me so I can punish them with my sword!
LITTLE BOY: No. These are the marks of Love.
GIANT: (Kneeling with respect) Who are you, little boy?
LITTLE BOY: Once you let me play in your garden. Today, you will come with me to my garden, which is Paradise (Heaven).
NARRATOR: That afternoon, when the children ran in, they found the Giant lying dead under the tree. He looked as he was peacefully sleeping, and was covered with white blossoms.
The End
Author: Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Adapted by: K I D S I N C O
Moral of the Story: True happiness comes from sharing and kindness, not from selfishness. When the Giant kept his garden only for himself, he created a cold, endless winter. When he opened his heart and shared his garden with the children, he brought back Spring, life, and joy into his world. Selfishness leads to isolation and sadness, but love and generosity lead to warmth and beauty.
Moral Values:
- Kindness and Generosity: Learning to share what you have (like a garden or toys) makes everyone happier.
- Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of others. The Giant felt bad when he saw the Little Boy crying, which led to his change of heart.
- Repentance/Making Amends: It’s important to admit when you’ve been wrong and try to fix the mistake. The Giant was brave enough to say, “How selfish I have been!” and knock down his wall.
- The Power of Love: The love shown by the Little Boy, even to the initially grumpy Giant, was the force that changed everything.
⭐ Essential Scenery Props
| Prop | Purpose | Notes |
| High Wall Sign | For the Giant to put up. | A large sign that says “KEEP OUT!” or “NO TRESPASSING!” |
| Giant’s Castle Window | For the Giant to look out. | Can be a simple frame or painted backdrop piece. |
| Small Ladder or Stool | To help the Little Boy reach the tree. | Needs to be sturdy enough for the Giant to pretend to lift the Little Boy. |
| Bench or Large Chair | For the Giant to sit in when he is old. | Should look like a “huge armchair.” |
⭐ Staging Winter (Selfishness)
The Winter scene needs to feel cold, barren, and oppressive.
| Element | Idea |
| Color/Light | Use lots of blue, grey, and white lighting. Keep the stage lights dim to show lack of sun. Use a gobo (a light filter) to project simple shadows or bare branches onto the backdrop. |
| The Tree | The TREE actors stand rigid and hunched. Their costumes should be dark or brown. They can hold bare, twig-like branches or simple brown scarves. |
| Nature Characters | SNOW, FROST, HAIL, and NORTH WIND wear white, grey, or pale blue. They move stiffly and noisily (Frost can tap fingers, Hail can bounce, North Wind can roar and swirl). |
| Sound | Use sharp, unpleasant sound effects: wind howling, rattling (for Hail), and silence where bird sounds should be. |
| The Wall | The tall grey wall is the dominant structure, visually blocking the “spring” potential of the garden. |
⭐ Staging Spring (Kindness)
The Spring scene must be an explosion of warmth, color, and gentle motion to contrast with the Winter scene.
| Element | Idea |
| Color/Light | Switch immediately to bright, warm lighting (yellow, pink, and light green). Increase the intensity of the stage lights. |
| The Tree | The TREE actors stand tall and relaxed. They quickly drape themselves with pink or white paper flowers/blossom garlands (the props from your list). The children climb the steps/platforms near the tree. |
| The Giant | The Giant changes his posture from hunched and angry to open and gentle. |
| Nature Characters | SPRING enters wearing bright green and floral colors. The Winter characters (SNOW, FROST, etc.) quickly retreat or change their scarves to show they are leaving. |
| Sound | Use happy, flowing music and sound effects of birds chirping and singing. The sound should be continuous and joyful. |
| The Wall | The wall can be easily removed, or the Giant can gesture to its removal. The most important visual is that the action now takes place on the other side of where the wall was, showing open space. |
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👉 External Resources:
- The Selfish Giant – Project Gutenberg
- Oscar Wilde Biography – Biography.com
- Seasons and Weather for Kids – Kiddle
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