Chapter 15 Dramatic Play and Puppetry Importance of Dramatic Play Dramatic Play Center Creative Dramatics in Elementary Grades Adaptations for Children with Special Needs Puppets

Importance of Dramatic Play Develops creativity and imagination Expression of inner feelings Mastery over events Handling of fears, anxieties Making sense of the world of adults

Dramatic Play Center Child-sized version of the world Place to try on social roles Opportunities to broaden horizons Reflect the world around Reflect many cultures Open-ended materials Modeling behavior

Creative Dramatics in Elementary Grades No written dialogue Actors create their own words to convey meaning Informal drama created by the participants Goes beyond dramatic play in scope and intent Improvised Teacher is guide, not director Ages six and older

Adaptation for Children with Special Needs Not too many rules Encourage children to play together Require at least five minutes in center Label shelves to help child put props away Encourage verbalization during play Supportive seating where appropriate Behavioral consequences for inappropriate behavior

Puppets Creative experience making Creative experience using Use throughout the curriculum Suggestions Introduce puppet slowly to the class Keep puppet’s character Give puppet a seat, place to stay Use puppet to communicate with children

Kinds of Puppets Stick puppets Bag puppets Hand puppets Finger puppets Wooden spoon puppets Play dough puppets Sock puppets More …