“ “If you have only two pennies, spend the first on bread and the other on hyacinths for your soul.” –Arab Proverb

The Performing Arts According to Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld, the performing arts, music, dance, drama, and story are the oldest ways human beings learned to pass on information, traditions, customs, and beliefs. Children, as natural connectors, see the performing arts as everything they do. In this unit you will explore the importance of performance arts activities in the young child’s development and discuss basic guidelines for providing these activities in the early childhood program. In planning these activities, the developmental level of each child is the starting point. Specific attention will be given to dramatic play, creative dramatics, and creative movement. Puppets, finger plays, poetry, stories, and music can also be used to encourage children’s dramatic play and creative movements.

After completing this unit, you should be able to: Compare the objectives and developmental benefits of dramatic play and creative movement activities for young children. Discuss the basic guidelines for providing appropriate drama and movement activities for young children. Plan and execute creative movement and dramatics activities with young children using finger plays, puppets, poetry, stories, and music.. Discuss ways to adapt drama and movement activities for children with special needs.

Creative Drama and Dramatic Play Dramatic play – An original, outward expression of inner feelings Child can act out feelings that often cannot be expressed directly Creative dramatics – Improvised drama Uses no dialogue Actors create their own words and actions

Dramatic Play Kits An assortment of everyday items assembled into groups that have common use or theme. Children can select the props and use them in groups or alone to play roles or create games. Specific examples are: SupermarketPost Office Beauty ParlorCooking CleaningDoctor FirefighterGrocer Gas Station AttendantEntertainer What items would you assemble to stock each of these?

Creative Dramatics with Elementary Students Provide a structure Encourage open-endedness Promote a safe environment Provide feedback Take your time

Creative Movement: Objectives Relaxation and freedom in the use of the body Experience in expressing space, time, and weight Increased awareness of the world Experience in creatively expressing feelings and ideas Improvement of coordination and rhythmic interpretation Increasing sensitivity in aesthetic judgment

Creative Movement: Guidelines Begin all planning with the developmental level of each child Include time for practice and exploration when introducing new skills Keep in mind the characteristics of each age group Use poetry and music to stimulate creative movement Fingerplays provide an endless supply of creative movement opportunities

Creative Movement Activities Preschool – many opportunities to practice, vary activities to prevent boredom, incorporate different activities to practice particular skills Elementary – define expectations, prepare the room, provide visual cues, spatial arrangements, working with partners, time limits, commenting on student’s work

Seminar Question # 1 Compare the objectives of creative dramatics and creative movement for their potential to enhance young children’s overall development. Give an example of a movement and a drama activity that nurture the social-emotional, physical, and cognitive development of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and young school-aged children.

Seminar Question # 1 Creative MovementDrama Infants dancing around baby corn meal play Toddlers “Open and Shut Them” story drama Preschooler Young school-aged

Seminar Question # 2 Explain how the use of puppets and story dramas benefit young children’s dramatic play and how their use differs between preschoolers and young elementary children.