We can capitalize on this natural talent by introducing structured dramatic play. What better way to learn about drama than hands-on? 

There are many ways to do this. Acting out little scenes with puppets or marionettes is ideal for younger children. Have them read their story and discuss it. Ask them questions about the characters or the storyline so that they think about the story more deeply than they ordinarily would. Let them create their own puppets or marionettes and make their own simple props. You want a production that's not too long, but long enough that they can fully enjoy the rewards of their hard work.  For this reason they will not be memorizing parts, but should be very familiar with them. Once everything is ready, have them put on a show for family and friends and the other children. 

Young children love to play dress up. Trying out different costumes thrills them. Have them fashion simple costumes for favorite stories, create a dialogue for those stories, and then play them out in memorized scenes. No cheat sheets here! These will be short enough that the memory exercises will be good for them. What they don't memorize they can ad lib. Keep it fun!

Children are terrific exaggerators. Crocodile tears and floor-rolling belly laughs are their specialty! Make a list of as many emotions as you can, and then call on children randomly to express that emotion without speaking or touching anyone. Cover a range of emotions and then ask that child what sort of things would make them feel this way. 

As much as adults love Charades, children love it even more! Allow them to act out a scenario and see if the other children can guess what they are doing. Absolutely no props allowed! Your list of activities might include waking up in the morning, shopping for groceries, sitting in the movie theater watching a funny or scary movie, or tending to a wee baby. Remind them that facial expressions are just as important as their actions.  

Versatility is something that is easy to teach. Children are so inventive that they may come up with things you haven't even thought of!  Name an object for them, such as a pair of shoes, or a hat. Now, exactly what kind of shoes they choose will be up to them. Let them think about their choices for a while and come up with pictures! Say you give the children 'shoes' as their object. Jonathan chooses fireman's boots. He will find pictures of fireman's boots in magazines or coloring books or stories from his bookcase about firemen. Sara is thinking of ballet slippers. She will do the same thing, collecting pictures and stories. If they can find a book that complements their choice, it can be read aloud to the group!       

It doesn't take much to stimulate the imaginations of small children. Their facility for pretending and imagining is still at its peak, and simple games like these will only increase their flair for the dramatic.

Article by Rachel Goodchild

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