by Sheetal Ahlawat

Created on: February 07, 2009

As a nursery teacher, I found that drama is a handy tool for calming the young ones, making them understand concepts and development of their verbal expressions. We used to dramatize bits and parts of different stories that I told them during story hour. Some day we will be enacting Ali baba and Forty thieve, while sometimes it was Snow White's turn. Kids participated enthusiastically. I saw that kids who were introvert and didn't speak much in the class, did very well when given a chance to perform a role. Kids get to use correct language when they are in the form of dialogues rather than through text books.

After telling a story, I would let children adopt different characters and dramatize the story. I tried that at least some of the dialogue were created by the kids themselves. I always told a story with lots of gestures and expressions, kids observed me and imitated my actions and dialogues during dramatization.

Reciting poems can also be another way of introducing drama in the classroom. Encourage children to recite poems with dramatic expressions and actions, both individually and in groups.

Let children play the game of 'Dumb Charade's. Ask the children to sit in a circle. The teacher should start the activity by showing any object, for example, a pen and ask the children, "What is this?" Then she should say, lets play a game. We will imagine this to be something else. I will do some action with it. Then you tell me what is it?" Do some action with it, for example, roll it like a rolling pin. then ask the children what is this? Once the children have caught on, let each one of them dramatize an action with it and let the others identify the imagined object.

Give a scene or a situation to the children, for example, railway station or market scene and let them assume different characters and act out scene.

Drama provides a form of recreation and develops imagination in kids. Its a great way of introducing kids to different concepts like numbers, genders etc. Puppets can also be used in drama. Puppet play teaches kids hand-eye and oral co-ordination. Let children dramatize a story using finger or rod puppets themselves. I used to make finger puppets with the help of kids. they would give me scissors, paper, colors and even tried to glue the paper around their fingers. It was great fun to watch young hands handle all the props and stumble occasionally.

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