Summer Series: Volume II
Week of July 14th: All about.... DRAMA and DRAMATIC PLAY!!!!
"When children pretend, they're using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero." -- Fred Rogers
REMINDER - Summer CAN be fun... even (and especially) with kids who are not the go-with-the-flow type.
So if you've got highly sensitive, super spirited kiddos, or even totally neurotypical kiddos, we've gotchu!
As with every week, you'll find: something to do out and about; something to do at home; and a parenting tip for each age group. Pick and choose as you please! 💫
AGES 0-5
OUTING: Check out a local story time, play, or concert. We're headed to Tufts Library on Thursday 7/18 for Toe Jam Puppet Band. Your local libraries probably have options on and off throughout the year - keep an eye out and be sure to register (they often fill up - especially the ‘good’ ones). Story times should be interactive and FUN - so if you end up somewhere that your small child is expected to sit still and quiet, leave immediately :) Plays, concerts, puppet shows, etc are all awesome ways for your child to PLAY with the backdrop of literacy, drama, music, or a combination of all!
FUN @ HOME: Set up a dress up area! Or let the whole house be a dress up area! Don’t feel the need to purchase a bunch of costumes. Not only are they unnecessary, but they’re actually really limiting. (Don’t get me wrong, if your child just loves Elsa and wants an Elsa gown, there’s nothing wrong with that; but a scarf lying around the house is not only free, it can also be used for so many different costumes!) The best items are the ones that will be used as a million different things - scarves, shoes, belts, bags, sunglasses, hats - things you probably already have. And just let their imagination go wild!! (Also - I’m sure you’ve noticed, another AMAZING thing about kids - they LOVE looking in the mirror!! So free up all the mirrors and watch the magic unfold)
PARENTING TIP: Join the fun - play dress up and/or share your goods ;) We always encourage adults to follow the child’s lead. If they’re having a blast playing alone, don’t insert yourself unnecessarily into their play. Observe, watch, listen, and learn - it’s a beautiful flow of their imagination and you’ll certainly gain some insight into your child’s inner workings. (And that’s invaluable, isn’t it?!) On the other hand, if they’re asking you to play, giving you a hat to put on, or saying for the hundredth time, “Look at me!” then for the love, LOOK AT THEM! And join in if you can! (Trust me, I totally get the constant battle of trying to clean, cook, and get some work done - we don’t always have time to play; but if you HAVE time or can possibly MAKE time, then do!) And if you don’t have time to join in, maybe share some of your stuff with them! They LOVE clomping around in shoes that are too big, filling a fancy purse with toys, and wearing your winter hat (even if it’s 100 degrees). In other words - they might want to be you or feel closer to you. ❤️
AGES 5-11
OUTING: See a live show! We'll be at Mel O'Musical's Finding Nemo in Quincy on Saturday Ok. We all know Mel O’Drama’s shows are outstanding, right?! Live theater is a way to completely immerse yourselves in a story. and going to a community theater show not only supports local creative arts (which we ALL KNOW needs serious support these days…) but it’s also so. much. fun. And super affordable. And kids shows being put on by kids is (in my opinion) the best introduction to live theatre. It’s a family friendly audience so you don’t have to worry about them asking questions throughout the show, needing to pee before intermission, or wanting to leave partway through! It’s low cost, low risk, and usually super enjoyable.
FUN @ HOME: Play charades (or a similar active game). First, read above about a dress up area, because that still totally applies. Although kids are conditioned away from play if they’re in traditional school systems, kids are developmentally supposed to continue play throughout their entire childhood. That means that your tween still wants (and needs) to play! So if they’ll dress up - please let them! But if they’ve unfortunately gotten the message that it’s no longer cool to dress up, then try to get dramatic play in another way - games are always a great go-to. Charades or similar ‘pretending’ games gives permission to be silly and act up.
PARENTING TIP: Play the game WITH them and notice what makes them laugh! We all need more laughter and play in our lives. Just like the kids need permission, we adults do, too. Allow the game and your children to provide the permission you need to let loose - play. laugh. repeat.
AGES 11+
OUTING: Try something new like an Escape Room - here's one in Dedham; we haven't tried it (yet) - let us know if you go! Escape Rooms are a great way to immerse yourself in something ‘imaginary’ which is the magic of drama and dramatic play. This age group would also still love live theater like Mel O’Musicals, “Finding Nemo” or their teen show, “Ride the Cyclone The Musical.” And if you’ve already got a theater lover, maybe take a trip into Boston to see a live show! (I don’t normally recommend this until you know they love it because it’s definitely more of an investment)
FUN @ HOME: Put their favorite TV show on mute and pretend you're the characters! This is so much fun. I tried this for the first time when I was a teenager traveling abroad. We found ourselves in a village in Italy with a TV that only got 2 channels. Both channels were playing soap operas in Italian and we did not speak Italian. So we improvised! We all took a character and made up the dialogue. It’s not only entertaining, but also AMAZING practice for kids who need some practice with reading body language and facial expressions (which, thanks to technology, I think we all need some practice with…)
PARENTING TIP: Meet them where they're at and remember, the more you force, the more resistance you'll be met with. Offer a few suggestions/invitations and see which one sparks interest.
Do you have any ideas or suggestions?! We'd love to hear them!!
(ESPECIALLY if your kids are also highly sensitive / neurospicy / not the super adaptable type kid that can go anywhere and do anything)
Email us and share your favorite places to go and things to do!! hello@elementsacademy.org
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Heather DiNino, Founding Director of Elements Academy and author of this Summer Series, offers free consult calls to talk about anything you’d like - education, parenting, wellness, you name it!
Schedule your call any time!