11th November 2011
Drama isn’t all about ‘acting’ : Sometimes when we talk about Pyjama Drama to someone who is unfamiliar with it they say, “oh is it like acting school then?“. The answer is no. There is, of course, absolutely nothing wrong with classes that focus on performance as the end result but we’re not really about that. We use drama techniques to explore the imagination, pretend, play and have fun. Time and time again, parents report to us that their children have grown in confidence as a result of coming to the classes, this is, of course, fantastic, and we certainly hope that our classes foster a life-long love of drama but we’re not deliberately setting out to produce the next generation of actors!
Great activity classes are always age appropriate: We’ve worked hard to develop a programme that grows with your child so that they never get bored. Our classes start with Raindrops, from two years old, because it’s at this age that young children first begin to access the world imaginatively and are able to role-play and pretend. At 3 1/2 they move on to Rainbows and then from 5-7 years we run our Sunbeams sessions which move the improvisation part of the drama up a notch.
Singing and making music is a part of drama: Drama isn’t just about role-play and pretending; singing and making music is absolutely part of the package. Our original songs and music fit seamlessly into the sessions whether the children are singing about being a witch, flying to the moon or being a slug!
Pretending isn’t just good fun: Drama isn’t just good fun, it also helps with a child’s development, particularly with communication skills, confidence, concentration and co-operation. That’s why creative play is such a key focus of the Early Years Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum.
Imagination is central to everything: We passionately believe a well-developed imagination is one of the key building blocks for a successful and happy life. As Albert Einstein said, “Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions“.