We know that just because a child might be observing quietly from the sidelines, it doesn’t mean they’re not learning or having fun. Each child processes experiences differently, and those moments of quiet observation are just as valuable as active participation. Our role is to nurture their confidence and creativity, giving them the tools and encouragement they need to thrive—without rushing or forcing their progress.

By embracing each child’s individual journey, we help them develop essential skills in a way that feels natural and enjoyable for them. After all, every child learns in their own time, and that’s something to be celebrated! 

Sarah X 

That's why we've created, 'Are You Ready?'; a three-week drama program to help children get ready for school. From learning how to use the toilet independently, to understanding self-care, and developing fine motor skills, our Pyjama Drama sessions place children in imaginary worlds where they can develop the all-important skills they need to get off to a flying start at school!

They are the perfect accompaniment to the amazing work you'll already be doing in school as a teacher, or at home with your little ones.

So, whether you work in the early years and you’d like one of our amazingly talented teachers to visit and deliver, ‘Are You Ready?’, or you're a parent who'd like to recommend us to your child's school or nursery, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!

Email hello@pyjamadrama.com

That's because drama is action-based and experiential. Children learn through 'doing' as they are exposed to a range of imaginary worlds and characters and experience meaningful and memorable interactions.

Yesterday, for example, we ran away from the Grand Old Duke of York (because we'd marched up and down one too many hills) and hid in the duck pond, where we pretended to be flowers waving gently in the wind. We also hid in the pantry, in a bush, in the dog basket, and behind Tescos, and at one point nipped to the seaside for a quick ice cream. Eventually, we persuaded the Grand Old Duke of York to join us for a spa day and enjoyed getting our toes nibbled at by the frogs who were bathing in our foot bath.

Who wouldn't remember a day like that? 

Find your nearest teacher here, or take a look at our training opportunities for early practitioners. 

The general consensus from the many teachers we've trained over the years is that they recognise the enormous educational and social benefits of using drama, but they're sure they're going to feel like a total fool, and therefore they reserve drama for 'the experts'.

Truth is, that if a practitioner can put on different voices when reading a story, or pull a silly face to make a child laugh, if they're using actions and facial expressions when they're singing, they're already using drama skills - and what EYP doesn't already do this!? They just need a few Pyjama Drama techniques and resources up their sleeve, and then they themselves become the expert.

We pride ourselves on making everyone feel comfortable at our CPD sessions, even if they are naturally reserved, or reticent, and part of this is reassuring delegates we're not going to make them do anything that makes them look or feel a fool.

Do we sing Pyjama Drama songs together? Yes - it's a great way to break down barriers, and it something EYPs spend an awful lot of time doing already.

Do we ask them to step out of their comfort zone? Yes, but only a little, or as much as they feel comfortable doing. After all, we regularly ask children to try new things, and give things a go, so it follows that we as educators should do the same.

But do we ever make delegates role play? No.

Do we ever put them on the spot? No.

Do we ever force them to "act" in front of one another? No.

So how on earth do we teach EYPs to have the confidence to use drama and imaginative play with confidence?

1.) We genuinely love working with EYPs and showing them how to do what we do. And we hope that our passion for our work comes across and enthuses others.

2.) One of us (me!) is NOT a drama expert by trade. Everything we do in trainings has gone through the "Rachel test" - if I think I'd have felt embarrassed doing something when I was a teacher, and before I know what I know now, it doesn't go in (that's why traditional role play is a big no!)

3.) We scaffold practitioners' learning and understanding so that they understand the "why" and well as the "how". No-one is thrown in at the deep end. Rather we teach EYPs how to use our techniques step-by-step, with tonnes of demos, and give them a chance to practice them little, by little, in small groups with their peers.

4.) The Pyjama Drama techniques we teach have been specially devised for non-drama specialists (if I can use them with confidence and skill, anyone can)

5.) And finally, the resources we develop are developed for non-drama specialists. They're simple, self-explanatory, educationally sound, and lots of fun to deliver!

To find out more, click here.

Now think about the dressing up box in the corner of your early years’ classroom. Maybe there’s one pirate outfit, a chef, a doctor and yes, that popular princess dress – all of which only one child at any one time can wear. Not only does this easily lead to disappointment and frustration, but real costumes get broken, stained, ripped and most importantly, the sparkly dress in your dressing up box, is never as sparkly as the one in your child’s imagination.

We’re not saying there’s no place in early years practice for a dressing up box, or a role play area for that matter, but what we are saying is that these things have the potential to limit a child’s imagination. If we invest all our time, money and efforts into this type of play, we are missing out on enormous opportunities for learning and growth.

With truly imaginative play (the Pyjama Drama way!), there are no resources to invest in – just the power of the imagination, and if you harness this, children can be anyone, go anywhere, do anything, and learn so much – all in the safe and supportive environment of the classroom.

We can show you how! Take a look at our award-winning CPS training: https://www.pyjamadrama.com/training-and-resources

For all Lynsey's professional experience and knowledge, and her clear passion for drama, the one that sticks out the most for me is, "I highly value the importance of being kind." It resonates beautifully with our own Core Principles.

Lynsey, new franchise manager for Runnymede & Woking, USPs:

⭐ I have a wealth of experience working with young children, as a nursery practitioner and then as a primary school teacher, predominantly in the Early Years. 

⭐ I have a passion for learning through play.

⭐ In depth, practical knowledge of the EYFS and the National Curriculum.

⭐ I can develop and maintain excellent relationships with children and adults.

⭐ I highly value the importance of being kind and I am extremely nurturing and patient.

⭐ I have a good sense of humour and enjoy being a big kid at heart myself!

⭐ I love storytelling, using my voice, actions and facial expression to bring stories to life!

⭐ Drama has been a passion of mine from a young age and I studied drama up to GCSE level, gaining a grade A.

⭐ I love to learn new things and I continually reflect on my own practice.

⭐ I have a great imagination and love to make up stories and silly songs with my own children!

⭐ I have bundles of enthusiasm!

If you can recognise you have your own unique selling points that would make you a great Pyjama Drama franchisee, and are considering a change of career, you can download our Info Pack here!

Life throws stuff at us all from time to time which can mean just getting up in the morning can sometimes feel difficult but with a franchise network, there is always support and someone to step in.

At HQ we have often managed our franchisees’ emails and calls when they have been experiencing difficult personal situations, sometimes for weeks, and always visit franchisees in their territory to give them the extra support they need. We personalise our support so no matter how much they need and for how long, they are sure they receive it. And it works both ways. Me and my sister and business partner Rachel McKenna have experienced our own personal tragedy during our time as franchisors, and our team couldn’t have been more supportive of us. This helped us continue to thrive when it would have been easy to flounder.

Because our team are empathetic, emotionally intelligent individuals, there will always be a fellow franchisee on hand to lend a sympathetic ear or offer business advice if you join our franchise.

The world has changed a lot over the past 20 years since Pyjama Drama began, but what hasn't changed is our commitment to changing children’s lives through drama and imaginative play - and we’ve got the most amazing team behind us to help us achieve just this!

Find out more about becomming part of our amazing team

Sarah X

This year, we saw the launch of a new partnership with Trustpilot which enables us to showcase the incredible reviews both franchisees and Head Office regularly receive from customers, increasing customer confidence, and therefore sales. We're so proud to be rated 5* Excellent!

In June, we partnered with Pebble and introduced a brand-new booking and payment system which is integrated into our website. Pebble gives franchisees greater control when managing their classes, and gives customers a simple and secure way to pay.

In July, we welcomed new franchisee Rachael Blackburn - our first ever franchisee from the Netherlands! Here she is at her in-person training doing an incredible job of teaching Pyjama Drama to children for the very first time! 

July also saw us hosting our 13th annual seminar in Welshpool - the birthplace of Pyjama Drama. Franchisees travelled from around the UK to enjoy a day and an evening of refresher training, guest speakers, business planning, and socialising. We have the BEST team!

The annual seminar gave us the chance to introduce a new income stream for our franchisees in the form of practitioner training. At the seminar, we trained franchisees how to deliver our award-winning course, 'An Introduction to Early Years Imaginative Play' - enabling them to market this to settings in their area.

In September, we welcomed our first franchisee in India - the brilliant Shweta Shankla. Shweta is making great waves in Mumbai, and proving that (as we know!) children are the same the world over.

In October, we delivered our first online training sessions to teachers from 25 Cambridge Montessori Nurseries in India. Over 100 early years teachers have joined our programme, and are learning how to deliver our 'Dip into Drama' curriculum!

October also saw us welcome another new franchisee, the lovely Lydia Overton. Lydia is working part-time initially, moving to full-time from April, as her family grows. Here she is in territory after training, networking at a local fete! 

November saw us being recognised in the Teach Early Years awards for the fourth year in a row! Franchisees benefit hugely from our reputation as industry leaders in the early years, helping them to make contacts and sales with nurseries and schools.

November also saw us becoming approved suppliers for Banana Moon nurseries, and to date, we already have five settings signed up to deliver our preschool curriculum, 'Dip into Drama'!

And finally, December sees the launch of our 'test drive' opportunity - enabling potential franchisees to try being a franchisee for free, from the comfort of their own home! Test Drive us here!

It's been a brilliant year, and we're looking forward to 2024. If you're considering joining the team, we look forward to talking to you soon!

Best wishes,

Rachel

We devote a good amount of time during training to marketing. In the remote section of the training, franchisees watch a series of pre-recorded lessons that, among other things, teach them the basics of marketing their new business. They also have an in-depth, two-hour meeting with a director, who helps them create a detailed three-month marketing plan and a one-year business plan. 

One piece of advice I'd give to anyone choosing a franchise is to look not only at a company's website but also at the head office's social media accounts. Is the website clear, engaging, and easy to use? Do franchisees all have their own dedicated listings that are customer-friendly? Are Head Office social media accounts engaging, updated regularly, and clear in the messages they're getting across to customers? If the answer is 'yes' to these questions, you can judge that the franchisor is good at marketing their business, and so it stands to reason that you will also be good at marketing after your initial training.

Our franchisees have access to their training videos for the life of their franchise, as well as access to a huge number of social media images and video reels! And finally, they also receive a set amount of bespoke marketing material as part of their initial franchise fee, because while social media is integral, we know that there is still power in doing some things the old-fashioned way—a beautiful leaflet in a child's book bag or a professional brochure delivered to a nursery can make all the difference in securing a sale.

We love Pyjama Drama, and we love our brand. We're also passionate about helping our franchisees run successful businesses and have been doing so since 2009. Fancy joining the team? Download our Info. Pack today. 

Whatever you do, have fun!
Rachel 

To develop cooperation skills, children need opportunities to problem-solve; they need to experience making choices; and they need opportunities to take turns.

Drama gives children all this and more! 

1) Drama requires children to problem-solve (How to cross Crocodile Bridge safely? How do I mend the broken rocket? What should I put on the shopping list? How do I find the treasure without a map?)

2) Drama allows children to make choices (Shall I use a ladder or my magic wand to rescue the fairy from the tree? Shall I have chocolate milk or strawberry lemonade at the teddy bear's picnic?)

3) Drama requires children to take turns. In every game and every Pyjama Drama activity, it is necessary that children take turns and follow simple rules

To teach children the skills they need to learn how to cooperate, give them opportunities to do drama. And anyone, no matter what their experience of drama, can lead our simple drama activities. Find out how. 

1.) How satisfied are you with your work/life balance?

2.) How satisfied are you with the financial rewards of running your business?

How did they answer?

100% said they were 'satisfied' or 'extremely satisfied'

You can imagine that this made us very happy indeed - but it doesn't stop us working hard to keep improving! Afterall, we want 100% of our network to be EXTREMELY satisfied! Here are just a few things we've implemented since these results came in:

1.) A brand-new payment system for public class customers, integrated into our website

2.) An opportunity for franchisees to earn extra by delivering our award-winning training session to early years practitioners

3.) An opportunity for franchisees to earn extra by selling our brand-new course for parents

We've been franchising now since 2009, and we're proud to say franchisee satisfaction is always high, but it doesn't pay anyone to rest on one's laurels - thats why we keep striving to be better! 

If you're considering joining the team and running your own Pyjama Drama business, you can download an Info Pack here.

Have fun!
Rachel

It’s easy to look at other families and make comparisons but it really doesn’t matter HOW you interact with your child if there is meaningful and respectful communication between you.

And if you don’t ‘like’ playing with your three- or four-year-old, you’re certainly not alone! Never have the challenges of parenting been so great and with everything else us parents have got going on in our busy lives, it’s not surprising that making time for play can take a back seat.

But play is important. It’s the way children learn, and it helps develop key life skills such as co-operation, confidence, and concentration. Playing together also strengthens bonds and produces those feel-good chemicals endorphins that are responsible for relieving stress and improving mood.

And…. It CAN be fun:

• Even if your parents didn’t model ‘playfulness’ for you as a child 
• Even if you feel ‘silly’,  awkward, or self-conscious being playful
• Even if you quickly run out of ideas and don’t know what to do or say
• Even if you’re busy and exhausted and would rather do anything else…

We can give you tricks, techniques, and the ideas you need to start ENJOYING playtime with your child. 

Get in touch to express an iterest in our training sessions for parents! 

Sue and I met up via cyber space to get to know more about each other’s businesses, to discuss dogs, politics, hairdressers, families – oh and MyCPDGroup! We’re both using the fabulous platform to host our courses.

Pyjama Drama have been partners with Graham and the team at MyCPD for a couple of years now, and Sue is in the middle of creating her first content for the platform – though by no means her first course! If you don’t know, Sue has been in the business of education for some 18 years now as a parenting coach and teacher. She’s the Parenting Expert for ITV’s This Morning, BBC Radio, Disney Junior, Good Morning Britain, and India’s Education & Parenting World magazine – I have to say, I felt a little starstruck…that is until the moment we began chatting, because Sue is nothing if not warm, down-to-earth, funny, and open. And her passion for helping parents create happy childhoods comes through in bucket loads.

As we at Pyjama Drama HQ look ahead to launching our own parents’ course in the next couple of weeks, we’re delighted that Sue will be coming along to one of the sessions and acting as a critical friend to us – with her wealth of knowledge and experience as a parenting coach, who better!?

You can find out more about Sue and her incredible work here - and if you're not familiar with her, see how close you think I've managed to get a resemblence! ;)

You can register your interest in our parenting course and be the first to find out about it when it launches here.

Rachel
x

As we chatted away, it's obvious Boogie Mites and Pyjama Drama are 100% signing from the same hymn sheet - we're both passionate about how the arts develop children's life skills, both companies train practitioners to be able to use our approach and resources confidently in their practice, both support individuals to have the confidence and skills to run their own successful businesses, and both work with parents to help them learn how to to nurture their little ones' skills while having fun.

That part of it was kind of a given, and of course you could expect our business models to be fairly similar since we're both in the same industry, but the similarities in the ways our businesses have developed was uncanny - the twists and turns, the ups and downs, the developments and joy in creating new products, it's as if we've been running in parallel and it's only because of MyCPDGroup that we discovered the connection.

I am very much looking forward to more such meetings with other consultants in the group - not least Sue Atkins who I'm meeting tomorrow. Here's to meeting more like-minded individuals striving to make the world a teeny bit better for our young people, and for the amazing teachers and practitioners who work with them :)

Rachel

Shweta already delivers various activities and workshops for children under her venture Tiny Tribes but was looking for something different to offer her students - a programme with drama and imagination at its heart, and one with a proven track record. 

"I'm so excited to be delivering these brilliant drama plans" says Shweta who has already employed a second drama teacher and arranged meetings with schools looking to offer drama as part of their curriculum. “The training has been excellent” she adds, “and despite being so far away, we’ve had great support from the team at Head office in the UK.”

Going forward, Shweta will continue to work closely with directors, Sarah Owen and Rachel McKenna, and as well as delivering Pyjama Drama in schools and nurseries, will also be offering training and support to preschools and nurseries. “Many nurseries and schools would love to be able to offer a drama curriculum” Shweta explains, “but don’t know how to go about it. With Pyjama Drama’s award-winning training programme already established, I can help them develop new skills and train them how to lead simple drama lessons themselves."

To express an interest in Pyjama Drama - our classes for preschool children or our training for preschool practitioners, please get in touch.

1) Pretend play is a special place where you can be anyone, go anywhere and do anything! Noone can tell you where to go or what to do when you play pretend; it’s YOUR space where you can be free and let your imagination run wild!

2) When you play pretend, you can also learn how to understand other people's feelings. You can pretend to be someone else and imagine how they might feel in different situations. This helps you be kind and caring towards others. Pretending with your friends can also teach you how to work together and get along.

3) Pretend play can also help you get stronger and more coordinated. When you run like a tiger, jump like a frog, fly like a superhero, and climb like a builder, you're using your body and building your muscles. Even little things like miming writing a shopping list or drinking a cup of imaginary tea can help your hands get better at doing things. It's exercise for your body!

4) When you play pretend, your brain must work in a different way –  you have to work out  what you want to play, who you want to play with, and what the rules are. You also must figure out what you need to make your game more fun. This helps your brain think and solve problems. It's a skill that you can use for the rest of your life!

5) Pretend play is also a great way to learn new words and how to talk to others. In your pretend games, you can use the words you hear other people say. Even if you don’t always know what the words mean it’s fun to try using them – that’s the way we learn! I bet you can make up all sorts of fun games and use new words like pretending you're at the doctors, flying to the moon on a spaceship, or sailing the Seven Seas with your pirate crew!

So remember, pretend play is not just fun, it's also really good for you. It helps you be creative, understand others, learn new words, think and solve problems, and get stronger. Imagination will take you everywhere!

Sarah X

The children in this picture were on this plane for 20 minutes straight, taking it in turns to be the pilot, and the air steward, as well as creating different characters and scenarios every few minutes. The play was self-directed; once I’d set up the chairs and quickly established the framework of the drama, the children took complete ownership of the activity, becoming agents of their own story.

The plane may have been late taking off, there may have been turbulence along the way, and one of the children may have been sick all over the floor, but this flight saw the development of the passengers’ critical social and emotional skills:

*The air steward dealing with an angry passenger developed negotiation skills
*The princess learned to forge connections with people different from her
*The stressed-out businesswoman practised self-regulation techniques
*The dog learned to view the world from a different perspective
*The passenger who saved another man’s life developed leadership skills

Even the toddler conquered her fear of flying!

Play is an instinctive tool that whisks children away to imaginary lands where they can engage with the world and develop crucial skills.

Where will you fly to the next time you have a spare 20 minutes and a couple of chairs? 

Sarah X 

Parents have always played a huge part in the Pyjama Drama journey; they join public classes with their children and are actively encouraged to join in, as well as to observe their child at play. And it’s always been clear that as well as the obvious benefits for children, Pyjama Drama classes can have a powerful impact on parents too, opening their eyes to their child’s imagination and in turn, helping them be more playful at home:

“I didn’t know play looked like this”.

 “I’ve never seen them play like this before”.

“I didn’t realise what an amazing imagination they’ve got”.

“You’ve taught me how to play by watching you!”

Many parents though, are often understandably reticent about joining in at classes - pretending to be a drowning bee or rescuing a fairy from a swamp is probably not what they imagined when they first signed up and I’ve lost count of the times over the years when a parent has said to me,

“I couldn’t do what you do”.

So, imagine our delight when we put out a casting call to local parents and were inundated with responses from mums, dads, and grandparents, all wanting to learn how to lead our drama games with their children, and be filmed in the process!

So, as the next part of the Pyjama Drama journey unfolds, it’s our parents and carers who will be invited to take a starring role. Where it was once our job to teach young children, it’s now also part of our job description to teach adults how to play – and we can’t wait to get started!

Our casting call has now ended but to be part of the action and learn how to lead drama and imaginative play, in the comfort of your own home, click here 

Sarah X 

Our ambition? That EVERYONE working with children aged 2 - 5 be able to use our drama techniques to develop life skills in children.

The problem? Our franchisees were too talented! How could we ever expect all practitioners to be able to deliver the Pyjama Drama programme?

The answer? We couldn't.

An hour later, and as we happily met our colleague, we were brimming with excitement. We'd figured out a way to develop the programme into something that we felt ANYONE would be able to deliver with the right training and resources.

That anyone included me. I'm not a trained drama teacher, and I felt embarrassed about the idea of "doing Pyjama Drama" with young children. But what we'd come up with was something even I felt I could not only deliver with confidence, but also get incredible results from.

Five years later and here we are. Three Teach Early Years awards up our sleeve, 5* reviews on Trustpilot for our courses and resources, and getting ready to deliver training sessions to EYPs from all over the world. Hurrah! This means more and more children will be able to benefit from our powerful approach.

If you're one of the 200+ practitioners who has already booked a free place on one of our training sessions , I can't wait to see you there, and if you're yet to secure your place head over to https://www.pyjamadrama.com/training-and-resources to find out more - there are still places left on all dates.

See you there,
Rachel
x

I’ve spent the past twenty years making up games, rhymes, and songs and mastering the art of leading imaginative play. I’ve also witnessed incredible transformations: non-verbal children who suddenly started speaking; self-conscious children who found the confidence to 'take the stage'; children who learned to regulate their emotions; and those who, through the drama process, acquired the skills they needed to form positive friendships.

As every teacher knows, self-evaluation is key, and this has been crucial in the development of our award-winning training. In every single class, I’ve learned something new—about how to engage preschool children, stimulate imaginations, and nurture key skills—and we're delighted to now be able to share this knowledge and experience with you. 

We can teach you, no matter what your experience of drama, how to lead drama and imaginative play activites, online or in person.

Take a look at the different training opportunities on offer here or get in touch to find out more. 

Sarah X

• When everyone else scrambled for an instrument, she stood back and waited, even though it meant the ‘best’ ones were taken first.
• When a friend looked like she might cry, she quietly took her hand and didn’t let go.   
• When another friend struggled to wait their turn, she let them take hers and when another wanted her instrument, she swapped without a word…

These are not the actions of someone without self-confidence, though. Hazel is also the first to greet you with smiles and stories as you walk through the door, shout out ideas and come up with inventive solutions to problems in our ‘pretend’, and she’s the first to volunteer for our games. These are the actions of someone self-assured, comfortable in their own skin, and of someone who cares about others as much as they care about themselves.

Hazel doesn’t play ‘nice’ to get attention or praise and I’m sure doesn’t realise what a unique quality this is. But we see you, Hazel. We see how special you are and we’re very glad you’re on our team!

Often, change is gradual, but with this little superstar, it was overnight and a full 360-degree turnaround at that! For over four months Alex attended weekly classes without saying a word to me and rarely joined in. Then one day, for no obvious reason, he suddenly started chatting – and wouldn’t stop! Telling me everything, from what he did that morning to what his imaginary character was saying. Grinning (not just smiling!), waving to his friends, throwing himself into every game and howling (not just laughing!) at the drama. Words can’t quite describe the rush of emotions we all felt in the room that day but what I can tell you is how honoured I feel to have had the opportunity to get to know this charismatic, funny, gentle, kind and yes, confident, little boy. This is Alex! This is the power of drama!

Sarah X

Today, I deliver sessions in nurseries and schools where I am not only constantly observed but where adults constantly take un-flattering photos like these!

I also train other preschool practitioners how to deliver drama activities but more importantly, how to throw themselves into imaginary worlds with their children - without caring what anyone else thinks!

So, if you’re naturally shy, feel self-conscious or embarrassed singing, reading stories (or just generally being ‘silly’), and want to learn how to be OK with pulling the most ridiculous faces in front of your peers, take a look at our range of training packages. We can visit your setting, or you can train in our own time (in under an hour) and deliver our award-winning resources

Wondering what on earth we were up to in this class? I'll give you a clue. We were exploring the garden in the moonlight...

Sarah X

Book your child into a class here, or find out how you could deliver award-winning drama activities and make a difference to your children's lives here. 

Sarah X

But how about actively encouraging them to have one?

The first time I saw a Pyjama Drama class in action, I watched as a highly skilled teacher presented an imaginary caterpillar to a group of children (my then four-year-old son among them). The caterpillar was terrified (shaking in his boots no less), because out in the dark, dank woods lived a witch whose favourite food was caterpillar soup. What were the children to do? How could they help little Sue to turn into a butterfly so she could escape the clutches of the evil witch?

What followed was far more than a lesson in the life cycle of a butterfly. I watched as each and every child began to ‘find’ their own little caterpillar. No one told them to – it happened naturally, instinctively, in fact. The children were well and truly invested in their new-found friends; determined to keep them safe, feed them up and protect them as they formed their cocoons to eventually break free and flutter away from danger. And as they lined up to leave at the end of the session, every single child cradled their new friend in his or her palm, or eagerly encouraged their butterflies to fly out of the door with them.

It was an absolute joy to watch. The children were developing empathy, practising conflict resolution, experiencing a range of emotions,  and honing their interpersonal skills and problem-solving – without realising that they were doing anything of the sort.

I had to learn more, so I went straight to founder Sarah Owen who, luckily for me, happens to be my sister. The teacher who I’d watched deliver the caterpillar session had never worked with children prior to running her franchise and she wasn’t an actress – she had the raw skills and desire to play and pretend with children and this, along with the training and support she had received via my sister and Pyjama Drama, had resulted in an incredibly skilled professional. Sarah and I soon after joined forces and I became a director, helping to support Pyjama Drama franchisees run their businesses around the UK and abroad.

Fast forward and we now also offer online and in-person training for preschool practitioners, helping them to use drama to transform social and emotional learning in their settings. 

'But I can't do drama!' I hear you cry.  Well, let me tell you, neither do I!

I’m a secondary school art teacher by trade, and whilst I don’t mind the odd song on karaoke if the conditions are right, I do not feel comfortable ‘acting’ and I do not want to look a fool. But here’s the thing – I do like reading to my children and putting on the characters’ voices, I do like hearing them laugh when I make their toys talk, and I do like singing songs with my children. Ultimately, if you can do this – and what early years educator can’t? – you can ‘do’ drama with young children!

Check out our training opportunities here and if you have the ambition to run your own business teaching Pyjama Drama, take a look at our franchise 

Rachel 

Thank you to everyone at Park Lane. We look forward to the next 15 years!

Sarah X

The majority scored themselves 2, some already felt confident and gave themselves 1, and a handful said they were 3 - apprehensive about the idea of integrating a more 'dramatic' approach into their practice.

Why? The main reason given was simply that they considered themselves to be 'too shy' to do drama with their kids.

Two and a half hours later and after lots of interesting discussion and lively group work, no one was too shy in fact, EVERYONE in the room scored themselves a 2 or above, with most people feeling ready to implement our ideas and approaches the very next day! 

No one is too shy to deliver our techniques. If you'd like to discuss booking training for your nursery or school, get in touch or find out more. 

Sarah and Rachel X

1. Are you a believer in the power of drama and imaginative play? (specifically for boosting personal, social and emotional skills)
2. Are you good with young children? (they they seek you out, and always want you to play)
3. Are you happy when you're spending time with children? (you love playing, being silly and pretending)
4. Are you blessed with basic drama skills? (you pull funny faces and put on voices when reading stories)
5. Are you excited to learn new skills? (from teaching to marketing - there's a lot to learn!)
6. Are you passionate about being in charge of your own destiny? (you want to work when you want to, not when someone else tells you)

If this sounds like you, be sure to have downloaded our most recent Info Pack, or get in touch if you'd like to arrange a time to chat!

Whatever you do today, have fun! 

• I called 16 nurseries, which took 2.5 hours (including the time it took to send emails after the calls)
• Of these, 12 wanted to book a free taster session - that's 75% with an immediate yes!
• 3 need chasing up again in a couple of days, and 1 is calling me back tomorrow

Not a bad result for just two and a half hours of work! Nurseries need and want our sessions. We don't have enough teachers to meet the demand. So, if you're still considering a career with us, and feel sure you could pick up the phone and call nurseries with a smile - get in touch and let's chat!

Rachel 

We learned that it's normal to feel multiple emotions in quick succession, that emotions can be difficult to manage, and that it's Ok to feel two completely opposite emotions at the same time. And we learned that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to feel.

Drama is the perfect way to help children understand emotions and to ultimately learn how to manage their own feelings and emotional responses. To be able to manage their emotions, a child must first be able to recognise them and give them a name. They need to be given space to discuss emotions in a safe and supportive space and observe what emotions look like through the facial expressions and body language of others.

And you don’t have to be an ‘expert’ in drama to help children learn through this powerful tool. We teach preschool practitioners how to use drama in their practice, as well as provide meaningful and exciting drama resources so they can deliver mini-drama lessons in their settings themselves.

Find out more about our training opportunities here or, if you’d like a visit from a Pyjama Drama expert to your nursery or school, please do get in touch.

We’re proud to live and work in Wales so this month, directors Sarah and Rachel are heading back into the classroom visiting Powys schools to deliver our drama workshops specially created to help celebrate our place in the World Cup – the first time we’ve qualified since 1958!

Imagination can take you anywhere so why not let it take you to watch Wales play (and win!)  in the World Cup final!?

To book a workshop in your school or nursery contact sarah@pyjamadrama.com. 

After talking to Rachel from Head Office, discussing exactly how joining the team would work, what our financial situation would be, and how much support we would be able to benefit from, we decided to take the plunge!

We managed to get the initial purchasing amount (I heroically cancelled Sky Sports!) and got ready to go to training. It was at this point while in a lovely bed and breakfast in Welshpool, that I had a rather important realization -  I (unlike my wife) had zero experience teaching children, and was about to be thrown in at the deep end, delivering a Pyjama Drama class before the week was out!

Luckily this didn’t matter – the training given by Sarah and Rachel was fantastic. After two days of practical training I had the skills, knowledge and just enough confidence to give it a go!  I know you may think it should have been easy for a trained actor to deliver a Pyjama Drama session – but no-one prepares you for how different it is to be working with preschoolers and being responsible for igniting their imaginations and taking them with you to imaginary worlds! With the support of my wife and the Head Office team I ran my first session on day three and absolutely LOVED it!

After a further three days of business, marketing, administration and more practical training, we headed back to Guildford feeling ready to take the nursery scene by storm! We had a plan in place, ideas in our pockets and were ready to go!

We made lots of phone calls, sent lots of emails and wandered around town in our branded T-shirts enthusiastically explaining all about Pyjama Drama to anyone who showed a passing interest. The strategy we devised during training week seemed to be working, and we soon started booking sessions for the term.

The freedom to tweak and adapt the sessions slightly to suit our style was very useful, and meant we could put our own stamp on the classes and feel really confident every time we went to teach. We enjoyed the freedom to set our own schedule and be in charge of our own working hours. We were careful to make sure that all of the teaching in our schedule could be done by just one person just in case life happened (baby-wise!).

The schedule grew nice and quickly and we were soon fully up and running. We had lots of encouragement to try and reach our potential, but not any pressure weighing us down. We focused on building a strong Facebook presence (luckily my wife took charge of this, as I’m not the most Facebook savvy) which gave us a direct line to the parents of the children in our area and our business continued, with lots of hard work and dedication, to go from strength to strength.

It has been a whirlwind of a year and we have both learnt so much! It is with a heavy heart that we have to leave our franchise and put it up for sale due to relocating ‘up North’, but I can confidently say that we will be carrying all of the brilliant things we have learnt forward with us.

Running a Pyjama Drama business has been a wonderful way to experience what it’s like to run our own business but with the support of Sarah and Rachel at Head Office to guide us where needed.

The business is now visiting nine nurseries a week delivering sessions, and helping over 100 children every week to grow in confidence, improve communication and develop essential life skills (and of course have lots of fun!)

If you think you could be the right person to continue the running of Pyjama Drama Guildford & Surrey Hills, please email me (anthony@pyjamadrama.com) and I’ll send you more details!

Until then – have fun!

Anthony

Christine Hudson, from Huddersfield, was anonymously entered into the 2018 Yorkshire And The Humber Enterprise Awards. To this day she doesn't know who nominated her, though is very glad they did, because just this month she was awarded, 'Best Children's Developmental Recreation Programme 2018'. The awards, 'recognise the small to medium companies that have a positive impact on their customers in one of England’s most instrumental economic regions', and because they operate a merit-based judging system (each business in each category, no matter what their size, can be judged fairly) makes this big win for Christine's small business even more meaningful.

And then we heard a drum roll from down under, as not only did our brilliant Master Franchisee Amanda Plumridge from Australia make it as a finalist for Best Kids Activity category in this year's What's On 4 Australia, she was also given an honorable mention in the category, 'Best Kids Activity' AND 'Best Party Industry' Leader of The Year!

Huge congratulations to both Christine and Amanda - cheers, bottoms up, well done,  good work - we think you're amazing!

Aw shucks :)

Huge thanks to our wonderful franchisee, Ali Wilkinson, Manager of North Lancashire & South Cumbria for this contribution to our blog...

The Shy Kid
This is the kid who will talk your ears off at home, but is silent in public. They watch other kids joining in and having fun, while they hide under a chair. But they're doing important work under there - observing the scene, and building the courage to join in. They can see the fun and they want it. Pyjama Drama will meet them in their territory – in their imagination. Suddenly they'll have a great idea that saves the day and the idea is out of their mouth before they’ve had chance to think about it. And once they’ve taken that first brave step, there’s literally no stopping them. 

The Chatty Kid
This is the kid who has just learned to talk and now they just want to do it all the time! These kids find it hard to listen. At the end of Pyjama Drama sessions we ask to see what we call 'Thinking Faces', asking the children simple questions about what happened in the drama that day. Chatty kids love to share what they know, and if they can’t answer, it drives them crazy! Gentle encouragement and positive reinforcement helps these children to also learn to listen and to give other children a chance to contribute.

The Bouncy Kid
This is the kid who finds it hard to sit still. We make sure that kids get chance to practice sitting still in Pyjama Drama, but the sessions always follow the same format, so they know that there’s some physical activity to come. In this way, they find they can sit down to learn a song, because there’s bound to be an adventure coming up soon!

The Intellectual Kid
This is the kid who is always desperate to learn something, the ones with the constant questions about everything. Pyjama Drama lesson plans cover every Area of Learning in the EYFS and many of the topics that will be familiar to children from nursery and school.

The Kid Who Is Fine, Thank You
These kids don’t have any major difficulties. They’re doing just fine, thank you. These children are especially bright. They’ve mastered everything so far, and they're looking for their next challenge. Pyjama Drama provides rare opportunities to practice leadership skills at a young age. These kids can lead everybody through the swamp, or the jungle, or the forest and make sure that everyone is included. Furthermore, our sessions develop critical thinking skills, all whilst having lots and lots of fun!

So you see, no matter which personality best describes your child, they'll thrive at Pyjama Drama. We hope to see you soon!

The telling of fairy tales contributes to our cultural literacy; these well-loved characters are almost like friends, and their stories as familiar to us as our own. Also, because fairy tales don't have to follow the conventions of the 'real' world, they allow us to explore fantastical worlds where anything can happen. And when you explore fairy tales using Pyjama Drama, everything does!

So, if you bring your child along to a class this summer, this is what you can expect. You can expect a specialist teacher in drama and play to whisk your child away to the imaginary world of a fairy tale, like Treasure Island or The Three Little Pigs. You can then expect them to employ our unique child-led approach and encourage your child to take the driving seat and make important decisions about where the story goes next - what will happen when Goldilocks makes porridge? Who will help baby bear find his Mummy? How will we mend the hole in our boat and will we ever find out why poor Cinderella is so itchy? Only the children can decide!

Children as young as two can imagine new stories, and it’s thrilling, both as a teacher and as a parent, to watch, 'One of the best things about Pyjama Drama’ says Sarah, Mum to Maisie age three, ‘Is how the teachers let the little ones lead the adventure. Maisie absolute loves it when her teacher uses her ideas, and she doesn’t stop talking about it all week!'

To find a fairy tale inspired session this summer holiday, search for your nearest play specialist and drama teacher here.

Have fun!

Before joining Pyjama Drama, I was a childminder for eight years. I had previously worked in admin at a university in a job where I was bullied. It wasn't just me. This bully was pretty indiscriminate. I had my first baby, and I decided I couldn't go back. At a playgroup in a children's centre, one of the Family Support Workers said, 'Why don't you become a childminder.'  I laughed and said, 'Well, let's see, maybe because I've got no experience of working with children? At all. And I’m pretty sure people won't give me their children’. 'Oh, they will’ she assured me, ‘Because you're nice and you're good with kids.'

I tried out the idea on other people, and unbelievably NOBODY laughed. To my surprise, everyone thought it was a great idea. And so I did the basic training course and registered as a childminder. And that lady was right; people DID give me their children. Dozens of them. I turned children away because I was full, a lot more than I accepted them.  I had no experience and very few skills, but people trusted me because I found new confidence in making this decision for myself and taking autonomy over my own life.

I'm a graduate and I feel the need to intellectualise everything and so in a year or two, I gained Early Years Practitioner Status, the highest level general qualification in Early Years. I also gained a reputation for building confidence in young children. Children would arrive at my house who wouldn't speak all day. And children about to start school who couldn’t communicate their basic needs, who weren’t even able to answer a simple question like, 'Would you like an apple or a banana?' I had a one hundred per cent success rate with those children, who were soon able to start communicating effectively, and the Primary School teachers could hardly believe that these children had ever been unable to express themselves so recently. I had given them time, space and lots of opportunities to communicate and eventually they all did.

This experience has to lead me to believe that people are not born shy or confident. I'm not talking about overconfidence here. I'm talking about knowing what you can do, within a realistic assessment of your limitations, and being able to say, 'I can do this.' It's not an attribute. It's a skill. And given time and a safe space, you can practice until you are not shy. I've seen it.

Some children present shyness by refusing to talk to anyone, some run around and make silly noises, some just won’t stop talking. But it comes from the same root, a feeling of overwhelm that stops them, to quote Morrissey, ‘from doing all the things in life you’d like to.’

So why did I stop childminding to become a Pyjama Drama franchisee? Because I don't have to turn children away from anymore – on a daily basis, I can use Pyjama Drama classes to help children build their confidence in these so important early years. We start by smiling and waving back to Ali in the ‘hello song’, and we work up to creeping past the sleeping monster in his den in the park. There are endless opportunities to test your courage in our classes, and when the children have had that regular experience of being brave and knowing that feeling of pride that comes when you're so pleased with your efforts, they'll do it again in real life! And that’s when we begin to see results….

Of course, to enable these experiences, I know I’m asking parents to be brave as well. I will know, but your children won't, how much courage it takes to return next week when you brought the child that didn't speak to anyone. In the room where everyone else's child was happily playing and laughing, you may have to sit with your child while they process this crazy new world to which you've brought them. And this doesn't look like joining in, not in the beginning. You will be practising the skill that you're expecting your child to practice, and it won't be easy. I never said it was easy. So let's hear it for bravery in children and their parents, who might not have been in their own comfort seen zone in months, but who understand that if they can crack this one thing, they can help put their child on the right ttrack - for life! 

Ali Wilkinson, Franchisee for Lancaster 

To join a class in Lancaster, or to enquire about Ali visiting your nursery or school, please email ali@pyjamadrama.com. 

In case you're considering whether or not buying a Pyjama Drama franchise is for you, we wanted to introduce ourselves. After all, if you choose to run a business with us, we'll be working very closely together!

Here are 5 things to know about us:

1. We prioritise our families. We love working, and we work really hard, but family comes first.

2. We're not going to be your boss! If you buy a franchise, we'll be business partners. It's just as important that we're right for you as it is that you're right for Pyjama Drama.

3. We want our franchisees to love work as much as we do. Why? Because life is short! So we make sure you leave training feeling confident, we support you in building a career that fits around your family commitments, and we're always at the end of the phone.

4. We're sisters. We're a family company with real family values.

5. We're ambitious. We have big plans for Pyjama Drama, and we want as many people as possible to be a part of them! But we won't tread over people on our way to the top. You can read more about our 'Core Principles' on our website.

ASK US ANYTHING!

It's our job to help people decide whether or not Pyjama Drama could be for them. Have a question? I'm sure we'll have the answer, so don't hesitate to get in touch.

At the beginning of the month, Directors Sarah and Rachel flew to Holland for a meeting with our American colleague Sarah Rijnen, to firm up our plans for taking  Pyjama Drama into schools in California. We then met with our Malaysian colleagues for a catch-up and brainstorming session about Pyjama Drama in Kuala Lumpur.

Sarah then spent three days in Warwick training Play Makers of the soon to be opened Children's Play Village. This fantastic venue boasts ten exciting play areas - where aspiring vets can nurse poorly pets, children who love to build can get stuck in on the construction site; budding stars can take centre stage in the Theatre; little stylists can work their creative magic in Orly’s Hair Salon and much, much more. We're proud to be working so closely with The Children's Play Village, whose Play Makers will be using Pyjama Drama techniques and activities to help bring the village to life.

This week we're training two new fantastic franchisees; Cleo who is just about to take her A'levles and will be launching her party business in Welshpool, and Vicki, who has three children and will be setting-up in East Kent. Both bring a huge amount of skill and enthusiasm, and we look forward to helping them launch and grow their new businesses. Take a look at what happens in a Pyjama Drama party here.

Training again next week, so weekly child and parent classes, as well as classes in nurseries, will soon launch in both Lancashire and Norfolk. And we've had so much interest in our new 'mix and match' franchise (where you can choose to work during the week, at weekends or after school), that we're quite overwhelmed!

Its also overwhelming to see so many Five Star reviews from customers who have experienced Pyjama Drama and are seeing the benefits of our programme for their children. Check out our reviews here!

Pyjama Drama was developed over ten years ago by a mum of three who was searching for a rewarding and profitable career to fit around her busy life, and we've been helping people to realise their dreams of running their own flexible drama business ever since. Download an Info.Pack to see how you could enjoy a full or part-time career with us because after all, happiness is being busy - when you're doing something you love!

Our panto is just one of the brilliant Interactive Performances that we offer at Pyjama Drama. In this special show, we don't use props and costumes (we don't need them), and you'll be amazed at how just one performer can command the stage alone, taking on different characters and encouraging the audience to get involved with the action.

Naturally, no panto would be complete without audience interaction. They'll get involved in the story from the word go; taking on different roles (one minute a goodie, the next a baddie), sharing their ideas (shouting out is actively encouraged!), singing songs, playing games and joining in with jokes...
 

I say, I say, I say, what did the Sheriff of Nottingham say when I fired my arrow at him?
That was an arrow escape!
 

For more cheesiness and a lot more silliness, find a show near you (or book one for your nursery or school) by searching 'panto' here.

No Pyjama Drama in your area? Why not fill the gap by setting up your own Pyjama Drama business?

Have fun!

In class our teachers use their drama skills to create imaginary worlds that the children explore together; recreating events that happen to them, learning how to respond to different situations, meeting and communicating with different characters and learning how they fit in - all in the safe and supportive environment of the class.

So, as we make a plan to set Pirate Pat free from his captors we're learning that we can be brave, as we tiptoe through the jungle past that sleeping lion we're learning to be cautious. Looking after the poorly tadpoles help us develop empathy, singing with our friends around the campfire develops our confidence. Working as a doctor for the day teaches us lots of new words so develops our language and communication skills, and waiting in line to buy a rainbow flavoured ice-cream helps us to understand patience, as well as teaching us the importance of taking turns!

And Pyjama Drama doesn't just develop social skills; our classes are ideal for helping young children develop their physical skills - walking the tightrope in the Big Top helps us to master balancing, being a grasshopper strengthens our leg muscles, taking part in the Olympics enhances our fitness...

Imagination can take you everywhere. It can allow to explore far off lands and go on amazing adventures. It's also key to helping our children lead happy and successful lives outside of the home. Try a class today - you won't regret it!

Rhi and her daughter, three year old Rosie, are self confessed ‘massive fans’ of Pyjama Drama. 

For Rosie, the best thing about Pyjama Drama is her teacher ‘Jay-Jay’ (Jay Hilalen who runs the franchise in Pembrokeshire) who she adores, but for her mum it's the benefits of the programme for her daughter; benefits she has witnessed over the past year of attending classes.

‘Her imagination has really taken off since she started Pyjama Drama” says Rhi of her daughter who she describes as chatty, super-loving and very happy. “Everything she plays now is imaginary play; with her toys, in the car, with me. She is so confident, and her listening skills are great too which I think have been boosted by attending class.”

It’s no wonder then that Rhi recommends Pyjama Drama to all her friends, “I do think it has great benefits, as classes are not just about physical activity; they combine learning, listening, sharing and the imagination.”

If you, like the adorable Rosie above, would like to experience the benefits of Pyjama Drama get in touch to find out more.

Have fun!

The seemingly boundless energy of a toddler or young child can tire even the most active of adults as they spill out into the world and through early childhood; first of all crawling, then cruising, toddling, walking then running, tumbling and exploring. The first year of a child’s life is a time of rapid and astonishing development, but it’s somewhere towards the end of a child’s second year that something truly magical happens – the imagination starts to unfold!

As well as being little balls of energy, young children also have the capability to become intensely engrossed in imaginary play with others, and in the make-believe worlds, they can so easily inhabit. This type of play is incredibly beneficial, and core to the Pyjama Drama programme; it’s why we employ a ‘child-led’ approach to drama.

It’s important to make clear that when we refer to ‘drama’ we aren’t talking about staging a play, rehearsing or dramatizing an idea – the drama in Pyjama Drama is simply ‘pretend’. And pretending is what young children do most instinctively and is the tool they use to learn. Pretending helps develop a child’s cognitive abilities as they imagine, re-enact or imitate new situations, requiring them to experiment with new vocabulary and employ creative thinking. It’s also highly physical; whether a child is walking a tightrope or taking Patch for a walk in the park, pretend play helps to develop fine as well as gross motor skills. And engaging in pretend play helps develop key social skills too - co-operation, confidence and concentration; skills vitally important if our children are to lead happy and independent lives outside of the home. 

So, what does a ‘child-led’ approach to drama look like in a Pyjama Drama class?

1. First of all we create a place of safety by following a similar structure in class each week. Children learn best when they feel safe and secure.

2. Then the Pyjama Drama teacher creates an imaginary world, using nothing more than their own imagination and drama skills. All our teachers are highly trained in drama and don’t use props or costumes - quite simply because they don’t need them!

3. Finally (and this is when the magic happens), we encourage the children to lead the direction of the adventure themselves. We’re talking about children’s imaginations here so quite literally anything could happen, from getting chased by T-Rex to eating rainbow flavoured ice-cream with a fairy, but here’s a real-life exchange from a class delivered by the fantastic Christine Hudson from Huddersfield:

So, there I was, in the jungle with the children from Willows Day Nursery. We were all hiding under umbrellas because the baby monkeys (who had stolen our pirate treasure) were throwing bananas at us.

"How will we get our treasure back?" I asked.
"Here's a trampoline" said one of the children.
"Where did that come from?" says I.
"Wilkinsons!"

Find out more about the benefits of drama here, learn how you could work with us or join a class today, after all, 'Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere' Carl Sagan (astronomer).

Have fun!

Last weekend our franchisees packed their bags and made their way to Manchester for our Annual Seminar, flooding the city with a sea of red. Setting out from all corners of the UK and even California, they arrived raring to go, each determined to make the very most out of our two days together - to meet new franchisees, catch up with old friends and most importantly to learn how they could continue to grow their Pyjama Drama businesses. And boy did we learn a LOT!

We heard from fellow franchisees Caroline from South West London and Jane from Oswestry and Shrewsbury, who shared how they have grown their businesses by taking on staff. We heard from Jay in Pembrokeshire who had us in stitches as she shared her rollercoaster first year in business and from Directors Sarah and Rachel who shared their plans for Pyjama Drama in the coming year.

‘I learned loads from the franchisees talks and loved hearing about all the plans for the future of Pyjama Drama – exciting times!’ Anon

Being ‘drama types’, of course, we had to play drama games, share acting techniques and do a little bit of singing, and one of the highlights of Saturday was a workshop delivered by Megan Walker from Pyjama Drama in California. She taught us how our voice was our ‘money maker’ and during her workshop on protecting and projecting our voice had us lying down, rolling over and making some very strange sounds indeed!

‘The voice training was so interesting and will help me loads in getting my voice ready for classes.' Lisa from Gloucestershire

On Saturday afternoon we were also all blown away by our guest Paula Cohen from Taylory who delivered a workshop on Time Management (Time Management, an interesting subject – who knew??)

‘The Time Management women really BLEW MY MIND! It’s fascinating learning about how our sub-conscious works, and I’m taking away a lot that I will be implementing in my daily structure.’ Jay from Pembrokeshire

Then, after a lovely night out together socialising, on Sunday morning we heard from Sarah Rijnen, Director of Pyjama Drama USA who provided training on teaching our programme to children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, which struck a chord with many of our franchisees.

‘Most inspiring was the information on working with children with autism – thank you.’ Anon

And finally, we were joined by Helen Taylor from The White House Life Spa who led us in a workshop entitled ‘Transforming self-belief’. Helen is a trained hypnotherapist but luckily didn’t try to hypnotise us (I don’t think!), but helped to us to focus on the things that hold us back and gave us some great tips for visualising success!

‘One of the best bits was learning visualisation techniques from Helen.’ Kirsty from Southampton

And let’s not forget our amazing award winners! Kirsty from Southampton won Newcomer of the Year, Sara Hall from Leeds, Highest Earner, Caroline from South West London walked away with the award for Biggest Growth and the lovely Christine from Huddersfield who has integrated sign language in to her sessions nabbed the Award for Innovation.

Phew! It was an amazing weekend, thanks to everyone for coming and making it such fun and so valuable. If you've ever thought about running your own business and fancy being part of such an amazing team, get in touch or download a prospectus to find about more.

Have fun!

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to meet Amanda (on the left), you’ll know she has an infectious energy and passion for life. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to work with her, you’ll also know how determined and tenacious she is, and how incredibly passionate about her business she is.

We’ve known and worked with Amanda for a number of years which is why, when she first approached us about taking Pyjama Drama to Australia, we knew that if anyone could make it work down under, Amanda could. It's just over a year later and Amanda is not only running over 25 classes per week in the Northern Suburbs of Perth, but has also taken on the Master Franchise and sold her first franchise to Amy Little who will be working in the South West!

Of her first franchisee Amanda says, ‘Amy is a fantastic teacher and wonderful with children. She brought her own children along to my classes and thought to herself ‘I could do that!’ Just a few months on and Amy is fully trained and all set up to launch her business in September. I am beyond delighted.’

Amy has a degree in Music Education from UWA and has experience of teaching Music and Drama to high school students. She is fully committed to Pyjama Drama, commenting on its ethos, ‘I love how there are no props or costumes and that every child is completely engaged, simply through the use of facial expressions and body language. Most importantly, I love knowing that engaging in creative play is so beneficial for a child’s development both mentally and socially.’

We wish Amy all the very best and, knowing Amanda as we do, look forward to hearing about her second franchise sale which we’re sure won’t be too far away. As Amanda says, ‘Selling my first franchise proves that children love pretending and imaginative play wherever they are in the world.’ Absolutely.

Sarah

We have been delivering magical, exciting drama classes for over ten years, and for the past seven of these have managed a team of talented and enthusiastic franchisees across the UK, and more recently in Australia and Malaysia. Over the years we’ve learned a lot from the children we teach, and from the franchisees we work alongside. As a result, our business has flourished and our award winning franchise has gone from strength to strength.

Here are five things we know about our franchisees:

1.  Balance is important – our franchisees love to work hard, but not at the expense of spending time with their families and friends. Running their own business enables them to build a timetable that fits in around their own commitments – taking their children to school for example.
 
2. Our franchisees want to earn enough money to make a better life for themselves and their families. By running just 20 classes a week they can expect to achieve a turnover of £38,000, with an average profit of £28,000.

3. They are ambitious. They are driven by a desire to succeed and to do well. They have high standards which they apply to all aspects of their franchise, from teaching to customer service. And if they wish to expand, some chose to buy a second territory in which to further develop their business.

4. They want to make a difference to the community in which they live. Our franchisees are very community spirited and our territories are large enough to generate an excellent income, close to home.

5.  And finally, they are very sociable! They understand the benefits of working in a franchise network and willingly share ideas, brainstorm new initiatives and ask each other for support and advice.

If this sounds like you, call us on 01938 871855 - we'd love to chat! 

Sarah
 

Anthony and Ana-Maria are both experienced actors, are engaged to be married this coming autumn and have recently combined their passion for drama and working with young children to go into business together running a Pyjama Drama franchise in the Guildford and Surrey Hills area. With so many changes on the horizon, and 2017 set to be a year of huge change, we wanted to find out more about this dynamic duo...

About their acting experience..
Anthony and Ana-Maria both trained at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Anthony has had parts in various TV shows including Emmerdale, Misfits and Trollied, and has helped create a theatre company, "NOT TOO TAME" which brings shows to communities that don't have experience of/ or access to the theatre. Since leaving drama school Ana-Maria has worked across all parts of the industry, her credits include working at the National Theatre, London and a guest lead on a BBC crime Drama. 

Where they met..
Ana-Maria met after she'd seen Anthony perform in a show in London.

Why did they chose Pyjama Drama?
Ana- Maria had experience working for Pyjama Drama in a neighbouring franchise and was inspired by the way the children reacted to the classes. After telling Anthony about her days at work, they felt it was something they could bring their skills to and make it a success in their own area.

Do they think working and living together will be challenging? 
The main difficulty will be sticking to office hours and also making sure there is some down time apart.- the gym and yoga work wonders for this!

What each will bring to the business partnership...

Anthony: 'Ana-Maria will bring her highly organised nature to the business, her teaching experience and her energy and warmth. Watching the children fall in love with Ana-Maria in the class is a very magical and motivational thing to see.'

Ana-Maria: 'Anthony will bring his calm and thoughtful problem solving as well as his attitude that anything is possible. He also has a very natural and engaging quality with the children and of course, the fact that he is a man, in an industry predominantly made up of women, gives us something unique.'

And how will planning a wedding fit in with starting a new business?
Anthony: 'Ana-Maria's planning has been put to the test, there are files, folders and flip charts all over the place but we both feel very positive about it. We've had to be decisive with wedding arrangements and have called in a lot of favours, but so far things are going well. And if it does all feel a bit too much the thought of a honeymoon on the beach gets us through it!'

Classes for children up to five years starting on Thursday afternoons at The Spike Community Centre, Guildford and Saturday mornings at St John’s, The Stirling Centre, Stoke, Guildford. Get in touch to book a class or find out more about Pyjama Drama in Guildford!

Phylly Jones, finalist for BFA young franchisee of the year in 2014, joined Pyjama Drama straight out of University when she was just twenty one years old. And, after a whirlwind five years running her business, Phylly is about to embark on a new adventure teaching Pyjama Drama in Malaysia!

'I have always wanted to live abroad' says Phylly of her decision to sell her business in Surrey and move over 6,000 miles away from her home town of Cobham, 'So when the opportunity came up to experience a different culture and a new way of life whilst still doing Pyjama Drama, I knew I couldn't refuse.'

Phylly sold her thriving business to Vicky Campbell-Hall who has big plans to build on the successful foundations laid down by her predecessor, 'I'm so impressed with what Phylly has achieved' she says, 'Pyjama Drama has got such an excellent reputation in the area and the potential is huge - I can't wait to get started.'

After a bitter-sweet farewell party last weekend (see image), Phylly is now packing her bags and saying her goodbyes to the children, parents and teachers she has got to know so well through her work with Pyjama Drama. 'Saying goodbye is hard' she admits, 'But it's so exciting to know that this time next week I'll be living in the sun and meeting lots of new children!'

Good luck Phylly, you're going to have a blast!

It's human nature to like praise, to get that pat on the back that lets you know you're doing a good job. When you're running your own business, when you're the boss, sometimes those pats on the back can feel few and far between! That's why the testimonials that our franchisees get from parents and teachers mean so very much, and why being shortlisted for a business award, having been nominated by those very same customers, means more than you can imagine!

This is why we're so excited for our wonderful franchisee, Jane Liddiatt (Shrewsbury & Oswestry) to have been shortlisted for the 'Business for Babes 2017' award, the winner due to be announced at a very grand ceremony in March. Jane's shortlisting recognises the incredible work she does providing Pyjama Drama classes for babies from 6 months old, stimulating their development through imaginative play and unique Pyjama Drama songs and rhymes.

Having recently had the pleasure of watching Jane deliver one of her Dewdrops classes, I can well understand why she's been nominated. Firstly, the babies were hooked! Jane's imagination, facial expression and pure joy of working with little ones shine through when you see her at work. Secondly, the way she involves the parents, making them feel at ease and ensuring they enjoy the session too, is all credit to her. We know the Pyjama Drama programme is wonderful on paper, but it takes a very special person to bring it to life, as you'll know if you've ever seen one of our 30+ franchisees in action.

Good luck Jane! Now get out that sparkly dress and drag out your heels - it's not long till the awards ceremony!

The lovely Victoria, our franchisee from Devon, has recently changed her appearance. Children in Victoria's classes are used to seeing her long, flowing locks tied back in a plait, out of the way for lots of pretending!

As Victoria felt she would like her hair a bit shorter, she researched donating her hair to charity, as a friend had done in 2015. The Little Princess Trust provides wigs and hair pieces to children who suffer hair loss and accept donations of hair from a minimum of 7 inches in length.

So, following a visit to the hairdresser last week, Victoria has donated 11 inches of her hair! She says, "it is a fair bit shorter than I had originally intended, but I don't regret it one bit. My strange reflection in the mirror and cold neck are nothing in comparison to how it must feel to suffer from hair loss at such a young age, never mind dealing with any medical battles alongside it."

And if you're lucky enough to have a head of swishy princes's hair like Victoria, you can find more about making dreams come true here!

Road Safety Week is the UK's biggest road safety event taking place this year  21st - 27th November, and involving thousands of schools, organisations and communities - including us! We get involved every year with our original drama and imaginative play sessions for children up to seven years and visit countless nurseries and schools.

Pyjama Drama is the perfect vehicle (excuse the pun!) to teach children road safety; sessions use drama to place children in a range of situations such as crossing busy roads when distracted, walking on roads without curbs or navigating islands and crossings.  Role play, storytelling and pretend encourage children to ‘trial’ these situations in the safety of the drama and explore a range of consequences. Original music and imaginative games enhance children’s understanding of the importance using the green cross code and wearing high visibility clothing in such a fun way that they won’t even realise they are learning!

To find out more about our one-hour interactive session for up to 30 children, please email us to find out more.

Have fun and stay safe!

Sarah

Here at Pyjama Drama, we have developed a supportive, nurturing environment where Directors and franchisees alike work together to give everyone the very best possible chance of success, and to make sure that as many children as possible experience the magic of our programme. And Hollie isn’t the only one to recognise the benefits of buying a Pyjama Drama franchise. In a recent anonymous survey:

100% of our franchisees rated initial training and support as good to excellent, 97%of our franchisees rated Head Office support as good to excellent, 93% of our franchisees rated peer support as good to excellent and 100% of our franchisees rated the service and products they provide, compared to the local competition, as good to excellent!

Get in touch and start your Pyjama Drama adventure today...

People to guide you in the right direction...Pyjama Drama franchising; providing a network of support.

“Is it my party yet, mumma? When is it my paaarty?”

To say that Ada was excited in the lead up to her third birthday party would be a gross and misleading understatement. For many, many months, the bedtime routine involved an in-depth discussion about the seemingly endless options for presents, cakes, and costumes. And she just couldn’t make up her mind.

From Tinkerbell to Minnie Mouse, Dory to Ninja Turtles, we were no closer to choosing a theme only a few weeks out from the big day. We were close, however, to wearing a hole in BIG W’s party aisle.

It was time to call in the big guns from Perth-based Pyjama Drama, a company dedicated to the benefits of drama, movement, music and play, also passionate about kids birthday parties in Perth, and with a BIG IMAGINATION. A drama party, it seemed, was just what we were looking for.

I sent the SOS to Amanda Plumridge from Pyjama Drama late one Sunday evening:

“Amanda, please, you’ve got to help! Ada wants a dragon hunt, Mummy wants a princess party, Daddy says a jungle adventure would be cool, while Ada’s sister, Eve, loves silly clowns. What are we going to do?”

The response was almost immediate:

“No problem. We can do a tailor-made party with princesses, searching in the jungle for a dancing dragon. Incorporating clowns could be a little tricky, but I’m sure there is a way!”

I breathed a sigh of relief, but then:

“But what do I do about invites?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll drop some off for you tomorrow.”

What service! It was going to be a fantastic birthday party....

As the mums and dads looked on in anticipation, ten little princesses (plus one very shiny robot brother) sat quietly in a circle on the grass. For the most part, the children were aged between 2 and 4 years old, but Pyjama Drama parties can cater for all ages. Some of the princess participants eagerly awaited the adventure ahead, chatting in whispers to their friends; some were simply happy swaying to the Pyjama Drama soundtrack that was playing on the speakers.

The adventure kicked off with a sing-a-long session and a box full of colourful instruments. The enthusiasm of Amanda from Pyjama Drama was captivating, and within minutes, the kids came alive, joining in the actions, dancing to the music, laughing at the jokes, and completely engrossed in every move she made. Every child was invested in the mission to find the dancing dragon, and the adventure was as real to them as the sunshine through the trees.

What was fascinating to see was that the activity wasn’t rigid. At any moment, the children could change the direction of the story, and this was all part of the fun. You could almost see the cogs turning in their brains as they decided which path to take to the cave of the fire-breathing dragon. They finally opted to crawl through the play tunnel, and there was lots of laughter as they all tumbled out the end.

There were some natural leaders, of course, while some preferred to follow. Whatever level of participation, with which the children felt comfortable, was just fine with Amanda. She made every child feel welcome, even the robot!

One little girl went so far as to swap from her role as a princess to the role of the dancing dragon, relishing the drama as she hid from her friends and then led the ‘Dragon Boogie’. Satin dresses twirled and whirled across the grass to the music, as the children jumped, danced and giggled. It really was beautiful to watch, and Princess Ada glowed with happiness.

Fifty minutes flew past so quickly, and when the adventure ended, they were all ready for a little nap in the grass. But there wasn’t much time to spare before they had to put on their thinking faces and recap what they’d experienced. Amanda asked the children questions to prompt their memories and provoke thought, also promising them certificates for a job well done.

I would highly recommend a Pyjama Drama party for those parents seeking something a little different in their search for kids birthday parties in Perth. It would also be great for those that might like to step back a little and let a professional handle the kids, or for those that simply appreciate the value of imagination, play, and movement for a child’s good health and well-being.

It’s also great for those – like us — that can’t make up their mind...

Kidzablogger, Elle

Cute kid 1 and 2 come to their first class in Shell Beach…

Cute kid no. 1: “What do we do here, do we have to wear our pyjamas?”

Me: “No but we can jump around and be super comfy, just like when we’re in our PJs!”

Cute kid no. 1: “Ok, so what are we gonna do here?”

Me: “We’ll sing and we’ll dance, and we’ll go on lots of adventures, we might go flying with dragons or swimming in the sea…”

Cute kid no. 1: “You can’t do that when you’re in your pyjamas!”

Me: “Well you can when you’re at Pyjama Drama, you can go anywhere…”

Cute kid no. 2: “Yeah, it’s just pretending duh! We can go wherever we like!”

Cute kid no. 1: “Ok, cool…I’ll go flying with dragons…”

I love working with children!!! See you tomorrow,

Rachel

I've just arrived home after a whirlwind week in Malaysia where I delivered Pyjama Drama to over a hundred different children. Wow, what a week. The weather was glorious, the food divine and the people wonderfully welcoming, but it was my experience teaching the children of Penang that had the biggest impact. Despite English being a second language, with many children coming from homes where English is never spoken, they embraced the programme with a joy and enthusiasm that was infectious, proving beyond doubt that, as Danny Kaye (American actor and first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF) famously said, 'Children are the same the world over. They may have a different culture, but an ache or a laugh is universal.'

The same must be said for young children's desire to pretend and to play. The world over children are born with an instinct to play through which they laugh, learn and build relationships. And it is this hunger for play and the power of pretend that breaks down social barriers and bridges, not just language, but also culture and gender - the benefits of drama and imaginative play are enormous, no matter where you happen to live in the world.

So, to the little boy who decided the Loch Ness Monster had 'a hundred brains', to the little girl who fed the alien French toast and then rocked him to sleep in her arms, and to my little super-hero friend who rescued Tiddles the cat and then wrapped her in his (imaginary!) cape, thank you for your wonderful imaginations and for making my visit so special.

Sarah

The sun is out, the sea is twinkling and we’ve had our first Californian kids experiencing Pyjama Drama! Sarah Rijnen is taking Shell Beach by storm and it’s been pretty emotional watching how naturally she’s taken to the role and seeing how the children respond to her.

The greatest thing today? Seeing how kids are kids the world over. It makes me so proud to see how far the programme has come, especially when you remember it was first created by a mum playing drama games at home with her three little ones…shoot forward a few years and it’s being rolled out in CA and embraced with such enthusiasm!

We’ve had training in the park, a working lunch by the ocean and brainstorms over dinner - what a way to work!

See you tomorrow!
Rachel

Day 1 of our Californian adventure and we're finally here! We're putting on our red t-shirts, picking up the lingo and have started training the very talented Sarah Rijnen.

We are absolutely thrilled that we're now offering the magic that is Pyjama Drama on the Central Coast and there is no better person to do this than Sarah. She has a wealth of experience in drama teaching, is a fantastic performer, has an enthusiasm that's contagious and a genuine love of working with children - what more could we have asked for!?

We've already visited a local day care centre and were welcomed with hugs as soon as we walked in the door. The warmth of the people here is incredible; grown-ups and little ones alike. Tomorrow Sarah will be welcoming her first golden-state kids through the door and going on adventures with some very noisy ducks, some wriggly worms and a frog who's lost his jump! 

See you tomorrow!
Rachel 

The first Pyjama Drama class was delivered in a church hall in a small town in Mid Wales, back in 2005. Ten years later and classes are being delivered in over thirty different areas across the UK, in Australia and, from Jan 2016, on the island of Penang in Malaysia!

Karen Tan and Shanie Loo, both originally from Penang, are passionate about providing young children with opportunities to develop their skills through drama, and will also be using the Pyjama Drama programme as a tool for helping children develop English language skills. 'We recognise that children learn best when they are having fun and using their imaginations so this is the perfect programme to help young children learn and practise speaking English, as well as learning about the world around them.' says Karen. 'I believe that education is the key to a happy and successful life' adds Shanie who's own motto in life, an old Chinese proverb, sums up our ethos exactly:

Tell me and I will forget
Show me and I will remember
Involve me and I will understand

Shanie and Karen will start teaching in January and we're really looking forward to hearing all about it, and visiting the team to view classes and meet the children. So for now, from one beautiful part of the world to another, good luck Shanie and Karen and see you again in 2016!

Have fun!

I'm Jo (the one in the middle!) and I run Pyjama Drama in South Wales. Me and my session leaders Millie and Nessa are three bonkers ladies who thought it would be a good idea to run a half marathon together, in order to raise money for the super-duper Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity!

Everyone loves Roald Dahl’s stories, don’t they? I've read Fantastic Mr Fox and been on Whizz-popping flights around the house with my brother (to the delight of my parents I’m sure) countless times, and so felt a natural affinity to the Roald Dahl’s Children’s Charity. At Pyjama Drama, we too, ignite imaginations of hundreds of children every week in our classes around South Wales and love nothing more than seeing pure joy on their faces (and those of their families), as we embark on our splendiferous imaginary adventures. 

And that got us thinking, what about those seriously sick children who may struggle to find much to be joyful about? Or the unbearable heartache their families must be going through? Wouldn’t it just be incredible if we could make a difference to a family somewhere who is suffering right now? Well, the Roald Dahl Marvellous Children’s Charity exists to make life better for very sick children and their families, so we felt it made perfect sense to do something to support them!

That's why we're  running the World Half Marathon in March 2016 and aim to raise at least £750 for Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity. Please support us and give whatever you can via our JustGiving page. Not only will it make a huge difference to some children in desperate situations but it will also make our run on 26th March a little more bearable!

Thank you in advance and don't forget - have fun!
Jo
 

We are delighted to announce that we are only one of a handful of franchisors to be awarded a five-star satisfaction badge, as part of franchise lawyers Smith & Henderson's annual Franchise Survey!

The lawyers ask franchisees to confidentially rate the support they receive from their franchisor, their relationship and how it has compared with their original expectations. Only those franchises that receive above average feedback in all areas are eligible to be named as ‘Five-Star Franchisee Satisfaction’. In our survey:

• 100% of franchisees rated initial training and support as good to excellent
• 97% of franchisees rated Head Office support as good to excellent
• 93% of franchisees rated peer support as good to excellent
• 100% of franchisees rated the service and products they provide, compared to the local competition as good to excellent

Our overall satisfaction score means that our name is now being put forward for Best Franchise Award and the shortlist will be announced in October. We're keeping everything crossed so watch this space!

We're always proud to run our business from our Head Office in Wales, but never more so when we learn that Wales will implement all recommended changes to the curriculum issued in Professor Graham Donaldson's ‘Successful Futures’ report -  a clear endorsement of the value of creativity! This means Expressive Arts will be one of the six Areas of Learning and Development alongside Health and well-being, Humanities,  Languages, Literacy and Communication, Mathematics and numeracy and Science and technology.

In the report, Professor Donaldson talks about the arts as providing “opportunities to explore thinking, refine, and communicate ideas, engaging thinking, imagination and senses creatively”. It is anticipated that children will learn about art, drama, dance, film and digital media as well as there being opportunities for them to visit theatres, galleries and invite artists into the classroom.

We couldn't be more delighted; the benefits of drama is something we witness daily so making the Arts key to learning gets our vote every time. And don't forget it was Einstein who so famously said, 'The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination'

Go Wales!

An amazing day was had by all who attended the 2015 Pyjama Drama annual seminar on Sunday 28th June! Hosted by fellow franchisee Eureka! The National Children's Museum, the day was spent singing, dancing (and of course pretending!) as well as talking business, making plans and celebrating the success of our fantastic network in our Annual Awards!

Lucy Hall, from Newcastle, won Marketer of the Year due to her incredibly inspirational approach to running her business, Newcomer of the Year went to Vicki Pearson from Selby thanks to the unwavering positivity and determination displayed during her first year with Pyjama Drama and (drum roll please!) Franchisee of the Year was awarded to the fantastic Sarah Watt from Carlisle! It was Sarah's entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to her customers that impressed the team, along with her obvious passion for her community. Well done Sarah, and to all our fantastic franchisees - we look forward to another amazing year.

Every parent knows that education is important for our little ones once they get to the right age. But play is just as important and it's not only for the very young - let's not forget about it once they start school.

Play is vital at any age for developing creativity, problem-solving skills, and self-confidence. It helps children develop socially - partly because they're often interacting with others when they play, but even solo play helps them learn ways to express themselves clearly. It helps them emotionally develop as they learn about relationships and consequences; and of course, physically develop whilst they're running around getting stronger, and keeping fit and healthy without even trying.

And the great news is that by taking part in playing and games with your kids you'll help them increase their learning and get even more out of it. When you join in you can add perspectives and ideas that they wouldn't have thought of on their own. That doesn't mean you're taking over - they will use their own creativity to build on your ideas and grow them into something else entirely. And sometimes even just letting them know you're watching or listening can change the way they play for the better.  

Have fun!
 

Franchisee Amy Hansford was recently interviewed by Journalism student Kathryn Townsend, who explores the power of role play for young children in this insightful article...

Long before computer consoles, touch pads and interactive media grasped our children’s attention they would happily surround themselves with an array of magical, mystical and, yes completely fabricated settings. With a selection of friends all of whom only ever existed in the land of make believe, but were never considered any less important than real people in the eyes of the child who created them, imagination was and still is, for the most part, an integral portion of the development process in children. Being encouraged to role play is proven to have a positive effect on several crucial areas of child growth including; cognitive development, communication and language development, social development and lastly, physical development.

Amy Hansford, manager at Milton Keynes Pyjama Drama is a strong advocator for childhood role play and explains here the importance of children exploring the realms of creativity via imaginary play.

“We see young children copying grown-ups all the time,” she says “We lead by example, so having a safe environment in which to mimic that behaviour and play through scenarios is so important in allowing children to make sense of the world around them”

“It allows them to test theories and ideas, create imaginary scenarios, which are quite frankly more fun than boring old ‘real life’, and push their ideas and creativity further,” she continues. “Role play has no limits – it’s fantastic to give our children such freedom, especially as we fence them in so early these days.”

It’s widely known that a child’s ability to communicate verbally is a direct response to the speech and words they are exposed to on a regular basis. The different tones and expressions that come with that are also practiced regularly as a child, and in most cases vocabulary and understanding is perfected through imaginative role play. This can begin at a relatively early age and is present throughout childhood with many benefits.

“Confidence is one of the greatest benefits.” Amy explains. “If a child can play at being a doctor to help their toys, and see that they are just trying to make the toys better, they calm any fears they might have themselves about going to the doctor. They’re not a threatening doctor, therefore doctors in general are not threatening.”

“In Pyjama Drama, we role play through storylines together as a group which really brings the children out of themselves  - they know that if they put forward a plot idea (‘Amy! Look behind that bush! I think it’s a lion!), It’ll normally always be included and worked into our story.” Amy says “They speak, they are heard and their ideas are valued, so they feel more confident voicing opinions without fear of being ignored.”

“Another great benefit is freedom; thinking of some children with ALN (additional learning needs) who can feel like the world doesn’t ‘get’ them, or that they don’t quite ‘get’ the world. When children role play, they create the rules, the rights and the wrongs, and they create a world in which they can be happy, free and which will always have a happy ending.”

During the early years of a child’s growth the brain is considered to represent that of a sponge. Scientific research shows that by the age of four a child’s brain is twice as active as an adult,  this is simply due to the fact that the brain of a child burns a great deal more in glucose than that of an adult, and it is required to do this in order to maintain the vast number of connections between neurons. So  when I child is absorbing everything around, he or she is presenting that knowledge via role play, helping to create an environment for intellectual, social and emotional development.

When asked about how role play impacts a child in terms of development and intellectual gain Amy says, “Any opportunity to use the imagination stimulates brain growth. It has to; it’s sparking the brain into action! Parents are always telling me how much their child has opened up and begun using their imaginations since starting Pyjama Drama.”

“When playing in role, one must consider their place in a situation,''she continues, 'How to react to scenarios, create those scenarios in the first place, use real world objects in the place of fantasy  ones, come up with strategies, problem solving, characterisation, potentially voice work…and these children are two years old. At such a young age they may not verbalise their ideas as much, but they are there.”

Imaginative play in even the youngest children strongly improves their capabilities to build relationships and social skills; they learn incredibly early on the importance of teamwork and also the importance of expressing their own feelings. Without role play children have the potential to develop slightly slower in key areas.

“Peter* was a very quiet three year old boy with very little to say'', Amy recalls, ''Insular, he kept to himself at nursery. When he started Pyjama Drama, he followed what we did almost silently, the occasional smile when he didn’t think I was looking. Four weeks in and he made his first suggestion in our role play section - the staff became VERY interested as he didn’t normally interact well with others or communicate often.”

“Within a few more weeks, Peter became far more active in Pyjama Drama and would even perform songs at the end on his own. The nursery staff were amazed at the change in his behaviour. They had always had role play areas in the nursery, but finally someone had taken Peter by the hand and listened to his ideas, enabling him to communicate in a world where he felt comfortable, which then stretched out into the wider real world.”

“In role play, you have to socialise in order to allow others to understand your pretend world and join in,'' Amy explains. “You have to help others so that they will help you, and this is great practice. All the times we pretend to take high tea with our toddlers prepares them for having lunch with friends, sharing and becoming aware of social practices.”

Most children these days are introduced at an early age to different technological equipment that on the one hand can be displayed as an educational tool, to improve a number of skills, but on the other hand it can be deemed unsupportive in the way of developing a child’s life so as to communicate effectively and interact in social circumstances without being inept.

When asked about whether or not the introduction of new multimedia technologies has had a negative impact on children, Amy says, “Only as much as television did, or the introduction of radio. It’s just new technology. Clearly putting your child in front of a screen all day every day has various negative effects. But used in sensible amounts they engage children and ask the children to participate.

“If anything'', she continues, ''Most of the pre-schooler apps that I have encountered encourage children to take on a role, solve problems and improve their fine motor skills, although there is evidence to suggest that children’s handwriting has taken a blow as children start of tapping and swiping rather than the traditional mark making leading on to letter formation. In measured amounts though, I think touch pads and consoles etc. can be great.”

This proves role play is definitely a fundamental fragment of child growth in both physical and mental terms, and the way we encourage our children to perform in their imaginary worlds is vital in ensuring their long term development is on the right path. Playing is progressing, so every child should be encouraged to learn how to pretend.

Kathryn Townsend

To celebrate that Pyjama Drama classes launch in Australia in April, we're giving away four super cute kangaroo backpacks from the Australian Koala Foundation, as owned by non-other than Prince George himself!

To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is let us know what we would find if we looked in YOUR little one's backpack! What do they carry around with them all the time? What (or who!) can they not bear to be without? Send us an email or visit our Facebook page and leave us a message there.

The competition closes on Friday April 3rd and we'll choose the four lucky winners and notify them on Tuesday 7th April. Terms and conditions apply.
Good luck!

Today is a good day. Spring has sprung, we've just won an award, the sun is shining and (drum roll please!) Pyjama Drama has just launched in Australia! We can't believe it either but are delighted to announce that Pyjama Drama classes will start in the Northern Suburbs, Perth in West of the country this April.

Headed up by Amanda Plumridge (above) who previously ran a Pyjama Drama franchise in Exeter in the UK, Amanda has recently upped sticks with her husband and two girls, aged 14 and 10. Explaining the move overseas Amanda says, 'I have always dreamed of running my own business and living in Australia. Back in 2013, my dream of running my own business came true when I launched Pyjama Drama in Exeter and I loved every minute of it. When at the end of last year I was offered the chance of moving to Perth, I knew I had to find a way to make it happen. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving Pyjama Drama and all its possibilities behind, so I sold my business in Exeter and approached Sarah about taking the business with me!'

Amazingly, Amanda only moved to Perth in February so to be launching Pyjama Drama just a couple of months later is a testament to her obvious grit and determination. 'I just like to get things done', says Amanda, 'What's the point of spending your life dreaming when with a little bit of effort and imagination you can turn those dreams into reality?' We couldn't agree more, as Einstein once said, 'Imagination will take you everywhere'...

Have fun!

Sarah

After a long journey from Wales to Olympia in London last Friday (requiring an alarm clock set for 4:00am!), it was absolutely brilliant to be rewarded with a Franchise Marketing Award - Best Website!

We were a finalist in the same awards last year but this year (with our shiny new website), managed to pip thirteen other finalists to the post, which just goes to show you should never give up. The Franchise Marketing Awards are in their tenth year and recognise the industries most innovative campaigns, and it's particularly pleasing to win as all entries are judged by a panel of independent experts. We love our website and glad the judges did too - let us know what you think!

After five years trading as a Pyjama Drama franchisee, Emma Knighton from Trafford (left) has renewed her agreement for a further term. Good news for Emma and great news for the hundreds of children she teaches each week, and to mark the occasion we decided to ask her five big questions about the last (and the next!) five years...

1. In five words, how would you sum up the last five years as a Pyjama Drama franchisee?
Exhilarating, challenging, rewarding, hard work, amazing!

2. What have been the main challenges for you over the past five years?
Any new venture is a learning curve and for me I had to learn how to manage my time as a mum to three children, whilst growing and developing my business. Luckily I have fantastic support in my child minder who has always been on hand to help out with the boys, enabling me to focus on the business whilst knowing they were in safe hands. Once I'd learned how to 'switch off' when I wasn't at work, I was able to fully enjoy my time with the children - the best of both worlds!

3. What has been the highlight of your last five years in business?
I spent a long time 'knocking on the doors' of schools in my territory to show them just how fantastic the Pyjama Drama programme is. Schools are busy places so this required dedication and a thick skin! One of the highlights for me was when, all at the same time, a number of schools said 'yes' and suddenly I had more work than I could handle! I saw a significant increase in my monthly turnover and had to start looking for additional staff.

4. Why did you decide to renew your franchise agreement for a further five years?
Because I fully believe in the ethos of Pyjama Drama and witness on a daily basis what a powerful learning tool the programme is. I couldn't get behind something I didn't truly believe in and I am passionate about the work we do. I also love being part of a team of inspirational franchisees who support and help each other, whilst having autonomy over my own business and being able to run it to fit around my life and family.

5. What are your plans, hopes and dreams for your next five years in business?
My plans are to expand further into my territory by taking on a team of session leaders. Although I still plan to teach (I love teaching too much to give it up completely!), I will take more of a development role and spend my time securing new contracts and establishing new classes for my employees to teach. I am really, really excited about the future of my business and am delighted to be on board for a further five years!

Pic: Emma (left) with fellow franchisee, Sarah Watt

We all know the age-old saying that children would rather play with the cardboard box than the actual gift inside and many of us have probably experienced it too. That cardboard box could be the fastest car in the universe or the entrance to a secret underground cave and that sparkly dress in the box? Never as sparkly as the one in your imagination.

For the last few months, parents have been subjected to an increasing barrage of adverts about the latest ‘must have’ toy.  And while, of course, there is nothing wrong with buying the newest gadgets or fluffiest toys for our children, for many of us it can be something we do whether we cannot afford it or not. So why do we feel such pressure as parents to spend out on the latest craze? How many of us have succumbed and spent more than we should, or can afford this Christmas? And what of the toys and gadgets we're buying? Are they always suitable or sensible choices?


A recent survey found that 70% of us feel pressured to spend more than we can afford during the holiday period and that Mothers alone spend an average of £270.00 per child on presents. I can believe it. Despite a clear budget and the very best of intentions I've overspent this year and as I look down at the still unwrapped gifts I have to say I feel a little queasy. I love my children. I want to treat them. I want to see their little faces light up as they open their presents on Christmas morning and I know they will.  But I also know that amongst the barrage of beeps, whirs and bangs (although they might not realise it) they'd also relish the opportunity to play for an hour or so without their new 'stuff'. They may have to be persuaded to reach for the 'off' button certainly, but what child can really resist the opportunity to play games - real, good old fashioned games that require nothing more than a little imagination? As more and more toys and increasingly sophisticated technology floods the market we mustn't forget the value of simple, creative imaginative play and how this type of play can benefit young children so greatly.

As Albert Einstein said, 'Logic will get you from A - B, but imagination will get you everywhere', so this Christmas morning there will be one more present but you won't find it under the tree. Let's locate the 'off' switch for an hour or two and see where our imaginations take us...

Happy Christmas everyone!

A mum recently told me that she spent months agonising whether to enroll her three year old in a Pyjama Drama class. Her best friend took her child and loved it, her daughter didn't go to preschool on the morning of the class and she was already looking for an activity for them to do together. So why the procrastination? ''I still have nightmares about my drama classes at school, ' the mum explained. ''I hated them. I was so shy and one day the teacher forced me to stand up in front of everyone and I couldn't stop shaking. My daughter is also shy and on top of that has language delay so I couldn't bear the thought of putting her through what I went through.''

This story, although fairly rare, is not uncommon. Unfortunately, I've heard this type of experience before and like any self respecting drama teacher it makes me really angry and desperately sad in equal measures. When delivered well, drama is one of the most powerful tools we have. Drama develops confidence, language skills, cements friendships and has the power to transport a person from the everyday in to a world of magic and wonder. Drama is about much more than learning lines and standing on a stage and it has benefits for every child. To prove the point, take a look at just some of the comments we've received during the first two weeks of November. Drama, quite literally, has the power to change people's lives...

''My daughter Holly was under a speech therapist when she first started Pyjama Drama. She loved every minute of being able to express herself through the drama and it gave her the confidence she needed. She now no longer needs speech therapy!Thank you Pyjama Drama.'' Beth Wood (Nov 2014)

''Our sessions are aimed at children with additional needs and disabilities - we have a wide range of children that attend and some of their additional needs include hearing impairments, autism, cerebral palsy, and global development delay. Children that attend the session are showing an increase in confidence on a weekly basis. I look forward to continuing to work alongside Pyjama Drama.” Michelle Ruddick, Barnardos (Nov 2014)

''I would like to say how grateful I am to Pyjama Drama. My little boy (who is autistic),  after attending these classes is a different person. He pretends to swim in his little bath full of sharks, he flies to the moon - his imagination abilities has shocked us all! Thank you Pyjama Drama!'' Tamara (Nov 2014)

“My daughter, two and a half, absolutely loves her Pyjama Drama classes. Since being at the classes her imagination has developed ten-fold; she is always playing games without the need for toys and inventing characters. I would thoroughly recommend.” Natalie Crawley (Nov 2014)

''My son, Edison has just turned four and has additional needs including verbal apraxia, meaning he is predominantly non-verbal. He was welcomed with open arms by not only the class teacher but also by a group of non-judgemental parents. Since joining the group Edison has come out of his shell and I even catch him singing on his own when he thinks nobody is listening! He feels comfortable and confident within his group and it shows, and is rubbing off into other areas of his life. He had a huge sense of achievement when he received a certificate last week, he was so proud that everybody clapped for him and now the certificate has pride of place in his bedroom.'' Nina Musson (Nov 2014)

''Ava's parent and school chat yesterday. She's grown in vocab, creativity and confidence. No doubt Pyjama Drama has played a part in that!'' Ava's mum (Nov 2014)

And what of the mum who couldn't make up her mind about taking her daughter along to a class? Well, she took her along, they both loved it and in her own words, ''I only wish we'd gone much, much sooner!''

Have fun!

Sarah
 

This September we are delighted to be running special drama sessions all across the UK to raise money for the wonderful Once Upon A Smile, a bereavement charity that helps children who have lost a parent to a terminal illness.  During the sponsored event the children will learn a special song and play five games, all designed to ‘chase the blues away’.

Drama can be a fantastic way to help children learn about and make sense of, the world around them. We know this will be the first time many children have taken part in a charity event and we can guarantee it will be lots of fun as well as helping to raise money for an important cause.  Please get in touch if you would like further information.

We are delighted to announce that Pyjama Drama Franchise Owner, Phylly Jones, has been selected as one of 19 finalists in the British Franchise Association's prestigious Franchisee of the Year awards.  She is in the category of 'Young Franchisee of the Year'.

These are very competitive awards with people entering from hundreds of different types of businesses from all over the UK, so she's done incredibly well to be selected. Phylly will now go through to a judging event in London in July then the winner of each category, plus the overall winner, will be announced at a dinner hosted by the BBC's business presenter, Steph McGovern, on Thursday 2 October at Birmingham Town Hall.

We are very proud, well-done Phylly!  

If you'd like to find out more about running your own Pyjama Drama business teaching drama to children, please give us a call on 01938 871855.

We were delighted to come across this wonderfully complimentary blog post written by Sarah, who spends her time, 'coming up with toddler activities that are fun and creative so that every day feels like it’s been well spent'. You can visit Sarah's blog here and read what she says about attending classes in Sheffield below:

''Today we went to our third Pyjama Drama session, and boy did we have fun. Every session we went on a different adventure, imagining ourselves away to a circus, a farm, and today a jungle inhabited by a dancing dragon. We sing, dance, play music and pretend, led by the lovely Gemma.

Once he gets going my little monkey is very outgoing, but like any child, he can be a bit apprehensive around new people. So I wasn’t surprised that it took him a little while to get into the spirit of Pyjama Drama. Soon enough though he was pretending along with the others. There were some things he liked better than others, for instance playing musical instruments will always be a hit, whereas he’s not that into singing yet. But what I underestimated was how much he’d carry on the games once we’d left the session. After we pretended we were part of the circus he carried on splatting people with imaginary cream pies for days. After we made believe we were farmers his pushchair transformed into a tractor that he had to push out of the mud. And this evening, after forcing me to sing the Pyjama Drama song, he named himself Drama Boy and danced around with the dragon we’d met in the jungle.

Pyjama Drama is a brilliant way to encourage a toddler’s imagination, and they all seem to love pretending and singing every week. Gemma is brilliant too. Sometimes the kids’ imaginations lead the game off on a tangent, but she always seems to be able to incorporate what they’re saying, no matter how much of a curve ball she’s been thrown. All in all, we highly recommend it!'' 

Between entertaining her two year old, blogging and trying to keep house, Sarah tries to squeeze in some academic research. She spends most of her time coming up with toddler activities that are fun and creative so that every day feels like it’s been well spent! 

1st May 2014

For me, Pyjama Drama involves wearing lots of hats. Let me tell why...

Once upon a working day, Lucy woke up and started replying to emails from potential customers (sparkly admin and communication hat). She then remembered she had to pay for a class venue (pointy financial hat) before meeting up with a local magazine publisher (floppy marketing hat). Later on that day, Lucy got to deliver a fantastic Pyjama Drama class for older toddlers (woolly performance hat). As you can imagine, the hats are all very cosy and nice to wear (and you can’t be afraid to have bad hat hair by the end of a day). Pyjama Drama also involves juggling. You need to master juggling everyday items with the future items. They tend to move at an incredible pace but before you know it, you’ve been juggling for FOUR MONTHS (how time flies) and still have a smile on your face!

I came across this amazing franchise opportunity at the right time in my life. I was questioning my future as an early years teacher and I realised that Pyjama Drama would let me do what I love doing – performing with children! I wasn’t worried about owning a business as I’ve been fortunate enough to have lots of financial and operational experience in my career prior to teaching. I just loved the idea of this being MY business, MY baby! And when the day comes when a customer tells you they've heard good things about you and your business, and you realise that all your hard work has paid off, the pride you feel is incredible.

I’ve seen people set up businesses on their own with little to no support and you can see how isolated they feel. They just want someone to take them under their wing and say ‘there, there’. That support is exactly what I needed and it’s exactly what I am getting from Pyjama Drama.  I’ve had an incredible amount of training at head office and the support has been excellent (and that’s from head office AND fellow franchisees from all over the UK). I’ve learnt so much over the past four months and I’m excited to keep learning as my business develops. Life is good with my box of hats!

We’re delighted to announce that the first episode of our new 10-part show for CBeebies Radio, ‘When I Grow Up’,  will air on Saturday 12th April. 

The show is all about looking at the world of work through the eyes of children. We wanted to find out what children understand about the jobs their parents and other grown-ups do, so we created a series of drama workshops designed to encourage children to imagine themselves in grown up shoes and to role-play being an adult at work.   Making the show was a joy and once again children demonstrated how funny, original and refreshing they are to work with. A big thank you to all of them who were involved, plus their parents and teachers.

Of course, it was an honour to work with the BBC and we hope to be doing more in the future.  Stay tuned!

Do let us know what you think about ‘When I Grow Up’.  You can contact us via email.  And if you’d like to know more about joining Pyjama Drama, please call us on 01938 871855. 

We're chuffed to bits to have been nominated in a number of categories in this years What's on 4 Awards, and we'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to all those parents, teachers and nursery managers who helped us to get this far by nominating us!

We're in the running for the following prestigious awards:

• Best National Preschool Development Activity (2 – 5 years)
• Best National Activity (5 - 12 years)

And not just that, EIGHT of our fantastic team of franchisees have been nominated for Most Outstanding Activity Leader for the under fives. So, huge congratulations to....

• Amanda from Exeter
• Donna from Bromsgrove & Redditch
• Jo from Llantrisant & the South Wales Valleys
• Sarah from Carlisle 
• Jane from Oswestry & Shrewsbury
• Amy from Milton Keynes 
• Lisa from Glasgow
• Eve-Marie from Harlow & Loughton 

If you've ever enjoyed Pyjama Drama, we'd be eternally grateful if you'd take the time to vote; it only takes a few moments.

Best of luck everyone!

Sarah

I grew up hearing the story of the night my mum nearly threw my two month old brother out of the bedroom window after a day of non-stop crying.  We both know that she didn’t really nearly do it but the memory of that long day and fractious night is as fresh as if it were yesterday, despite it being over forty years ago. My own children aren’t babies or even toddlers anymore but being at home with children, especially when they’re young, is hard work and there are just some days that never seem to end...

My top five never-ending days (that went by in a flash)

1) The day after I unwisely went out with a friend to celebrate her birthday. This day started after three hours sleep (and one too many gin and tonics) by being woken by a lively toddler cleaning the carpet with his toothbrush, and ended with a trip to casualty when the same toddler tried to clean his teeth whilst walking down the stairs.

2) The day I took a forty-two mile round trip to a fast food restaurant because this was more enjoyable than staying in the house with three grumpy children a second longer. One of them was sick on the way home but on the plus side, we got back just before bedtime.

3) The day I took a one hundred and twenty mile round trip to my mums for lunch (see above).

4) The day they had been fed, bathed, were in their pyjamas and when I glanced at the clock it was STILL only five o’clock. To say I nearly burst into tears is no exaggeration.

5) The day when they all had chicken pox and I couldn’t get hold of my husband who was working away.  I don’t remember much about this day except that it involved a lot of crying (theirs and mine). It was the longest day ever. 

Now my little ones are not so little, I often have to shake them awake in the morning and that toddler has grown into a boy who almost never cleans his teeth unless forced. They’d rather be off playing with their friends than spending the day with me and the eldest won’t even let me in her room never mind read her a bedtime story. And as for ‘the longest day ever’ I do remember one thing; just after lunch all three spotty children fell asleep, one lying across my lap and the other two snuggled in either side of me, and for a few precious minutes, all was well with the world.

Note to self: The days are long but the years are short…

Sarah

Everyone knows someone who is great at telling stories. Maybe it’s Granddad who can keep the family entertained for hours at a time or your best friend who can turn a random event into a rip-roaring story that has you in fits of laughter. But how often do we think of ourselves as storytellers, even though something we do every day? From meeting a friend for coffee and telling her about our busy week to rushing home from work to tell our partners about our day, telling stories is something we instinctively do, and without even noticing.

This week, The Society for Storytelling runs their annual National Storytelling Week (1st – 8th Feb), designed to celebrate the ancient art of oral storytelling. Anyone can get involved by finding a local storyteller, booking a Pyjama Drama storytelling session for your nursery or school or joining in at home! Telling your child story (rather than reading it) isn’t as hard as you might think; here are our top five tips for developing the art of ancient storytelling…

1. Bring a familiar story to life by using your child’s toys – teddy bears in a retelling of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ or a favourite doll as Rapunzel for example. Nursery rhymes can also be brought to life as stories using toys, dolls, or puppets.

2. Use props to enhance the drama or dramatic tension of a story. A large scarf makes the perfect hiding place for the troll in Three Billy Goats Gruff for example, and sound effects are a great way of bringing stories to life. What about using a drum (or a pan and wooden spoon?) to create the footsteps of a wicked witch, or a tambourine to indicate the arrival of a princess?

3. Make the story interactive. Children will stay more focused and engaged if they can be part of a story; encourage them to join in with the actions and facial expressions of the characters in the story, and mime simple actions such as opening a door, or eating a delicious meal.

4. Create a story together. Children have incredible imaginations and a wealth of their own ideas! Try telling a story together by using this simple structure:

• Start by giving the context of the story  (a dog is feeling lonely and decides to set off on the adventure of a lifetime)
• Introduce a problem (all of a sudden there is a huge storm)
• Then ask your child what they think the dog does next (the dog steals an umbrella from an old lady sitting on a bench and runs away with it)
• Introduce a second, third and fourth problem which your child should be encouraged to resolve

5. Tell your own true story. Children love nothing better than to hear true stories about their parents and they especially love hearing about when their parents were children themselves. Give the story a simple title, ‘The day I got lost on a school trip,’ ‘The day I broke Grandma's favourite vase’, ‘When I got told off'’ or 'The best Christmas' and don’t worry if nothing much happens in your story, your child will simply delight in the fact that the story is about you!  

You can find out more information about The Society for Storytelling here, but whatever stories you tell this week, try for a happy ending, after all, who doesn't love a happily ever after?

2013 has been a whirlwind; we’ve seen our thirtieth franchised area sold, performed at festivals and events throughout the country, and delivered the Pyjama Drama programme to literally thousands of children across the UK.

We’re even more excited about 2014 – here are just five of the reasons why we can’t wait for the coming year…

1. January sees the launch of our new Performance Parties for children between five and seven years! Action packed interactive performances for up to 30 children - we just know you’re going to love it!

2. Keep your ears tuned to CBeebies Radio this spring, because that’s when our ten part radio show, co-written and produced by Sarah (founder of Pyjama Drama) and Savvy productions will be aired!  Production starts next week (eek!).

3. July sees the Grand Depart of the Tour De France against the beautiful backdrop of Yorkshire.  We’ll be celebrating of course by visiting nurseries and schools to deliver one of our special sessions, 'On yer bike!'

4. The fun won’t stop during the summer holidays. This summer we’ll be exploring popular children’s stories (with a Pyjama Drama twist of course!). Sorry, but you’ll have to wait until then to find out what happens when Goldilocks can’t stop eating porridge, the Gruffalo gets a toothache and Cinderella comes out in an itchy rash...

5. We know the last of the decorations have only just been put away for another year, but we can’t wait a moment longer to tell you about our new Christmas show, 'Jack Frost and the Spider’s Web', an interactive show perfect for nurseries and pre-schools at Christmas time!

We can't wait for 2014! Have a wonderful year everyone.

At the weekend, some of the Pyjama Drama team headed to Rode Hall Parkland in Cheshire to take part in Just So Festival, a fantastic even that has now been running for 4 years. The entire festival is aimed at families and children with some of the best drama, theatre, arts and music performers from all over the UK.  Sarah had written a very special one-off show, The Dancing Dragon, which was performed to packed audiences on all 3 days.  

We had lots and lots of fun at what is truly a unique and special event.  Many thanks to the Just So Festival for inviting us.  You can see a selection of images from the weekend on our Facebook Page.

It's nearly summer time (regardless of the weather!) and we're looking forward to taking part in all sorts of fun festivals and events. Here are 5 places you can catch up with one of our drama & creative play sessions or workshops, over the next couple of months:

1. Playfest at Eureka Children's Museum, Halifax.  Join us for Theatrical Thursdays at one of the most popular museums in the country.  We're running half hour taster sessions for 2-5-year olds and 5-7 year olds on Thursday afternoons. Free with your entrance fee or Annual Pass!  Contact Christine@pyjamadrama.com for more information or to book a place.
2. West End Festival, Glasgow. Over 100 Glasgow-based organisations, arts groups and local and international artists put on a mixture of activities during this month long festival.  Pyjama Drama will be running special sessions so sign up and join the fun!  Contact Lisa@pyjamadrama.com for more information or to book a place.
3. The Loveliness Festival, Milton Keynes.  If you're around the Milton Keynes area on 28th July, come and see us at this free, fun festival for all the family.  Contact Amy@pyjamadrama.com for more information.
4. JustSoFestival, Cheshire. Named as one of the best festivals for children by The Guardian newspaper, JustSoFestival is a delight.  A weekend packed with music, dancing, games, theatre and loads more, we're delighted to have been invited back to perform a very special show 'The Dancing Dragon'.
5. Summer drama workshops, UK wide.  Throughout the summer we run all tons of exciting summer workshops and drama classes for children.  

To talk to us about bringing a bit of Pyjama Drama magic to your event or festival, please contact us on enquiries@pyjamadrama.com or call 01938 871855.

Whatever you do, have a great summer!

Most of our franchisees hadn't really come across franchising before they became aware of Pyjama Drama.  Franchising is huge in the UK and many well-known brands like Macdonalds, Thorntons and Specsavers, are franchise businesses. But ask the average person on the street what franchising is or how it works and chances are they won't really be sure. In a nutshell, franchising is a way of setting up and building a business without trying to do it completely alone.  Statistics show that franchise business are less likely to fail than other startups and that they turn a profit faster than other new businesses.

We have been asked to take part in Mumsnet Workfest, a day all about 'changing careers, going back to work or starting your own business'.  We are running a session all about franchising and will be answering questions such as "Is franchising right for me?" "what questions should I ask a franchisor?" and "what's involved in setting up and running a franchise business?".  We're delighted to be appearing alongside such business experts as James Caan, Lynne Franks, Heather McGregor and of course, the incredible Justine Roberts, co-founder of Mumsnet.  You can see the line up for the day here.

Hard to believe we are already three months into 2013, where does the time go?!

At Pyjama Drama we've had a great start to the year and are excited about the next few months.  Here's a brief round-up of we've been up to and what we have planned:

More and more children across the UK are enjoying our drama & imaginative play classes. We've  welcomed three new franchisees onto our team; Amy from Milton Keynes, Jane from Nottingham and Gina from Bournemouth.  All hugely talented, inspirational women that we know are going to do brilliantly.  We also have a new office manager at head office, Sue, who is getting us a bit more organised!

Over the next few months will be getting out and about to spread the Pyjama Drama word.  Sarah is delighted to have been invited to talk to undergraduates at one of the top universities in the country, Exeter, about what it's like to set up and run your own business. In June we're honoured to be speaking at Mumsnet Workfest, a one-day event organised by legendary parenting website Mumsnet which, in their own words, "is designed to help those of you returning to work, changing career or starting your own business".  And in the summer we'll be appearing at the award winning Just So Festival, the family festival that's packed full of incredible events for children.  We will be performing a one off special show written especially for the festival.

We've also been shortlisted in the What's On 4 Little Ones awards, in the Best National Pre-Schooler Development Activity (2 to 5 years), there is a lot of competition so if your little one has enjoyed Pyjama Drama please vote for us!

That's it for now but to get our up to the minute news you can find us on Facebook or follow us on twitter.

The nurseries and schools we work with are always looking for fun drama games to play with their children, so we thought we’d put together a few simple ideas for Chinese New Year which starts on February 10th (you can play at home too!).

Chinese New year is a time when everyone gets haircuts and new clothes, spring cleans the house, does the dragon dance and gives each other presents. Red is a particularly auspicious colour so people wear red clothes, wrap up presents in red paper and even paint their front doors red! Try this fun drama game for children; all you need is a large piece of material (red if possible!).

NEW YEAR GIFT – A DRAMA GAME

The group should agree on one present they’d like to give/receive – a story book or a train for example. One child pretends to be the present and sits under a large piece of cloth. The game begins when the other players begin to recite:

What is in this pretty box?
Whatever can it be?
A new year’s gift – what a treat (lift the cloth of the present’s head)
A (NAME OF PRESENT e.g...: story book/train) just for me!

Children should then take it in turns to be the present.

SNAKE IN THE HOUSE – A DRAMA GAME

2013 is the year of the snake; ancient Chinese wisdom says a Snake in the house is a good omen because it means that your family will have enough to eat for the year. All you need to play this simple drama game is a skipping rope!

Two players should hold either end of the rope (this is the snake) and begin to shake it gently so it slithers across the floor. A third player stands in front of the snake and everyone starts to sing (to the tune of ‘One finger one thumb keep moving’):

There’s a snake in the house be careful
A snake in the house be careful
A snake in the house be careful
It might just tickle your toes - jump!

At the end of the song, player number three should jump as high as the can, over the snake

Have fun and happy new year!

If you've never tried a children's drama class you might wonder what it's all about. Here are our top 5 reasons why you should give it a go!

1. Drama and children mean pretending and role-play, which, as we all know, is totally instinctive to children and one of their favourite things to do.  (Pyjama Drama classes aren't about performing or 'acting' as such but about visiting exciting imaginary worlds).
2. Drama is brilliant for improving communication and creative problem-solving skills and for developing confidence.  
   
3. A good children's drama class includes music, movement and lots of fun and games (ours do!), so you have everything in one class!
4. You can take away from the class lots of ideas for role-play games to play at home with your little one. There is nothing children like more than playing pretend games with their family.
5. It's lots and lots of fun!  Really that's probably one of the most important reasons, our classes are always full of giggles and shrieks of delight.

Why not join a class today? 

The lovely people at Little Dish have given us a fantastic prize to give away in our latest competition. The prize is a month's supply of Little Dish Meals and a Little Dish goody bag!

Little Dish makes fresh healthy food for children. The meals contain 100% natural ingredients and no unnecessary salt. Every recipe is created in partnership with a nutritionist, and each Little Dish is taste tested by a team of tiny tasters before it is let out of the kitchen.  The most recent addition to the range is fresh filled pasta created especially for children; as well as being delicious, it’s quick and easy for Mums to cook.

To enter our competition please tell us what your child's favourite food is, you can email us, or leave a comment on below.

Competition closes 1st January.  Good luck!

You can find out more about Little Dish at www.littledish.co.uk.

Look for Little Dish fresh hand prepared meals in the chilled meals aisle in supermarkets.

The lovely people at Little Dish have given us a fantastic prize to give away in our latest competition.  The prize is a month's supply of Little Dish Meals and a Little Dish goody bag!

Little Dish makes fresh healthy food for children.  The meals contain 100% natural ingredients and no unnecessary salt. Every recipe is created in partnership with a nutritionist, and each Little Dish is taste tested by a team of tiny tasters before it is let out of the kitchen.  The most recent addition to the range is fresh filled pasta created especially for children; as well as being delicious, it’s quick and easy for Mums to cook.

To enter our competition please tell us what your child's favourite food is, you can email us, or leave a comment on below.

Competition closes 1st January.  Good luck!

You can find out more about Little Dish at www.littledish.co.uk.

Look for Little Dish fresh hand prepared meals in the chilled meals aisle in supermarkets.

There is something so extra special about reading a Christmas book to a child in the run up to the big day, so get into the festive spirit by enjoying one of these lovely books with your tiny tot.

1. The Snowman by Raymond Briggs.  An absolute classic that is loved as much by adults as children.  Who hasn't wished that their Snowman was real?
2. The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg. Some lovely surprises as you turn the pages of this book, with mini letters to pull out and read.
3. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.  Known as well know for the film adaptation, this is a lovely book in which a boy goes on a journey to the North Pole and learns that only those that believe in Father Christmas can hear the reindeer's sleigh bells ring.
4. Father Christmas Needs a Wee! by Nicholas Allan.  Younger children will giggle at this funny story about the logistical challenge of being Santa and having to drink all those glasses and treats left out for him.
5. The Night Before Christmas by Clement C Moore.  Most people are familiar with the first few lines of this but it's worth reading it all.  A gentle and special book that truly gets you excited about Christmas day.

Which are your favourite Christmas books for children?

Fabulous children's & maternity clothing company JoJo Maman Bébé, has generously provided a £50 voucher that can be spent online or in one of their stores.

JoJo Maman Bébé offers adorable baby and children's clothes, an exclusive collection of stylish maternity wear and an extensive range of baby products, toys and gifts. Extra soft sleepsuits, rompers and knits make perfect first clothes for newborns. For boys and girls, there are everyday basics with excellent quality t-shirts, trousers, skirts and dresses and beautiful original designs for special occasions.

JoJo Maman Bébé is the perfect place to shop for parents and mums-to-be. Visit one of the 46 UK stores or shop online at www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

To enter tell us in one sentence what you love about Autumn.  You can enter by dropping us an email, send us a tweet or leave a comment below this post in the comments section, or on our Facebook page. The winnerr will be chosen 5th October 2012. Best of luck!

My children will never know the pleasures (and freedoms) of my own 1970’s childhood, and after having just lived through a six week summer holiday, I’m beginning to realise that the 1970’s weren’t a bad time to be a parent either.

In the 1970’s…

• Holidays meant leaving the house at nine o’clock in the morning and not speaking to or seeing your mum until teatime. I don’t know what my Mum did in the hours between nine and six but it certainly wasn’t listening to ‘I’m bored’, ‘Can we go out for the day?’ and ‘What shall I do now?’, in a loop
• The test card meant that us 1970’s children were driven outside of the house whatever the weather. No 1970’s parent had to suffer the warbles of Hannah Montana whilst whipping up a mushroom vol-au-vent
• A grown up party meant sitting on the top of the stairs peeping through the slats in the bannister until you fell asleep. At the last  ‘grown up’ party I went to I spent the afternoon making sure none of the children hurt themselves on the bouncy castle that had been specially hired for them
• Summer time meant sporting blistered shoulders and a million freckles. Thanks to the advent of suntan lotion and skin cancer, I’m like a woman possessed when the sun comes out, and my kids have never even had a tan line
• A family trip meant sitting in the car with your brother, eating a packet of crisps and drinking a bottle of coke through a straw whilst your parents enjoyed some quality time on their own - INSIDE the pub

Those were the days..

Sarah

It can be a tricky time when your tiny tot is suddenly not so tiny anymore and is about to start primary school.  Often you'll be surprised by how easily they take to it but for anyone who experiences wobbles, here are 5 tips to make it easier:

1. Do expect them to be extremely tired at the end of the day.  Even if they've been used to going to nursery, mentally school is much more tiring for them.  
2. And as a follow up to that, we all know what tiredness brings...not so pleasant behaviour!  You may need to accept that their overall behaviour may go downhill for a while.
3. Don't expect them to talk lots about what they've done during the day. It's very common for them to not tell you all the details (that you quite understandably want to hear!)
4. Don't be afraid to ask the teacher questions if you're not sure of something, they're busy and sometimes can forget that the parents can be as new to the whole process as the children.
5. Your school may have a specific system for notifiying you of any trips, events or other news but if not check their book bag or rucksack every night, so you don't miss anything important.

It's a special time so cherish those photos of them in their first school uniform and take some tissues with you on the first day!  Good luck.

And so another 12 months has whizzed by in the world of Pyjama Drama.  In that time we've added 9 new franchisees to our team, won awards, launched drama holiday workshops, laughed, danced, sung our hearts out and, of course, done lots and lots of pretending and role-play.

Our annual seminar is always a great event, it's an opportunity for franchisees to catch up with old friends and new faces, share stories, swap tips and chat about their growing businesses.  There was much talking, some covert Wimbledon watching and plenty of drama fun.

We were also delighted to host our first Pyjama Drama awards.  It's an oft stated cliche to say "it was a tough decision" but truly there were some difficult choices to make.  In the end, we were delighted to announce  Lisa Armstrong from Glasgow as 'Newcomer of the Year', Phylly Jones from Surrey as 'Brand-builder of the year' and Sara Hall from Leeds as our first 'Franchisee of the year.

Thanks to all our fab team of franchisees for working so hard and making the day a delight. Roll on 2013!

A few of our franchisees have just passed their one year anniversary with Pyjama Drama so we thought it'd be interesting to ask them what it's like to run a franchise and what they've learnt over the last 12 months.

So here it is, in their own words…

Tracey Wright, franchise manager for Telford & Bridgnorth

Here are some of the things I have learnt:

• Other Franchise Managers and their experiences are invaluable when it comes to problem-solving
• You just never know what doors will open if you knock loud enough
• Children need encouragement but so do parents.
• The immense pleasure children get from ‘pretending’ is unlike the enjoyment they get from any fancy toy.
• The sense of pride and achievement and the satisfaction you get from running your own business is far greater than being an employee.The potential of the Pyjama Drama business has far exceeded my initial expectations.

Jane Cole, franchise manager for Ipswich, Felixstowe and Woodbridge

• I can’t believe after all these years I’ve finally found a career (not just a job).I have always been employed by someone else and had had a yearning for quite a while to be my own boss but I still wanted to feel part of a team, a franchise was the perfect answer and I have absolutely no regrets, well just one, I wish I’d taken the plunge earlier.  That’s not to say it’s not been without its challenges but every challenge is one worth working hard for because the reward at the end of the day is all mine.
• The reward I get from seeing the development of the children over a period of time coming to a class far outweighs any of the challenges from running a business. It’s the magical element of the sessions that brings me so much joy especially in the Let’s Pretend section when they totally believe in the scene that has been set.  And it never ceases to amaze me the imaginations that the children have.
• I may deliver up to 17 sessions a week but every single one is different because the children make it so.  No day or week is ever the same & I love the creativity that comes with the future planning and marketing of my business.
• And finally the biggest thing I’ve learnt is that it is true ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’, building up a business does take time but by the same token, it's important not to be afraid to just go for it.  Every day I’m still learning and that’s why for me this has been the best career move ever.

Julieanne Carter, franchise manager for Mid-Cheshire

• It has been hard work but extremely rewarding.  For me, seeing how the children develop is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
• Seeing your business grow is so exciting, I consider myself very lucky to have a career that I love.  

If you'd like to find out more about becoming a Pyjama Drama franchisee, give us a call on 01938 871855. 

The first time I was pregnant I just couldn't wait to get down to Mothercare to stock up on all the things my precious new born would surely need; Moses basket, cot, travel cot, baby seat, car seat, play mat, changing mat, changing bag, high chair, pushchair, bouncy chair, pram, and if you're a parent you'll know that this is just the start. But whilst some of this stuff is clearly useful (if not fairly important) it makes me shudder to think how many things I bought that I really didn't need.

So, here are five  things I bought when I had my first child (and then never used) :

1) A NAPPY WRAPPER – bought when under the misapprehension that I would have a prettily decorated, discrete ‘changing area’ in which to change bottoms, and sold as a handy little tool designed to take the ‘phew’ out of ‘baby poo’ The changing area never materialised and the nappy wrapper never even got out of the box.

2) A NATURAL SHEEPSKIN RUG which promised to ‘promote sleep’ (something that pre children I used to enjoy quite a lot) and would be perfect for taking with us on our travels to give the baby that ‘feeling of security’. In fact, for the first year she wouldn’t sleep anywhere but in my arms and we couldn’t afford to go on holiday...

3) A BABY SLING which was pretty useful for the first few days when, being too frightened to carry the baby down the stairs, I used the sling instead. That is until the day I tripped up at the bottom of the stairs and nearly knocked her out against the wall.

4) BABY SLING NUMBER TWO – purchased after the incident described above and because, unlike the sling with straps and buckles, this was ‘like the extra pair of hands every parent needs’. Unfortunately, I needed that extra pair of hands just to put the blasted thing on - two hands weren’t enough and that being said, this sling never made it out of the house either.

5) THE MOST EXPENSIVE PRAM IN THE SHOP - lusted after for months and then kindly bought by my lovely in-laws, this three-in-one ‘travel system’ never really travelled anywhere. I couldn’t lift the ‘ultra lightweight’ car seat which did NOT 'slot easily' into its frame and when in ‘pram mode', it didn’t even fit through the front door.

Happy days though...

Sarah
 

How do you clean a CD player ‘coloured in’ with lip salve, a bed sheet ‘coloured in’ with felt tip or a face coloured in’ with an indelible marker? I am sure it wasn’t in the adoption training anywhere and believe me I’ve checked and double checked my notes and it isn’t even in the small print!

There are lots of other things I have learnt since adopting my daughter last year, but one of the biggest (apart from developing a whole new understanding of the word tantrum!) is how adults and children bond with each other. All families need bonding experiences but adoptive families are a lot more conscious of it than most.

And it’s the little things we do together; the times we laugh, talk, play and the times we simply enjoy being together doing nothing – these are the things that help to cement the bonds between us. Singing together, talking and listening, reading books, and sharing action rhymes all contribute to this process. Yes, even the constant repetition of Old Macdonald in the car (‘Mummy, do the cow noise again please’) is helping - no really it is! And if I can drag her away from the TV, ignore the telephone and the ironing basket, these shared quality experiences, away from the other distractions of daily life, are even more powerful.

Being a mum has helped me to really understand the power of play; how playing even the most simple of games builds trust and helps to deepen our understanding of each other. I know that whatever the challenges, these shared experiences of childhood become the shared experiences of adulthood; part of the glue which holds families together for a lifetime.  So next time I’m being dragged out of a nice warm shower into the sandpit, I’ll try to remember that ten minutes peace and quiet isn’t half as important as making a bit of family glue…

Louise

How many Easter eggs have your children consumed this year? Are you of the ‘Eat them all before breakfast if you must but if you make yourself sick it’s your own fault’ school of thought, or the ‘Mummy will look after them and give you a little bit each day’ way of thinking? Me, I feel as if I spend my whole life saying ‘no’ to the children (no you can’t have crisps/chocolate/fizzy drinks/sweets) which is not only tiring but, let’s face it, boring. You may think then that once a year, at Easter, I relax a little and let them gorge on as much chocolate as their heart's desire. But the thing is, these are children who have the opportunity to eat chocolate and sweets on an almost daily basis, so chocolate just isn’t the treat it once was; a biscuit in a lunch box here, a packet of sweets from Grandma there, a chocolate mousse for pudding there, not to mention the fact that across the world children are literally starving… 

This year (thanks to the extreme kindness of neighbours, aunties and uncles, grandparents and friends) and due to the fact that my three are now old enough to count, store and trade their eggs with one other, the whole Easter thing took on nightmarish proportions. Whilst I couldn’t say it was exactly wrong, there was something about watching three well fed (let’s face it spoiled) children gorging themselves on a seemingly endless supply of chocolate on Easter morning that didn’t feel quite right. So what to do? Ask people not to give chocolate eggs as gifts and be forever known as the parent who cancelled Easter? Leave the children to police their own chocolate intake and hope they make sensible choices? Encourage them to give some of their eggs away?  Or am I just making a fuss about nothing, after all, kids will be kids? 

Anyway, it’s three days after Easter Sunday and as there’s no chocolate left in our house you can probably guess that I’ve taken the ‘Eat them all before breakfast if you must but if you make yourself sick it’s your own fault’ stance - not something I’m proud of. In the end, I told myself this would be easier than spending the next three weeks discussing (arguing) when the next chocolate fix would be allowed. It doesn’t make me feel good, in fact, I feel a little nauseous….but isn’t that what Easter is all about?

Sarah

Add a little spring to your splash time!

We’ve teamed up with Halos N Horns to give you the chance to win loads of their gorgeous, baby-friendly toiletries and their Little Book of Holiday Fun.

Kids will love the fruity-smells and bright colours of the shampoos and body washes. You’ll love them too because many of the ingredients that might irritate little ones’ skin have been removed - no SLS, no parabens - making them really kind and gentle. The moisturising lotion is the perfect addition to your little one’s skincare routine.  And Toothy Fruity Toothpaste is fun for kids to use and helps fight tooth decay. 
And when it’s not bath time … The Little Book of Holiday Fun is bursting with fun ideas for keeping the kids entertained.    You can download or request a free copy on their site.
These prizes will help you keep the giggles going without you worrying about what you’re putting on your little angel’s skin.

To enter please tweet us!  Closing date 20th April. Good luck!

My school report always said the same, 'could do better' and 'must try harder', so from time to time I indulge in a little fantasy of going back in time and doing it all again. I visualise a new improved twelve year old me who does all her homework, who revises for tests, listens in class and who doesn't spend whole lessons writing notes to her best friend. This time travelling student would achieve highly in all areas of the curriculum and learn all sorts of interesting and useful facts which would one day make her a force to be reckoned with when playing Trivial Pursuits - well don't we all deserve a second chance? Luckily, my second chance has come in the form of my eleven year old daughter who has year seven exams to revise for and who, so far at least, seems to be taking this whole education thing more seriously than I ever did. Helping her to revise has not only got me one step further in my ambition of becoming Trivial Pursuits champion but has also taught me the following (and very useful?) facts:

1. Chemical energy is transferred as electrical energy
2. Sankey diagrams summarise all the energy transfers taking place in a process
3. The French word for fifteen (quinze) is pronounced Kanz
4.  The French word for Wales (as in the country) is 'Pays de Galles'
5. The Qur’an is divided into 114 chapters

Oh, and I've also learned that long division doesn't get any easier but maybe I'll get the hang of that in year eight...

Sarah

This week is National Storytelling Week meaning that all around the UK in libraries, pubs, theatres, schools and a whole assortment of other public places, people will be telling stories; old, new, forgotten and re-found. What’s really interesting is the emphasis on telling, not reading stories; something that we at Pyjama Drama feel is really worth shouting about. Storytelling is drama, although it requires no costume or props it does require the creative use of facial expression, voice, gesture and eye contact. Perhaps more importantly, the most powerful stories (like the most powerful drama) comes from within and has a true connection with the storyteller themselves.

What’s so fantastic about storytelling is that anyone can do it, and I mean anyone. Shy or confident, old or young, as long as you chose your audience and play to your strengths, anyone can be a storyteller and a good one!  My 87 year old granddad can keep the family enthralled for hours with his stories of his time in the parachute regiment and (setting aside his obvious talent for bringing the past to life through his characterful expressions and use of language) he’s on to a winner from the start – his family are the perfect audience and he plays to his strengths - namely his amazing memory for detail (my own memory got lost somewhere about the time I gave birth to my first child, so I just shut up and listen at these family gatherings). My brother in law makes up fantastic stories for his son about Thomas, Edward and Rosie (from the amazingly successful Thomas the Tank Engine series) with nothing more than a couple of plastic trains on the bedroom floor. Again, this isn’t my forte - although the audience may be right, I can't get excited about trains going round and round a track. Ultimately, really useful engines just aren’t my thing.

And that’s the point. If you find a story that you can connect with and have an audience who will appreciate it, there’s nothing to stop anyone being really great at telling stories. So, if you’re not already doing it, why not give it a go? And if your audience is under five years old, you’ll be amazed at the impact, honestly. A few years ago, sick to the teeth of reading the same old bedtime stories to my preschool child, I once told a story about a girl called Susan who turned into a fried egg. While my story telling skills may not compete with those that are sure to be showcased around the country this week, I can say with some pride that ‘Fried Egg Susan’ is a story I still get asked for nearly eight years on…
 

Join in with, or find out more about National Storytelling Week here.

If you’re new to Pyjama Drama, the first time you come along to one of our classes, you may wonder why we don’t have piles of dressing clothes; gowns, crowns, masks and pretty ball gowns. Isn’t that what drama and performance is all about?
So here’s the thing. We don’t need them. All we need to create magical, exciting, fun-packed drama, is a child’s imagination.

Every week in Pyjama Drama children enter into a different imaginary world. Whether flying to the moon on a rocket ship, having tea with a tiger or dancing with the king and queen; they create the environment and all the bits and pieces that fit into it. To be more serious for a minute, we’re really passionate about this aspect. We want to use drama as a way to fire the imagination, to help develop and inspire inquisitive little minds and for that reason the only ‘props’ we use are small brightly coloured play cloths, these can be transformed into many things, from a hat to a butterfly’s wings, a puddle or an ice-cream or to wrap up a present for your best friend the monkey.

Dressing up is brilliant fun and children love it, as a parent, I quite often have tea with a three-year old dressed as Batman, but we know from many years working with children that as far as classes go, it’s better if you don’t have them. Mostly you find that costumes get in the way; dull the creativity and improvisation that comes so naturally to children. And that sparkly dress in the box....well, it’s just not quite as sparkly as the one in your imagination...

It's that time of year again when children rush out of school, tumbling over themselves in their excitement to tell mums and dads what part they have in the Christmas play. One of my favourite scenes in a film is in Love Actually when, the character played by Emma Thompson, on being told that her daughter has the part of "second lobster" asks, "oh, there was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?"

And so it was with a smile that I greeted my eldest who came out of school last week and announced that he had been given the part of Sir Walter Raleigh, his friend was Shakespeare and the twins are "robots"…I'm struggling to imagine what the plot is going to be but no matter, of course, it will be lovely to watch and being part of the annual Christmas show is something that gives most children some much enjoyment. 

From talking to friends who have children in other schools, it seems that the traditional nativity play is becoming less and less common.  With increasingly culturally diverse classes, schools obviously make an understandable decision that the Christmas play needs to be more inclusive and less specifically about one religion.  Despite the fact that I agree with the principle of this (and I'm not religious), there is a part of me that is a bit sad about the loss of the traditional nativity.  Mary & Joseph with tea towels on their head, a (usually dropped at least once) doll as the baby Jesus, and the inevitably cuteness of the three kings with their "frank-in-sense", I hope that it still makes an appearance at some schools, if for no other reason that it makes a lovely story.

What parts are your children playing this year?

Katie

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“.

We mention on our website and in our literature about the benefits of Pyjama Drama classes (apart from the fact that they're fun!).  About how our classes improve children's confidence, help them think creatively, develop their communication skills and get them to work as part of a team. We know it's true because we see the evidence every day but it's always gratifying to hear it from other sources and so we were intrigued when someone pointed us in the direction of a blog post on the respected ideas forum website 'BIg Think', titled "Stop Subjecting Your Baby To Mozart (give her drama lessons instead)"  You can read the post for yourself but in a carefully controlled study, a psychologist found that drama lessons made young children, "better at understanding the mental states of others, and they were more socially adjusted".

It's an interesting study and we have to say that the comments we receive from parents, teachers and nursery managers certainly back it up.

I watched a really thought provoking video on YouTube today which confirmed everything I believe about children and creativity and underpins the exact reasons why I find Pyjama Drama so rewarding a career.

The speaker Sir Ken Robinson, shares his view that that our current education system, with its clear hierarchy of subjects (mathematics and language at the top and the arts at the bottom), is educating our children out of their creative capabilities and is therefore, ‘killing creativity'. He highlights what I see every time I take a Pyjama Drama class, that because children are prepared to take a chance and to be ‘wrong’ they are more naturally creative than the adults that strive to teach them. By defining creativity as, ‘the process of having original ideas that have value’ he intelligently (and with wit and humour) challenges current thinking on what defines intelligence.

If you’ve got a spare twenty minutes, this really is worth a look.

It’s not hard to believe that 97.5% of the childcare workforce is female and that only 1% of nursery nurses are male, what is fairly astonishing is that this figure of 1% has remained unchanged for the past ten years. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised – the male population as a whole is routinely (and unfairly) treated with suspicion when it comes to children and our media do nothing to reverse this trend but even so....

I can understand many men’s reluctance to enter into this predominantly female world. Putting aside poor pay and low status I imagine it can’t be the most attractive of prospects to work in an environment where all your colleagues are of the opposite sex. A male friend of mine gave up his full-time job whilst his wife went back to work and gamely joined the ranks of us women - taking the children to playgroups and arranging play dates etc. and after a while we even stopped asking how he was ‘getting on’ After a year or so he went back to work leaving his wife with part time responsibility for their preschoolers and I don’t suppose it takes a genius to work out why. Being at home with young children can be difficult at the best of times and if you don’t feel truly part of a larger network it must be even harder.

There was also a young male play assistant and our local nursery who seemed to be a big hit with the children and although I did sometimes catch the odd ‘eye roll’ directed his way from some of the female members of staff, having a male member of staff in this environment was really refreshing. Childcare experts all agree that it is crucial that children are exposed to males in nurseries to I was saddened to see this particular male leave and can only speculate upon the reason.

In Pyjama Drama I am glad to say that (in my Saturday class at least) there are a growing number of Dads who bring their children to classes and who join in as enthusiastically as any of the Mums. The positive influence of having interesting, interactive and caring males in a child’s life cannot be underestimated and that is exactly why as Pyjama Drama grows, I would love to receive some applications from men who wish to become franchisees. Last night or the first time ever, I had an email from a very enthusiastic sounding male asking for information on the franchise so it would be wonderful to think that one day soon this may become a reality. Come on men – we need you! Watch this space...