DRAMA & PUPPETRY

Drama and puppetry promote imagination, language development, empathy, and socio-emotional learning. When children become various characters, they learn alternative perspectives and social dynamics which foster collaboration and communication. Puppetry helps shy or anxious children express themselves as it creates distance and safety (Whitebread & Bingham, 2020). Drama encourages creatively as it allows children to spontaneously enact events they're learned in a new way. Physical and vocal expression occur naturally. These become parts of the story fostering literacy, self-esteem, and communication abilities all of which link to EYLF Expected Learning Outcomes (ACECQA, 2022).

Theories & Perspectives Vygotsky believed pretend play offers a time where children exist outside themselves and beyond potential developments therefore fostering linguistic and abstract growth (Zhou et al., 2019). Bruner (in Whitebread & Bingham, 2020) advocates that narrative is at the core of thought. Therefore, drama is an accessible avenue for thinking. Rinaldi (2018) posits that the infant has “one hundred languages drama being one of them through storytelling. This has been evidenced in contemporary literature for even the most reluctant learners engage when there's a different entry point to understand narrative construction/sequencing (Church, 2020). Thus, such perspectives advocate for drama as part of the regular curriculum not as an inclusion.

Resources and Technologies

Resources can include glove puppets, story scarves, dress-up clothes, masks, and the materials to make props from cardboard. They can also use found objects to create their puppets. Digitally, Puppet Pals, Stop Motion Studio, and ChatterPix can encourage puppetry. Video resources can encourage reflection and analysis. Educators can use music or light projectors to create plays or storyboards to Zeitman scenes. A “drama corner” allows children to engage in extended stories with peers to collaborate by design.

Learning Experiences

Ages 0–2:

  • Peek-a-boo using scarves encouraging character voices
  • Singing along with puppets—soft toys “singing” “Old MacDonald”

    • 2-3 years:

  • Exploring animal movements through use of masks
  • Simple glove puppet readings during story time

    • 3 to 5 years:

  • Puppetry retells of favourite books
  • Exploring routines at home and acting them out with props

    • 6 to 8 years old:

  • Chatterpix to create digital puppet shows
  • Constructed scripts based on real-life experiences turned into a short skit

    • Critical Reflection

    The connection between child development and supporting drama/puppetry is evident through studies. Whitebread and Bingham (2020) argue that dramatic play fosters metacognition—children know what they're doing and learn to reflect upon themselves, changing and re-framing ideas during moments of improvisation. This develops effective problem-solving abilities and divergent thinkers. Aids supporting drama help children understand how to create a narrative arc—important for literacy development.

    In terms of emotional safety—which is often a concern—puppetry offers a different outcome. Zhou et al. (2019) state that children who do not want to speak in groups may be more inclined to speak through puppet characters. This supports identity development, oral language development, and emotional regulation.

    Digital puppetry via Puppet Pals or Chatterpix allows for vocal exploration and sequencing within multimodal opportunities (Woods, 2023). Therefore, digital puppetry is inclusive—for the neurodiverse and EAL population as well.

    Lastly, drama should never be an extension of the arts—it is its own way to facilitate agency, empathy, and meaning-making. Educators must carve out time and space for children to explore different options, feel the waters of set boundaries, and express their identity through dramatic experiences. When planned for with intention and through a story, drama can support creativity, socio-emotional development, and curriculum linkages.

    VIDEO