Relevance of Drama and Puppetry in developing the quality of Creativity

The use of drama and puppetry will enable children to explore fantasy realms, which will promote problem-solving, empathy, and communication. The artistic forms foster impulsiveness, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence (Tombak, 2014). Children can learn about the world by becoming characters or playing with puppets to experience the world in a safe way. The presence of drama enhances both verbal and non-verbal communication where puppetry encourages narration and teamwork. In the view of (Anders, 2021), puppets are originally transitional objects, assisting kids to externalise in a creative way. Dramatic play and puppetry are used to teach imaginative, self-regulative, and symbolic thinking, which are principal aspects of early creative development.

Theories and Perspectives of creativity

The socio-cultural theory created by Vygotsky emphasizes play as the most important developmental source where imagination and reality are connected (Garvis et al., 2019). Puppetry also fits into the idea that Winnicott describes as the transitional space, where it is possible to explore emotions and feelings through projection (Anders, 2021). Constructivist theories too support the claim that drama is active meaning-making, in which co-construction of narratives is carried out by children. (Tombak, 2014) asserts that Drama encourages cognitive flexibility and empathy which are major pointers of creativity. (Howard & Mayesky, 2022) also mention that dramatic play also evolves divergent thinking-children experiment with roles, dialogues and results- developing both linguistic and socio-emotional imagination.

Provisions, Substances, and Web-based resources

Easy to create props, costumes, mirrors, and puppet theatres can be used by teachers (Howard and Mayesky, 2022). Storytelling and reflective practice is extended with the help of digital tools (stop-motion animation applications e.g., Stop Motion Studio) and audio recorders. Puppets can be either handcrafted or computerized avatars to encourage inclusivity and interactivity (Anders, 2021).  suggests that tangible and digital resources combined can be used to express multimodally. Children are able to co-write scripts, record performances, and repeat their learning with story cubes, emotion cards, and digital voice tools, which help them gain confidence and creativity, respectively, as a result of multi-sensory interactions.

The Learning Experiences according to Age Group

0-2 years

  • Mirror Play Drama: In this game, the teachers demonstrate the emotions, and babies imitate the gestures, which encourages the early symbolic play and empathy (Meggitt et al., 2016).
  • Soft Puppet Interaction: Infants use soft puppets when listening to songs, which helps in increasing emotional and turn-taking (Anders, 2021).

 

2-3 years

  • Dress-Up Corners: Toddlers do dress-up and role-play real-life activities, which help them to develop identity and imagination (Howard and Mayesky, 2022).
  • Animal Sound Puppetry: An animal puppetry which is used by children to imitate sounds, linking language, rhythm, and fantasy play (Tombak, 2014).

 

3-5 years

  • Story Retelling Theatre: Children use simple props to recreate well-known stories and this helps them improve on both understanding and expressiveness (Isbell and Yoshizawa, 2016).
  • Emotion Puppet Circle: The children use home-made puppets and share their emotions and solve social situations together (Anders, 2021).

 

6-8 years

  • Puppet Script Writing and Performance: Children write scripts in teams and play puppet shows and learn to work in teams and be literate (Howard and Mayesky, 2022).
  • Digital Stop-Motion Drama: With the help of tablets, the learners will develop a short stop-motion video with the combination of using technology and storytelling (ACECQA, 2024).

Descriptive Enactments and Critical Reflection

Activity 1: Emotion Puppet Circle (3-5 years) - Children created simple paper emotion puppets - from paper they folded into a puppet bag. The group was using the puppets to act out scenarios of friendship based on prompts constructed by the teacher. Children discussed possible problems and solutions, and used the puppets to show their feelings of empathy and finding a solution.

Activity 2: Digital Stop-Motion Drama (6-8 years) - Small teams story boarded and filmed a short animation in the form of clay figures. The teacher scaffolded planning, sequencing paths, and collaboration all with an eye to creativity and digital literacy.

Reflection

The two enactments were both successful in balancing expressive arts with the emotional and technological skills. The inclusive participation was promoted by the puppet circle, and teamwork and innovation were improved with the help of digital drama. The creativity of children was observed in the adaptation of stories and character development. Nevertheless, the enactments are subject to enhancement by introducing more time to thinking processes during which children may review their performances or produce videos collectively. Individuals in the future may use peer feedback sessions to enhance communication and critical thinking. On balance, both experiences confirmed that the use of drama and puppetry with the help of sensitive facilitation is an effective means of cultivating imagination, empathy, and creative agency (Anders, 2021; Tombak, 2014).

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