To my surprise and delight, my 6yo niece Holly advised me over the weekend that she wanted to be like me when she grows up = a performer! After I gave her a huge hug and promised to practice together, I reflected. I am excited to see where that goal and desire leads her, and I know that even if she one day changes her mind, her time singing and dancing will benefit her in so many different paths, jobs and careers. From teachers, to politicians, to marriage celebrants, being comfortable speaking in front of others, and being expressive, is SO important.
This got me thinking about creativity in our young ones, and how valuable it is to foster this. Being at DDD I get to see this element form part of every class in it's own way - from the Faerie Parties, to the fun games, to the responsibility given to our seniors to bring their own interpretation to characters. I believe having a safe place to play and express oneself can only be a positive influence on our children and provide experiences and skills that we can further develop as adults.
For instance, as a child, I was quite nervous around older kids. At age 8 I joined a weekly drama class. It was fun and full of improvisation games, but I struggled with the mixed ages. At first the older kids intimidated me, even though they were kind (and might have only been 2 years older!). In time however, I came out of my shell and my confidence grew so I was much more comfortable mixing with kids of different ages. I believe this experience helped inform and support me later in life, when as a young adult, various hobbies or jobs meant I needed to be comfortable around different ages and personalities.
Thinking of other skills that we plant the seed as kids and take into adulthood, there is the mighty power of visualisation. Certainly, mental imagery can accelerate learning and improve performance of all sorts. Imagination is fun – and there is much to imagine and believe in!
Aeschylus, the Greek dramatist gets across my point very eloquently… “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.”
We love supporting the DDD tribe as they ‘learn to sail their ship’ – for whatever oceans and destinations await.
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