Read Out Loud!

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According to Researcher Edward Swing, a graduate student at Iowa State University, “(Children) who exceeded the AAP recommendation of less than 2 hours a day watching television or playing video games were about 1.6 times to 2.2 times more likely to have greater than average attention problems.”

So how, in this growing age of technology and children relying on visual media for education and recreation, can we introduce other options into a daily routine that will “counteract” these effects?

Bring Back the Bedtime Story

Reading out loud to your children is a wonderful way to help them thrive in this digital world. Studies have shown that children whose parents read to them have greater brain activation which in turn benefits language development, visual association, and reading comprehension later on in life.

While listening to an audiobook or reading quietly from an e-reader can also be beneficial, it has been proven that babies and children learn best by interacting with people rather than passively through videos or audio recordings. Cuddling up with a good book at bedtime can also be highly beneficial to the growth of the parent/child relationship.

Benefits of Reading Aloud

Here are a few benefits of reading aloud for just 15 minutes a day according to ReadAloud.Org:

  • Increases language development
  • Develops literacy skill building
  • Instills a love of reading
  • Provides an opportunity for bonding
  • Increases memory retention
  • & More…

Books, Books, and More Books!

There are so many wonderful books out there and so many organizations that have made it their mission to help kids get access to them.

  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a free book gifting program that mails a specialized age appropriate book to every child who is signed up. You can find a program nearest you and sign up via their website.
  • Collaborative Summer Library Program, or CSLP for short, works with nearly 16,000 public libraries to bring summer reading to families nationwide. There are reading programs available to kids of all ages and even adults. Check them out through their website today to see how you can get involved this summer.

Crack open an old favorite or dive into something new but most importantly, get reading!

Drama Kids is proud to help children of all ages develop their reading comprehension and literacy development through all of our programs. Using the power of prewritten scripts, students use their voices to read, create, and perform. To learn more, visit Dramakids.com.

A Safe Space for Empathy

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Being dramatic is a good thing! But only if that drama is steered in the right direction.

Dramatic behaviour is generally just an outburst of emotions. If taught how to properly process and understand those emotions, children can then efficiently empathize with others emotions. According to PBS.org, “The ability to understand emotions — both your own and those of others — can positively affect self-esteem, personal relationships, career success and overall happiness.”

What is Empathy?

 Empathy is the ability to understand and relate to another’s thoughts and feelings.

From infancy, we begin to develop affective empathy, which are the feelings we get in response to another person’s emotional state. By two years old, children begin to develop cognitive empathy, which is the ability to identify and understand other people’s emotions.

Playing Pretend Builds Empathy

When playing pretend, children put themselves in the shoes of another person and begin to act like them. This includes acting out their “character’s” emotions. When taking care of a baby doll, the child pretends they are a parent. When the baby doll cries, they tend to the needs of the crying baby and try to comfort them. When the baby doll needs a diaper change, the child might make a grossed out face. It is then highly likely that when the child encounters a parent trying to comfort a baby, the child will begin to understand the emotions of the parent.

Theatre is a Safe Space for Building Empathy

It is important to give a child a safe, controlled space to experience and explore possible negative emotions. A child can safely watch an actor “bully” another actor, and because the situation is dramatized, can engage in communication to learn how both parties experienced and responded to this situation. They know the situation isn’t real, but this does not undermine the strength of the empathetic response.

Why is Empathy Important?

 Helps to build a sense of security and stronger relationships with other children and educators, positioning them well for learning

  • Encourages tolerance and acceptance of others
  • Promotes good mental health
  • Promotes social harmony and can reduce the likelihood of bullying
  • & More

Through the Drama Kids program, children can learn empathy in a fun and safe environment. Our highly trained teachers and award-winning curriculum allow students to explore emotions through student created scenes, improvisational situations, and scripted scenes. To get more information, contact us today!