Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete

Assistant Professor, Dept, of Speech Communication and Theater Arts,

College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City

LEARNING TO HEAL AND HEALING TO LEARN

THROUGH CREATIVE DRAMA

Reflecting on this equation, all I can say is “how true!” I received this shirt
as a gift from a good friend who is also a colleague. Whenever I am invited to
talk about teaching, I always use this to start my sharing. We may not see the
results or be aware of how we have affected or influenced an individual but that
individual’s life has changed in one way or another. This is best expressed in the
saying, “We never walk in the same river twice.”

Before we start the discussion, let me start with my belief that

Every one of us is unique,

Every one of us is special,
And that we should never lose the child in us.

What is Creative Drama?

Drama is defined as the “art dealing with the writing and production of
plays” [The Random House Dictionary of English Language, 1966]. To be
creative is to have some originality in thought, expression, etc.

Creative drama, then, deals with the creative expression of an individual

through structured and goal-oriented playing. The goal of creative drama is
focused on the experience of the participant. It emphasizes the process the the
experience which involves creating and imaginative thinking and not on the
product which is a performance.

Creative drama includes dramatic play, story enactment, imagination,

journeys, theatre/group games, writing and art activities, creative sound (music)
and creative movement (dance). “Let’s pretend” is the guiding principle of any
creative drama activity.
Why is Creative Drama Therapeutic?

When an activity/experience is good for personal growth, when it is

curative, it heals certain aches, then it is therapeutic. Creative drama is
therapeutic because . . .

 it helps the child understand himself and the world he lives in;
 the child feels “safe” in class;
 it creates areas of learning;
 there are no wrong answers;
 it is challenging;
 the child can explore, discover and express him/herself without
the fear of ridicule or failure;
 it sets up situations within which the child can discover why
people behave as they do, so that they can be helped to reflect
on their own behavior; and
 there is the total involvement of mind, body, spirit and emotions
in an artistic, creative way.

What is the Role of the Teacher/Parent

In Therapeutic Teaching Through Creative Drama?

I believe that when we teach children, we learn from them as well. It is a

two-way process, a give-and-take situation. For the whole experience to be
meaningful to children, the teacher/parent should establish trust and foster
respect among the children, S/he is an intellectual and emotional risk-taker,
flexible, willing to try new things and explore countless possibilities.

The following reminders, I believe, are essential and will aid any
teacher/parent fulfill his/her role in therapeutic teaching through creative drama.

BEFORE THE CREATIVE DRAMATIC SESSION

1. Always keep in mind that: “We are here for the kids.”

2. Prepare well-planned activities. Make sure to identify needs of the

children/class, know their strengths and weaknesses. When you are
prepared, you will be able to control and handle the situation well.

3. Prepare extra materials/activities than you think you will need.

4. Make the activities as non-competitive as possible.

5. When planning the activities, do not have preconceived notions about
the limitations of the children’s abilities to handle complex cases. Be
open-minded.

6. Since we want the children to use their imagination and be creative,

nothing in whatever they do or suggest is “incorrect” – unless it will
harm them emotionally or physically.

7. Don’t anticipate what the children may offer. Be prepared to share the
learning process with them. Remember that children learn more by
example, emphasis, and reiteration.

DURING THE CREATIVE DRAMATIC SESSION

1. Before the start of the session, make it very clear that each child is
different and we all move, think, feel in a different way; thus, there is
no one way of doing things.

2. Always explain the purpose of the exercise – what they will learn by
doing it, how it will help them.

3. Be fair and flexible, but do not hesitate to discipline a child if

necessary.

4. It is far more important for the children to have fun than to learn facts.
If we do it right, they will learn through having fun.

5. Be sensitive to the child’s moods, actions, ideas and needs. Try to find
something to praise/encourage each child about his/her imagination,
quick thinking, willingness to participate, clarity of communication, etc.

6. Never make a child participate. All activities and games are voluntary.
We don’t want to stress out any child. Observers then to get just as
much out of the experience as participants. Bear in mind that growth
comes from small solutions.

7. Play with them! Show support and interest for the process of play.

8. Never underestimate the intelligence, logic, or imagination of a child.

9. If the session is conducted with a partner NEVER contradict your

partner – unless physical or mental harm is at stake. The children
must have complete confidence in their teachers/parents.
10. Keep control of the session. Don’t let one child dominate your
attention.

11. In relating with the kids, don’t think of it as going down to their level.
Instead, think of it as bringing them up to your level. Kids understand
more than we realize.

12. Constantly communicate with them. Encourage participation and

exploration. Ask questions. Also be consistent with your use of all
signals, verbal and nonverbal, received by the child. These signals
reveal your attitudes toward the children and your session with them.

13. Comment in a positive sense. Never say “Don’t”, “You should not…”.
Offer suggestions instead of directions; emphasize fun rather than
instruction.

AFTER THE CREATIVE DRAMATIC SESSION

1. Reflect on the whole experience. Ask questions about how they felt
during the activity, what they learned, etc. This can aid in evaluating the
effect of the activity and the level of their involvement and interest.

2. After reflection, the experience leads to understanding which can aid in

modifying behavior.

3. The comments/sharings/learnings expressed will help the teacher/parent

re-asses his/her own approach to teaching and inner experience.

Since the whole experience involves teaching and learning, I’ve summarized
the essentials of the teacher/parent’s role in the therapeutic teaching through
creative drama:

T o listen L isten attentively

E nrich and Enlighten E plore and E njoy
A dapt A chieve and A ctive
C ommunicate effectively R easonable
H umor and H uman N urture
I nteract I nnovative
N egotiate difference opeN mindedness
G uide G ive
Goals and Objectives of
Therapeutic Teaching through Creative Drama

In general terms, the goals and its corresponding objectives of therapeutic

teaching through creative drama are to:

GOALS OBJECTIVES

1. Explore the child’s imagination 1. Involve the child to a variety

of learning experiences

2. Develop more positive views 2.1 Perform with confidence in

of one’s self. front of others

2.2 Show trust and respect for

others
2.3 Feel comfortable about
one’s self
2.4 Perform activities with
minimal supervision

3. Enhance basic communication 3.1 Use the body as a means of

skills (speaking, listening, reading expression
writing, reasoning)
3.2 Verbally express one’s
ideas, feelings
3.3 Train and practice memory
skills
3.4 Express appreciation for
others

4. Recognize the value of group work 4.1 Cooperate with others in

order to work towards a shared
goal

After identifying our main goals and objectives, let us move on and put
into practice what we have discussed.

HOW DO WE GO ABOUT USING CREATIVE DRAMA?

There are a variety of creative drama activities you can use, For our
purpose, let us focus on the theme “Me and My Environment” and discuss
several activities which you can use in school or at thome. Just remember the
sequence of activities:

1. Icebreaker
2. Me (All about the self)
3. My Family and Friends (One’s relations with others)
4. My Environment (One’s relations with home and other places)
5. Reflection – You may do this after each activity or at the end of
the session.

Feel free to modify the activities to suit the children’s needs and
capabilities. You might even end up making your own, original activities.

Creative drama activities

THEME: ME AND MY ENVIRONMENT

The session/s will include activities dealing with the self, his/her family
and friends and the home (environment).

Icebreakers/Warm Up

This is necessary when starting a session with a child or children. The aim is to
put everyone at ease. It prepares the child – physically, mentally and
emotionally – and makes him/her look forward to the succeeding activities.

The Ship is Sinking

Purpose: To interact with other children and develop listening and counting
skills.

Procedure:

a. Ask the children to stand up and spread out.

b. Tell them that when you say “The ship is sinking, group
yourselves into a number (3, for example)”, they should form
into groups of 3 and hold on to each other.
c. The group which does not complete the desired number will be
the ones to call out the number.
Getting to Know You

Purpose: To introduce one’s self and develop memory.

Procedure:

a. Form a circle and have all the children sit on the floor or on
chairs.
b. Child 1 introduces him/herself by choosing an action/movement
and saying his/her name
c. Then Child 2 greets Child 1 following his/her action then
introduces him/herself and gives his/her own action. And so on.
d. When all the children have said their names, ask Children 1, 2 &
3 to repeat the names as well.

Example:
Child 1: “Hi, I’m Aina.” (Waves her hand after saying her name).
Child 2: “Hi, Aina” (waves his hand), I’m Roel.” (scratches his head).
Child 3: “Hi, Aina, (waves her hand), Hi, Roel (scratches her head), I’m
Kaylee.” (stomps her feet)

Scarecrow

Purpose: To warm up the participants and for them to get to know each
other better.

Procedure:

a. Choose or ask for a volunteer (called the “IT”) who will chase and
capture the others in a group.
b. When touched by the “IT”, the captive stands like a scarecrow with
his/her arms and legs outstretched.
c. The scarecrow is “released” when someone passes between his/her
open legs.

Activities on “ME”
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The next set of activities is on knowing and exploring one’s self.
Body Tracing/Full Size Portrait
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To be aware of one’s body and body parts

Materials: manila/craft paper, marker/crayons
Procedure:
a. Choose partners (or you may assist a child).
b. Ask one to lie down on a large piece of manila/kraft paper, then trace
all around his body with a crayon or marker.
c. Child can fill in the details of his/her face, hands, arms, other body
parts and clothes then color.

Let Your Body Move!

________________________________________________________

Purpose: To move the different parts of the body

Materials: music
Procedure:
a. Sit in a circle.
b. Say, “We can dance with many parts of our body. We don’t have
to use just out feet. Our fingers can dance, too.”
c. Let their fingers dance to the music.
d. Say: “Pretend your fingers are candles with flames moving.
“Pretend your fingers are plants/trees swaying.”
e. Suggest to dance with other body parts such as:
e.1 whole arm
e.2 moving the head
e.3 one arm and shoulder
3.4 arms and head
e.5 etc.

Walking, Running & Bending Exercises

________________________________________________________

Purpose: To introduce basic locomotion and explore the use of one’s

body
Procedure:
a. Have the class stand in a big circle.
b. Begin them walking in a circle.
c. Have them change the way they walk:
c.1 In a square, triangle
c.2 Forward, backward and sideward
c.3 With arms in different positions
c.4 With stiff legs
c.5 As if there is a rope attached to their nose, chin, shoulder,
etc.
d. Have them run:
d.1 In slow then fast motion
d.2 Forward, backward, sideward
d.3 Behind someone, next to someone, in front of someone, or
holding hands with someone
d.4 Shape a letter or number

d. Have them bend:

e.1 trunk – forward, backward, sideward
e.2 neck – downward, sideward, backward
e.3 legs – (at knee or hips) forward-upward or sideward
(lifting legs) forward-downward or sideward-
downward
e.4 arms - (at elbows) forward-upward, forward-downward,
sideward-upward, sideward-downward

Statues
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To learn to control one’s body and emotions

Procedure:

a. Child must remain motionless no matter what.

b. Another player, “IT”, will do his/her best to make the others laugh or
move, by making funny faces at the statues without touching them,
c. The 1st child to laugh or move becomes the next “IT”.

Weird Portraits
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To develop listening skill, learn how to follow instructions

Procedure:

Have students place a pencil, point down, in the center of a piece of scrap
paper. Instruct them to close their eyes and keep them closed while they draw
as you give the following directions:
a. Draw a circle
b. Put eyes in it
c. Put ears on it
d. Add a mouth
e. Add eyebrows
f. Draw a nose
g. Add hair

Pass the Face

________________________________________________________

Purpose: To develop skill in sensory awareness, understand emotions and

how they are expressed, and encourage children to remember past experiences

Procedure:
a. A child starts out making a face and shows it to the person beside
him/her.
b. That child imitates the face and passes it on until it goes around the
circle.
c. A new child is chosen or volunteers for the next face and the game
repeats.

Stretch and Yawn

________________________________________________________

Purpose: To wake up the facial muscles

Procedure:
a. Gently massage your face.
b. Open your mouth, eyes, nose and eyebrows wide.
c. Close everything like a tight pin: mouth, eyes, nose and eyebrows.
Repeat this several times.
d. Chew big like chewing a big bubble gum.

Voice Exercises
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To exercise the vocal mechanism and learn to control the release of
Air
Procedure:
a. Let the children stand straight with their hands on their hips.
b. Make them inhale then exhale.
c. The next time they exhale, tell them to say “AH” as long as they can
without inhaling. (You may repeat this using other vowel sounds).
d. Another variation is to say the whole alphabet in one exhalation or to
exhale the vowels soft then loud then soft.

________________________________________________________

Activities on “My Family and Friends”

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Let’s Move Together

________________________________________________________

Purpose: To relate movements to others

Materials: scarf or a big hanky, music
Procedure:
a. Ask children to hold hands with partners and skip.
b. If they can’t skip, let those who know how hold hands with those who
don’t.
c. Let pairs of children hold hands and skip around the room, trying not
to bump.
d. Give a hanky or scarf to each pair.
e. Ask children to move using the scarf. Play music.
f. Keep each pair together and comment on movements which indicate a
child is aware of the other child’s presence.

Rhythm in a Name
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To hear rhythm in words

Procedure:
a. Say the name of each child. Clap to the number of syllable/s the name
has.
b. You may ask for the names of his/her family members and friends.
Mirror
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To move with a partner and encourage physical control and self-
discipline

Procedure:
a. Have the children pair up.
b. Decide who will be A (the person) and B (the mirror).
c. When you say “Move”, A starts moving while B duplicates all of A’s
actions.
d. Tell them that when you clap your hands or make a signal, they should
change roles.

Frozen Pictures
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To promote group cohesiveness and develop pantomime skills

Procedure:
a. Divide the class into small groups.
b. Each group is given a scene to recreate (a visit to the mall, swimming
in the beach, etc.)
c. Remind them that when you say “Freeze” they should not move.
d. The other groups try to guess what the picture is all about.

Talking Pictures
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To encourage improvisation of dialogue and help build the child’s

confidence in verbalizing.
Materials: a picture book of people or animals, or pictures from print ads
Procedure:
a. Show pictures of people or animals in interesting poses or situations.
Ask the children what they think the person(s)/animal(s) might be
saying.
b. They pretend to be the person/animal in the picture, saying what they
think the person/animal will say.
Simon Says
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To test the ability for active listening, for following instructions
Procedure:
a. Ask for a volunteer who will lead the group.
b. Whenever the leader starts his/her command with “Simon says”
(Simon says walk in circles) then the group should follow. When the
leader only gives the command (like “Walk”) and somebody does the
action, s/he will become the leader.

________________________________________________________
Activities on “My Environment”
----------------------------------------------------------------------

My Space
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To identify one’s personal space

Procedure:
a. Have everyone get into his/her own self-space by finding a place:
standing on the floor and extending the arms and legs in all directions
without getting into someone else’s space. Then give the following
directions:
“This is your space: It belongs to you. See how
many ways you can move your body in your self-space.”

b. “Now, imagine that your space is a tall, narrow ketchup bottle. See if
there are 3 ways you can move inside this container.”
c. “Next, imagine that your container has changed into a short, wide jar.
See what you can do in this jar.”
d. “Our self-space has turned into a big beach ball. With your hands
explore the inside of your ball. Next, see what you can do in this big,
round shape. Be careful not to bump or roll your ball into someone
else’s.
e. “Now let’s sit down in our self-space and share some of the things that
we discovered about the different shapes and how we could use each.
We were able to use some pars of our bodies more in some shapes
than in other.” Discuss.
My Favorite Animal
_______________________________________________________

Purpose: To use the body in portraying an animal and develop observation

skills
Procedure:
a. Have the class sit in a circle.
b. Taking volunteers, have a child go into the center of the circle and
show - without using the voice – his/her favorite animal.
c. If, after three guesses, the class gets stumped, ask theplayer to show
how the animal eats or sleeps.
d. If the class can’t guess it in 3 tries, have the player tell what the
animal is and do the actions one more time.
e. If anyone picks the right animal, give him/her the option of going next.

What Am I Doing?
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To show with your body and facial expression, develop listening skill
Procedure:
a. Have the children find their own space.
b. Tell them that as they listen to the instructions, they should use their
body to show what is being said. Here are some examples:
1. “You are taking a nap under a tree on a hot summer day. A
bee flies near and circles your head. You want it to leave but
you don’t want to make it angry.”
2. “You are calling a friend. You press the doorbell. Do you hear
it ring? You press it again and it sticks and keeps on ringing
and ringing.”
3. “You are trying to take a nap but you are having a hard time
because the next door neighbor’s radio is too loud.”
4. “You are crouched down waiting to take a picture of an animal.
Suddenly you hear something is approaching: it is hard to tell
from what direction. Listen! Suddenly, a lion roars right behind
you.”
5. “You are looking for a new kitten that has crawled under your
bed. When you find it, try to get it out.”
6. “You are a famous jewel thief. With your flashlight, you are
exploring the inside of a safe trying to locate a small box that
holds a very large diamond,
7. “You are sitting in the sala drinking water when a sudden clap
of thunder startles you. The lights go out. You have dropped
your glass and are trying to find it.”
8. “You are watching your favorite cartoon show and eating
popcorn.”
9. “You are offered a piece of food that you have not tried before,
Examine it carefully before taking a bite. Show if you like it or
not.”
10. “You are a hungry little mouse. You are looking and looking for
something good to eat. You smell cheese! Just in time you
realize the cheese is in a mouse trap.”

Light and Heavy Movements

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Purpose: To learn about light and heavy movements

Materials: Cassette/CD player, tape/CD of instrumental music
Procedure:
a. Ask the child: “How does a balloon move when you toss it in the air?
Reach up with stretching movements to grasp the balloon as it comes
down.”
b. Say: “A balloon is very light. Move like the balloon.”
c. “Move as if you are as heavy as a block. Move your feet, arms and
body in a heavy way.”
d. Play music. Contrast both heavy and light and comment as children
move to each kind of music.

Let’s Move
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To move to music

Materials: Music-song, chairs (equivalent to the number of participants)
Procedure:
a. Ask children to stand, spacing themselves out.
b. Tell them you are going to play parts of a song and they are to move
to the music and stop as soon as the music stops.
c. Contrast the lively piece by playing a slow, flowing song.
d. Set up chairs (one per child. Ask child to begin moving around the
chairs when the music starts and sit down as soon as it stops.
Blanket and Broom
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To display creative imagination

Materials: a blanket, a broom
Procedure:
a. Ask the children to explore the different possible uses of the blanket
and broom excluding their usual use.
b. Show examples and ask for volunteers.
c. The rest will try to guess what the volunteer tried to show.

Find the Object

________________________________________________________

Purpose: To develop listening skill and learn how to follow instructions without
the use of words.
Materials: Objects to hide (example – toy, hanky, etc.)
Procedure:
a. Hide a small object somewhere in a room.
b. Have the child listen closely as you tap out the clues: when you tap
softly, child is getting farther from the object; as your taps get louder,
she is getting closer.

Puppet-Making
________________________________________________________

Purpose: To create a stick puppet and introduce the puppet made

Materials: Used cardboard or carton, pentel pen or marker, scissors, cutter,
crayons or paint & paintbrush, scotch/masking tape, glue, barbecue or popsicle
stick
Procedure:
a. Have the child think of an animal or plant.
b. Draw the animal/plant (example, cat’s head) on the cardboard with a
marker and cut around the outline with scissors.
c. (If you wish to do so) Use the cutter to cut out slits for the eyes and
mouth.
d. Paint or color the face (eyes, nose and mouth)
e. Glue/tape the stick firmly in place on the back of the puppet.
f. When they finish their puppets, have them introduce their puppets in
front.