“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.”
– Georgia O’Keeffe
Art and drama are the heartbeat of a society. They are not just embellishments, but a mirror of society. One can easily learn about a community’s history through their art. The powerful imagery depicts local heroes, cultural traditions, and even struggles for social justice. Art and drama not only serve as entertainment but also represent a society’s voice.
Critical thinking on the other hand challenges the consensus. One’s ability to not give in to their emotions and be rational while making decisions is referred to as critical thinking. People often feel that critical thinking and art can’t be studied in a combination, little do they know that art and drama actually help build critical thinking skills.
Children, from an early age, need to be introduced to out-of-box thinking. Art and drama are a better way to ignite their curiosity and develop critical thinking skills – and it involves getting messy, stepping into character, and unleashing their creativity!
Here’s how Art and Drama can help children see beyond the obvious:
- A new perspective: Art and drama can help children look at the world with a new perspective. Recreating a historical event through a painting or a play can help children to analyze details, observe and think differently. This gives them a different perspective, a new angle to look at things.
Through role-play or storytelling, children can relate to and understand the characters better. Through painting, they can communicate their ideas with different colours and forms.
- Art and Drama empower change: Drama and theatre serve as tools for self-reflection. Children can be motivated and find comfort in certain characters.
When they understand a character’s backstory and step into a character, they tend to understand diverse viewpoints.
Drama can tackle difficult topics like bullying, prejudice, or environmental issues. By acting these out, children can grapple with the complexities of these problems firsthand, sparking important conversations.
- Stepping into someone else’s shoes encourages empathy:When a narrator is dictating a story and a child begins to look at a situation from the narrator’s perspective even though they have their own perception about the same Witnessing characters grappling with challenges and navigating relationships fosters compassion and a deeper understanding of human connection. Through drama, children develop the emotional intelligence to connect with others on a deeper level. One study from the University of Cambridge established a link between empathy and creativity.
- Overall personality development: Art and Drama lead to out of the box thinking, pushes students out of their comfort zone. It’s not only about learning the script and reciting the dialogues, it teaches students communication skills, public speaking skills and language skills. By Splashing colours and stepping into a character’s shoes they learn to express themselves with confidence and analyze the world with a critical eye.
- Art heals: If you feel like your child has been feeling overwhelmed or burnt out due to academic or peer pressure, art is a good way to help your child relax. Neuroscience uses Creative art therapy, Music therapy and Drama therapy to heal patients psychologically. Art and drama are the best way to reduce stress and relax. Allowing your child to play with colours, use different shapes, explore different genres of music, watch movies and listen to stories activates the pleasure centres of the brain by increasing the blood flow to the reward region of the brain.
Here are some ways to help your kid explore their interests:
- Storytelling/ narration
- Mimicking
- Roleplay
- Enacting their favorite character
- Think from the character’s point of view and write it down, to facilitate critical thinking
- Colouring, drawing different shapes
- Charades (using hand gestures or expressions to explain)
- Creating a rhyme or a song to memorise different concepts
Art and drama are like a magic portal, unlocking a world where students become creators, not just receivers. It’s a messy, thought-provoking adventure that helps them discover their unique voice and become the heroes of their own learning journey!
Art & Drama at Cyboard
At Cyboard School we focus on:
- Incorporating creative movement and dance to ensure a holistic approach to physical development. Celebrations provide opportunities for planned dance activities, fostering joy and physical expression.
- Creativity and self-expression are encouraged through visual arts, music, and storytelling sessions. Various forms of storytelling, including puppetry and animated adventures, captivate children’s imaginations and enhance their communication skills.
If you want your child to become a critical thinker and not just a test taker, enroll them in Cyboard school today!
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