All I Want for Christmas...

We had probably heard that phrase from our kids, nephews, nieces, baby cousins and pretty much any other child that is in close relations with us a dozen times over this holiday season . Christmas  has always been one of the most exciting times of the year. It is the time that children expect their wishes for new toys , new PS games, and every other thing they have spent all year dreaming about to be fulfilled. And course parents and guardians will do their best to deliver and not disappoint.

As we celebrate christmas this year, we should also not forget to keep in mind , how best to help nurture and aid development in our kids in the forthcoming year. We need to groom them as they grow into another year. One way of achieving this by encouraging them to sign for drama classes.

Now, drama classes is not only for aspiring actors, there are other benefits that can be gotten from drama classes. Drama lessons also help in boosting a child's confidence. and communication skills.
It encourages team building and bonding because in drama plays,more often than not , there are different roles to play which will necessitate kids working together. This will  ultimately prepare them for the future.

All these and more is what your child will be getting at the Helen O Grady Drama Academy Lagos Island. Our programs specially designed to bring out expression, confidence, and creativity in children. Our activities are also created to encourage active engagement with and between the children.

As we are going into the new year, why not give it a try , bring your kids to a trial class near you , so you will see for yourself what they stand to gain if they enrol. For location, enquiries and more information, please call 0809 190 0700, 0809 356 1000, 0809 357 1000 and we will happy to attend to you. You can also send us a mail on info@spanigeria.org.

Happy holiday season, everyone!

Real-Life Drama

As most people will say, “It’s just drama, just drama class. It’s not important”

 Except that we know the importance of the Helen O’Grady Drama program.

Our academy is one of the few places where real world life skills are taught. You know them. Communication, self-confidence, self-evaluation, creative thinking – these are the skills beyond the classroom, beyond school, right? Life skills, pretty much what everybody needs.

The drama classroom Theatre is such an amazing, amazing platform that we can really address so many things and kind of get a practice run at things that we don’t really get to practice in life sometimes. It’s just so open. But it’s also so free in that they’re exploring a character. Every time they say the line, it could come out differently and someone’s going to respond to them differently, and by using those stories and by using their experiences, you know, they get to make it their own.They enjoy taking a moment to watch their friends or taking a moment to be the center of attention.

As they advance in their drama lessons, we see then change , we‘ve seen them learn things by creating self-confidence in them, creating team and group work, the ability to listen, as well as other skills that will help them to be the best they can be no matter the type of profession they go for.

DRAMA & YOUR KIDS by Tamo Iruene

Where else can you find chefs, nurses, police officers, office workers, super heroes, teachers, karate instructors, and bus drivers all happily working side-by-side?

The truth is, in the midst of creating a restaurant together, clomping around in grown-up shoes, or twirling around with friends in a fairytale land, children are learning to solve problems, coordinate, cooperate, and think flexibly.

Pretending is important in child development.

Through drama children get to learn about the world and ultimately, themselves. They experiment with role playing and work to make sense out of what they've observed. Just watch children playing with dolls to see examples of this. Dolls often become versions of the child herself and are a safe way for children to express new ideas and feelings.

Have you ever witnessed children pretending to visit the doctor? One child dutifully holds the mock stethoscope as the others line up for a check-up. More often than not someone gets ‘the dreaded injection’. This is a child’s way of exploring an experience that is common and sometimes confusing or scary.

This is where we come in, at Helen O'Grady, we have the ability to harness the inherent skills in your child and positively direct them to a healthy outlet for expression.

Children develop important complex social and higher order thinking skills when playing pretend.

Drama is much more than simple play activities; it requires advanced thinking strategies, communication, and social skills. Through Drama, children learn to do things like negotiate, consider others perspectives, transfer knowledge from one situation to another, delay gratification, balance their own ideas with others, develop a plan and act on it, explore symbolism, express and listen to thoughts and ideas, assign tasks and roles, and synthesize different information and ideas. In this creative play description, we could just as easily be describing the skills needed to successfully manage a work project for an adult.

If your children are not yet registered…well…what are you waiting for?

Contact a Helen O’Grady official today at the SPAN office, 13 Davis street, Marina, Lagos or call our numbers: 08091900700 or 08091900600 for more information

Someone will always be happy to attend to you.