Every year the children in Senior Kindergarten go on a “Shakespearean Adventure”.  Many may think that the children are too young to understand the complexities of the plot, and the ‘flowery language’.  You would be surprised!  Each class, over the many years I have taught Shakespeare, have remembered the numerous characters, laughed at the foolishness they portray, and along the way embraced the moral values embedded in such tales.Exposing young children to such wonderful language and literature will inspire them to become better writers, become aware of cultural references, and assist them when they return to Shakespeare in their later years.  Being introduced to literary classics now, by retelling the stories, will enable them to become familiar with the plot and characters, and give them a strong foundation to build their future understandings on.Starting with the life of Shakespeare, there is a wonderful opportunity to introduce history first hand, as the children explore the clothes Elizabethans wore, the houses they lived in, the differences in the lives of children then and now. This year, using a quill and ink to write, is a particular fascination, along with the burning down of the original Globe Theatre, and rats (who were thought to be involved in the spreading of The Plague) has provoked many questions.  The children have begun creating using plasticine, pen and ink, paint, collage materials, block and building rods to build their own understandings.In the block area The Globe has begun to be recreated, including a trapdoor, “For the actors to magically appear.”  Constructing The Globe Theatre in our ‘loose parts’ area has led to much problem solving, as the children voiced, “How can I make a circle, because these rods are all straight?”  Exploring the material, and realising the rods would bend, has led to a circular three levelled structure, complete with rectangular stage.  In our Studio the children have been painting portraits of Shakespeare, and also ladies and gentlemen’s clothes from Shakespeare’s time.  In our drama area the children have begun re-enacting some scenes from “A Midsummer’s Night Dream”, as well as creating their own puppets. Tatiana and her fairies, seems very popular!Over the coming weeks the children will explore, “A Midsummer’s Night Dream”, and building on from our box project, create a Globe Theatre for all our community to enjoy.

If you have any ideas, objects of interest, or thoughts on what our curriculum in this area could include, we would love to hear from you.