All the world’s a stage! Many of us are now working and schooling from home. Today we’ve got 15 ways to stay creative at home, courtesy of our awesome Education Team:
Photo by Aileen Pangan Christian
For Ages 6 Months – 2 Years
1. Stretch in the Morning: Reach up high, touch your toes, turn around, step side-to-side, march with high knees, or do some easy yoga moves (ex: cat, downward dog, candlestick).
2. Count Together: Practice counting to 10 using your fingers (like we do in the Speckled Frog song we use in Parent & Me class).
3. Practice the Alphabet Together: Practice singing the alphabet and get your child familiar with the melody and the sounds of the letters.
Challenge: Follow Encore on Facebook and Instagram to participate in Ms. A’s (free!) live Parent & Me class for ages 6 months-5 years at 10:30 AM on Tuesday mornings. Click here to watch today’s class!
Photo by Aileen Pangan Christian
For Ages 3-5
1. Introductions! Have your young person try entering the room, introducing themselves, and saying one thing they like to do. Have them finish their introduction by taking a bow as their audience applauds!
2. Let’s Go to the Zoo: Have your young person use their body, voice, and imagination to transform into different zoo animals! Your family can also visit the farm, beach, or wherever else fun animals can be found!
3. Stuffed Animal Storytime: Read a short story, then have your young person color a background for it. For example, they could draw the castle from Cinderella, or a bus for e Pigeon Drive the Bus. They can then act out the story in front of their background using stuffed animals!
Challenge: Post a video of your young person introducing themselves or a photo of their stuffed animal story, tag @EncoreArlington, and use the tag #IndoorEncore.
Photo by Cindy Kane Photography
For Grades K-1
1. Read a story and have your young person pick their favorite character. Have them draw a design of a costume for that character using things they can make/find at home!
2. Create a fun indoor obstacle course! Encourage your young person to think of creative uses for everyday objects. For example, use blankets to turn your kitchen table into a tunnel!
3. The Masked Actor: Use materials found at home to make a mask. It can be an animal, superhero, favorite character, or something else! For an added challenge, encourage your young person to pretend to be what their mask is!
Challenge: Post a picture of your young person wearing their costume or mask, tag @EncoreArlington, and use the tag #IndoorEncore.
Photo by Cindy Kane Photography
For Grades 2-5
1. Draw a cartoon strip of your favorite story or one you’ve made up yourself! Use this storyboard structure to help you design. For an additional challenge, you can write the story underneath your drawings.
2. Make them Laugh! Get your best acts together, whether they be your own jokes or you need help from a friend. Do your best comedy for a group of your favorite audience members.
3. Try these tongue twisters on your own or with a friend! See how many times you can say them correctly going quickly, going slow, or spinning in a circle!
One-One was a racehorse, Two-Two was one too. When One-One won one race Two-Two won one too.
Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said, “The butter’s bitter.
If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter,
But a bit of better butter will make my batter better.”
So she bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter,
And she put it in her batter and her batter was not bitter,
So ’twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter.
Challenge: Now, create your own tongue twister! With a parent’s help and permission, write it out or post a video of you reciting your tongue twister on social media with the hashtag #IndoorEncore. Be sure to tag us (@EncoreArlington)!
Photo by Clarence Chan
For Grades 6-12
1. Find a camera or phone and take your own headshot. If you are feeling more creative, look at the headshot you took, and draw it out on a canvas or paper. Next, you can color in a makeup design on your headshot for a character in a fun Broadway show, like Seussical, Cats, or Shrek.
2. Getting ready for that next audition. Design your own acting resume with the shows, roles, and companies you have worked for. Need ideas on how to format your resume? Check out these templates.
3. Casting Call: Pick your favorite Broadway musical or play that you want to star in. Next, cast your family, friends, and celebrities in all the other roles in order to make this show shine!
Challenge: 60-second Star Power. Own the space and unleash your star power. You have 60 seconds to shine with a song, monologue, scene, dance, joke, speech, etc. Lights, Camera, Action! Post the video and tag us @EncoreArlington, using the hashtag #IndoorEncore.
Photo by Shannon McCarthy
Photos by Aileen Pangan Christian, Shannon McCarthy, and Cindy Kane Photography.
Blog contributions by Encore’s Education team and Shannon McCarthy.
Many of you have been following the news about the new coronavirus. We are following the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as local and state public health authorities, to safeguard our participants’ health and well-being. For more information about Encore’s response to COVID-19, please visit our website.