Arthur . Parents & Teachers . A Folktale Play

Age Range: 3-5

Skills/Subjects:

Related Episode:
Francine Frensky, Superstar

A Folktale Play
Explore folktales through drama

Materials

folktales (see below)

Directions
Listening to folktales from around the world can enrich children's understanding of many cultures. Decide on a story with your children, and work with them to turn it into a play.

Set up: Look for stories that lend themselves to easy dramatization. Here are some suggestions:

Baby Rattlesnake, a Chickasaw tale by Te Ata

The Bossy Gallito, a Cuban tale by Lucia Gonzalez

The Chick and the Duckling, a Russian tale by Vladimir Suteev

Why the Sky Is Far Away, a Nigerian tale by Mary-Joan Gerson

Read: Share the story aloud with your children.

Dramatize: Act out the story with your children. Make sure everyone has a part. (You and your children can play multiple roles.) You may want to narrate the show. Children can ad-lib lines, or mime the action as you provide the words. If the folktale ends with "bad guys" being punished or killed, help your children come up with an alternate ending: Is there a way the characters could have worked things out so they could be friends?

Take It Further
Go to your local library or bookstore and look for recordings of storytellers telling folktales from different cultures. Some suggestions: Dovie Thomason, Jackie Torrence, Doug Lipman, and Tony Toledo.

With a Group
Put on a big theatrical event! Invite friends and family to watch. Make sure everyone has a role to play, whether it's onstage, backstage, or in the box office.

Based on an activity in Play and Learn with Arthur, Volume 1

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