ABSTRACT
Children are at their creative best in a playful situation when there is no fear of being labelled, of being checked, of being reprimanded, and when they feel free to experiment, create, explore, and experience life on their own with no adult interference. This is exactly how I felt when I was a child and this is how children feel even today; across cultures and countries they all have this urge for an independent creative space around themselves. Unfortunately, the adults surrounding them do not, on most occasions, allow that to happen. The child feels stressed at home and school if her creative abilities are not tapped. Today, most school-going children do not get time for themselves; they live their lives based on time-tables and tight schedules both at home and at school. On an average, children attend school from morning till afternoon after which they just about get time to get back home, have food and get busy with their home-work and invariably they have their tuition classes. In between the academic work, children get some time to play or engage in some activity they enjoy doing. Even while playing there is a feeling of competition attached, and the element of fun is lost over the years. The sense of cooperation, empathy, enjoyment takes a detour towards contest. This chapter focuses on reviving the element of fun and enjoyment in the lives of primary school children through the introduction of Creative Drama (CD). Let us examine a few key elements associated with children and drama.
