ABSTRACT
The drama and theatre aspects of playing are usually the ones that many play therapists and play workers find difficult. This probably reflects how it is in society generally, as people recall being terrified of drama at school and being ‘made to look silly’ or ‘feeling embarrassed’. Dramatic play begins before or immediately after a child is born. Through dramatic play, children learn about themselves and others, that different sounds carry different messages, that monsters can be pretend and not real. The child is responding ‘dramatically’ to the individual adult and then to groups. When the child imitates the mother’s expression, he or she is beginning to respond as if they are the mother. Social rituals and dramas reinforce community identity and help to develop sharing and tolerance. Folk dance and mummers’ plays, choirs and fêtes are all traditional ways of celebrating and, sadly, many of them have disappeared.
