Bouzoukis - Encouraging your childs imagination: a guide and stories for play acting

Foreword

When Carol asked me to write the foreword to her book, my first thought was, Wow, thats really cool! My second thought was, Uh oh, Im a TV meteorologist, not a writer. (She knows thisshe tells me she was up watching when I worked mornings in Philadelphia: morning infant feedings for her, morning forecasts for me.) Then I thought, How am I not going to mess up this honor shes given me?

Then I read her book. It was thoughtful, fresh, and, more importantly, something with which I immediately connected. It is one mom talking to another. I loved that and knew it would be easy for me to tell people why Carols book is important.

To say this mom has gotten in touch with her inner child recently might be an understatement. You see, having three boys in four years sort of makes that a no-brainera must, a responsibility even. I have the joy of watching and learning from the very best: a one-year-old, a two-year-old, and the miniman of the house, my five-year-old. This might be the age I would like to freeze forever in time. Five-year-olds are sweet (at least when well rested), more independent, and smarter with each passing day but still possess that perfect innocence. And it is perfect, the right combination and the joining of forces of imagination and reality.

But have you noticed recently that reality seems to be winning more and more? I am not sure which bothers me more: the barrage of inappropriate cartoons or every single toy requiring batteries and the reading of a huge instruction manual to play with it (in his short time on earth, my son has acquired enough skill to operate my iPhone better than I can). Im unable to shake the feeling this precious early childhood time is slipping away more quickly than it did for me. I find myself wondering whether it is going to be impossible for my boys to hold on to their inner child. Am I old-fashioned for wanting that, or is there even a real need for it in our modern life?

This is why I was so thrilled to read Carols book. I realized that there is a need to hang on; there is a benefit to wanting to continue to nurture our childrens imagination. She uses play acting (no frantic cartoons or batteries here!) and familiar stories to get children to open their minds, feel their feelings, and figure out their next steps. For children to have the ability to loosen up minds on another level to solve problems is a critical skill. This skill is useful not just on the playground, in the gym, or on the T-Ball field, but also later in life in the workplace.

I also realized that Carol was telling us that to get children to exercise their imaginations (just like a muscle) will get you healthier kids, happy and socially well rounded. Once you have that, a childs possibilities are endless. Who doesnt want that for their kids? I love things that make sense. And Carols philosophy makes sense to me. Im a meteorologista scientist. Logic is part of my makeup. I also appreciate how she laid out her ideas. It reminds me of a great recipe. (I love to cook.) Follow it step by step, and you are sure to get something nutritious and delicious. But it also allows your special pinches of this and that to make the result all the better. Trust me; kids will happily eat this up!

It is a technology-driven world in which we live, and I fear it may not be giving my childrenyour childrenthe tools I know they will need when they find out that restart button does not fix everything. Dr. Carol Bouzoukis has figured out a way to use our childrens natural resources to better their lives today and unleash their potential for tomorrow. It is a huge inhale and exhale for us parents, teachers, and leaders. We need to remember what it is that makes kids kids , and what makes them great kids: imagination, exploration, and expression. Dr. Bouzoukiss book feels like the breather we all need, and just when our kids need it the most.

Maria LaRosa

Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

Mommy

Acknowledgments

I thank all of the children that I have worked with over the years for their uninhibited willingness to explore the creative process. The journey to become someone new in a faraway place while defeating all obstacles is one of pure imagination. The work, which is our play, would not be possible without the childrens natural ability to create. This includes the ongoing support of the parents and the schools. Thank you to all of the parents who granted us permission to share the photographs of their imaginative children within the creative process.

I extend sincere appreciation to Lena Mucchetti, my assistant and program director for Child Drama Workshops, the professional theatre arts enrichment program that promotes the Story Drama Method in Delaware. My gratitude goes to Jacqueline Connell for her gift as our makeup artist over the years. Much gratitude also goes to my editor, Patti Belcher, for her experienced insight. Thank you to Jin Yu, assistant editor, for all of her help.

I especially thank Maria LaRosa for taking time out of her busy life to grace my book with an eloquent foreword!

Thank you most of all to my husband, parents, and family for their continuous support. And finally, a very special thanks goes to my young son for the imagination to come. I cant wait!

Introduction: Imagination Is the Key

I wanna be.... Oh, I wanna be... ! shout the children pleadingly. I wanna be the littlest goat! I wanna be the wolf! they call out. Yes, I say, You can be anyone or anything that you want to be. A feeling of contentment and satisfaction comes over the children as they are about to enter the world of imagination.

Encouraging a childs creativity and imagination today can result in a successful and well-adjusted adult of tomorrow. A child without imagination is a child lost. Childrens imagination is crucial for development and emotional health. Yet children today are living in a sophisticated technological world with advances unthinkable only a few short years ago. Computers, video games, television, and cell phones may be convenient, but they clearly stimulate immediate gratification in children as opposed to imagination.