Preschool performances build the foundation for self-confidence in all sorts of school plays and concerts.
The other day I was watching some of the older kids at my school/daycare practicing for the Christmas Program this week at my school. Some of these kids have been at our school since they were in preschool and are now in 4th and 5th grade. My center makes a point of involving even the kids who are just in daycare (not preschool) in practices and performances for the holiday season.
The woman I taught preschool with for 3 years is still the music teacher and directs all of the Christmas and end of the year performances that happen at our school. Our kids are still children, and still behave rambunctiously sometimes, and still laugh at things that we adults can only shake our heads at, but what really strikes me about even their practices is the way that the students take ownership of what they are doing. I think that this is largely due to Mrs. Taylor who begins work with them when they are as young as 2 1/2 and emphasizes that performing for Christmas is something fun, something to be taken seriously and not something to be afraid of; their families are there to see them smile and sing and be cute, and the whole audience is moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas.
That's not to say that we never have kids that have stage-fright. One year we had a kindergarten girl cry up on stage so much that her little brother walked up to the stage and handed her his blanky. But this same girl has since then performed a guitar solo for one Christmas show and has participated in plays and many other events. This year will feature dancers, as several of the older kids have taken an interest in swing dancing, and another girl is involved in ballet.
I think that these older students have been able to take such an active role and are still excited in singing each year because of the foundations that were laid when they were in their youngest years.
Be sure to visit my recent article on this subject, Daycare Holiday Celebrations.
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