4 Tips for a Smooth Back-to-School Season

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It’s hard to believe, but another back-to-school season is upon us, and we appreciate and understand the prep work that goes into getting children ready for a new school year.  With that said, we’ve come up with four especially helpful back-to-school tips that can help ease your stress levels.

Get to know the school. If your child is attending a new school, whether it’s due to a move or just from aging out of elementary or middle school, it’s beneficial to visit the school so that it becomes more familiar. Schools always have registration and orientation days, which is also a perfect time to meet your child’s teacher(s). You can also become acquainted with the school counselor and take the time to discuss concerns you may have or challenges your child may face. It’s recommended that you meet or contact the school counselor at least three times per school year, beginning with the start of school.

It’s all about the schedule. Summertime is often a “schedule-free” season, where normal bedtimes and daily schedules are put aside for a more relaxed flow. If you haven’t done so already, the time to start working your child back toward his or her school year bedtime is now. Also, make sure he or she is beginning to wake up at a time that is in line with what a normal morning will look like at home.

Break in those new shoes. Did you know that your child’s new shoes can easily be broken in with ice? Say goodbye to complaints about sore feet and blisters for the first few weeks of school with this ice hack. It’s quick, easy and will lead to a pain-free new shoe experience!

Set up your emergency plan. You already know that not everything will go off without a hitch, so make sure your emergency plan is in place. Do you know who will be able to pick the kids up if you’re unable to and have you submitted the list to the school yet?

We hope these tips help make the back-to-school season a less stressful one for your family and that everything is smooth sailing leading up to the first day of school.  Drama Develops Kids, so don’t forget to explore the developmental drama classes for kids your local Drama Kids International location is offering for the 2018–19 school season, as classes are filling fast!

Back-to-School Season Survival Tips

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It may seem like summer break just started, but once again we find ourselves staring down another back-to-school season. Our team at Drama Kids knows how stressful getting the kids ready for a new school year can be and we hope that these survival tips can make life easier on all parties!

 Routine, Routine, Routine

As the summer begins to wind down, you’ll want to begin moving your family back into a more school-friendly routine. We’re talking sleep schedules, breakfast routines, bathroom schedules for getting ready—whatever routines can be put back in place before school actually gets started.

Remember, when change is coming, routines can help prevent your child from feeling overwhelmed by everything.

Begin Refocusing the Mind

We hope your family has been able to use the summer to rest and recharge, but now is the time to help your kids begin getting into a scholastic mindset.

There’s no need to break out the flash cards or spelling tests, but be sure to take some time to read with your child and perhaps take a few trips to the library. Not only will this help encourage a love of books and reading, but it can also prepare your child to use an indoor voice in scholarly settings.

Prepare Your Command Center

The more prepared you are, the better prepared your family will be. If you don’t already have one, you can begin putting together the family command center.

This command center will serve as your go-to organization station, where the family calendar can be prominently displayed, coupons and bills can be kept, and information regarding your kids and their school can be filed.

Enjoy what’s left of summer break! Hopefully with these tips, the upcoming back-to-school season won’t prove overly stressful for your family. Remember, if it’s drama classes for kids you’re looking for, Drama Kids International is the place to go!

Drama Kids International - Best Low-cost, home-based business franchises opportunities

Drama Kids International Named a Top Franchise for Women and Top Low Investment Franchise Opportunity by Franchise Business Review

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Drama Kids International Named a Top Franchise for Women and Top Low Investment Franchise Opportunity by Franchise Business Review

Independent Survey Shows Franchise Owners Are Highly Satisfied with Drama Kids’ Performance

 

FORT MYERS, Fla. – July 24, 2018 – PRLog — Drama Kids International was recently named a top franchise by Franchise Business Review in its 2018 Top Franchises for Women and Top Low Cost Franchises Reports.

Drama Kids is the largest after-school drama program in the USA with over 15,000 students currently enrolled in the US alone. Drama Kids franchise locations offer unique developmental drama classes and camps for students ages 4 through 18 specially designed to develop confidence, speaking skills, and creative thinking.

Franchise Business Review, a franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, provides the only rankings of franchises based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance. Franchise Business Review publishes its rankings of top franchises in its annual Guide to Today’s Top Franchises, as well as in quarterly reports throughout the year that rank the top franchises in specific sectors.

Thousands of franchisees representing nearly 150 low-cost brands and 240 brands overall participated in Franchise Business Review’s franchisee satisfaction survey between November 2016 and May 2018. The survey results included nearly 6,000 female franchise owners. Drama Kids franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including leadership, training & support, financial opportunity, and work/life balance.

“We are very honored and pleased that the most respected franchise market research firm in the US has identified Drama Kids as one of the top low-cost franchise opportunities as well as one of the top franchise businesses for women” said Drama Kids President, Charlie Kerr. “We are very fortunate to have an amazing group of franchise owners, a high percentage of whom are women, and we work very hard to provide excellent support, training and resources, while also continually listening to our franchise owners to determine how we can improve the system.”

Kerr also noted that Drama Kids was recognized earlier this year as one of the top 200 franchises in Entrepreneur Magazine’s annual Franchise 500 rankings, and perhaps more importantly – the number one low investment children’s franchise concept among all 500 brands recognized. Most recently – Drama Kids was ranked number 65 among all US franchise brands with an international presence in the magazine’s Top Global Franchises ranking as published in the July 2018 addition of Entrepreneur Magazine.

“The franchise industry provides many options to women seeking business ownership on a full- or part-time basis in multiple sectors,” says Michelle Rowan, President of Franchise Business Review. “The number of franchise opportunities can be overwhelming, so it’s critical to examine feedback from other female franchise owners on how well the franchise meets their expectations in terms of support, work/life balance, financial opportunity, and other key areas of business ownership.”

About Drama Kids
Drama Kids International is the largest after-school drama program in the world. There are more than 15,000 students currently enrolled. Drama Kids’ copyrighted curriculum features original, creative lessons with a built-in advancing scale of development that enables students of different ages and abilities to progress at their own rate. Its curriculum differs significantly from traditional drama and other after-school programs, with an emphasis on fun drama activities that are designed to allow all students to fully participate and develop acting, speaking, and creative thinking skills.

Drama Kids offers age-appropriate classes for students ages 4 through 18 years old. Classes meet once each week for one hour at locations throughout the country. The program allows new enrollment throughout the year, space permitting. Drama Kids also offers Drama Kids Preschool Workshops, Drama Kids Summer Camps, and Drama Kids At School, an in-school program for elementary and middles schools that brings its innovative curriculum directly into the schools as part of the school’s
after-school program. For more information, visit www.dramakids.com. For franchise information visit www.dramakidsfranchises.com.

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is the only independent market research firm that specializes in benchmarking franchisee satisfaction based exclusively on ratings and reviews from franchise owners. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year online at www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com.

 

Contact
Charlie Kerr
***@dramakids.com
303-619-2005

Drama Kids International - Best Low-cost, home-based business franchises opportunities

Drama Kids International Ranked Among The Franchise Elite In Entrepreneur’s Esteemed 2018 Top Global Franchises Report

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Drama Kids International Ranked Among The Franchise Elite In Entrepreneur’s Esteemed 2018 Top Global Franchises Report

World’s Largest Developmental Drama Program Ranked #65 Among the Top 200 Franchise Brands with an International Presence

FORT MYERS, Fla. – July 25, 2018 – PRLog — Drama Kids International, the world’s largest after-school drama program, has just been named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2018 Top Global Franchises in its July 2018 publication. Recognized by entrepreneurs and franchisors as one of the most reliable sources of franchise-related information, the magazine ranked Drama Kids #65 among the top 200 franchise brands with an international presence for its exceptional performance in areas
including financial strength and stability, growth rate, and brand power.

Drama Kids is the largest after-school drama program in the US and the world with over 15,000 students enrolled in the US and 50,000 students world-wide through its affiliate company – The Helen O’Grady Drama Academy. Drama Kids is not a newcomer to the Entrepreneur’s rankings, having recently been ranked among the top 200 U.S. based franchise brands in Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2018 Franchise 500® and #1 among all child-related franchise brands with an initial investment of less
than $50,000.

“We are once again very honored and pleased that the nation’s top business magazine for current and aspiring small business owners has recognized our accomplishments and all that we offer our franchise owners” said Drama Kids President, Charlie Kerr. “The growing demand for our classes signifies that students and parents are seeking fun and enriching ways to build students’ self-confidence, public speaking and communication skills, as well as their creative thinking abilities through the fun of developmental drama. We are the largest after school drama program in the US and the world because we develop important life skills in children to help them discover their full potential.”

Kerr also noted that Drama Kids was named this month as one of Franchise Business Review’s Top 50 Franchises for Women and Top 50 Low Investment Franchises. Franchise Business Review, a franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, provides the only rankings of franchises based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance.

Entrepreneur’s 2018 Top Global Franchises were determined by adjusting the company’s Franchise 500 formula to give extra weight to international size and growth. Other areas evaluated by the formula include costs and fees, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

To view Drama Kids International in the full Entrepreneur ranking, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/topglobal. Results can also be seen in the July issue of Entrepreneur available now on newsstands.

About Drama Kids
Drama Kids International is the largest after-school drama program in the world. There are more than 15,000 students currently enrolled in the US alone. Internationally – Drama Kids (which does business as PRLog – Global Press Release Distribution The Helen O’Grady Drama Academy outside the US) offers classes in over 30 countries. Drama Kids’ copyrighted curriculum features original, creative lessons with a built-in advancing scale of development that enables students of different ages and abilities to progress at their own rate. Its curriculum differs significantly from traditional drama and other after-school programs, with an emphasis on fun drama-related activities that are designed to allow all students to fully participate and develop acting, speaking, and creative thinking skills.

Drama Kids offers age-appropriate classes for students ages 4 through 18 years old. Classes meet once each week for one hour at locations throughout the country. The program allows new enrollment throughout the year, space permitting. Drama Kids also offers Drama Kids Preschool Workshops, Drama Kids Summer Camps, and Drama Kids at School, an in-school program for elementary and middles schools that brings its innovative curriculum directly into the schools as part of the school’s
after-school program. For more information, visit www.dramakids.com. For franchise information visit www.dramakidsfranchises.com.

 

Contact
Charlie Kerr charlie@dramakids.com
303-619-2005

The Importance of Raising Positive and Kind Children

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At Drama Kids International, we know how important it is to continue raising positive and kind children, particularly in light of their exposure to current world events, bullying and other aspects of life that can sometimes darken their mood. Our kids can—and will—change the world for the better, but to do so, they first must be equipped with the right tools.

Raising a Kind Child

Kindness is a high priority and a value that is taught at home, at school, and in our drama programs and other afterschool activities. Be sure to embrace a language of kindness in your home and come up with ways to practice kindness in a family brainstorm.

Also – never forget that as parents, we serve as the greatest influencers of kindness, so model it at all times!

According to a Harvard psychologist, there are five ways to raise “moral, caring children”:

  1. Make caring for others a priority.
  2. Provide opportunities for children to practice caring and gratitude.
  3. Expand your child’s circle of concern.
  4. Be a strong moral role model and mentor.
  5. Guide children in managing destructive feelings.

Practicing Positivity

We know it can be difficult to always stay positive, but practice makes perfect! Your family will benefit from focusing on the positive in life and embracing it.

Take some time to reflect on the good things going on in your lives, or better yet, celebrate it! You can also influence positivity in the home by limiting negative media and entertainment. Never underestimate the significance of a hug and the opportunity to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

We’d love to hear how your family practices positivity both in and out of the home! If you could use any more ideas, we’d be happy to help. All Drama Kids International programs are specially designed to keep the positive vibes in your child’s life alive and well!

Make It a Safe and Fun-filled Summer for your Kids!

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Summer is officially here, and we hope yours has gotten off to a fantastic start! While our Drama Kids team knows that summer is full of opportunities for fun family time, it’s also vital that we ensure that our kids are enjoying their summer breaks safely.

From heat to accidents and beyond, summer isn’t always all fun and games. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that with the warmer weather, the risk of injuries increases.

Over 2.6 million children are treated in emergency rooms for sports and recreation-related injuries, and more than 200,000 kids (14 and younger) are treated for playground-related injuries. We aren’t advising that you put your kids in a bubble or keep them cooped up indoors, and instead have compiled some fantastic safety tips that can help keep your family out of the doctor’s office!

Here are four tips that will ensure a safe and fun-filled summer for your kids:

  1. Protect skin from the sun.We know, you hear this advice frequently, but that’s because it is so important! The sun’s rays can cause long-lasting damage to our skin, and that includes our kids’ skin, too. Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before heading outside and be sure to reapply it every two hours or more often after swimming or sweating.
  2. Keep those pesky bugs at bay.If your child is spending quality time outside, bugs are just a given. You can help keep the bugs at bay and prevent bug bites by making sure your child is prepared. Bug sprays with DEET in them are OK to use for kids with caution, but if your child is younger than 2 months old, do not use them at all. After using a bug spray and being outdoors all day, a bath is obviously recommended!
  3. Be on guard for heat exhaustion.It’s hot out, and while it can be enjoyable, it’s also very easy for children to experienceheat exhaustion. An easy way to avoid this is to limit time outside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., or keep play in shaded areas as much as possible. Be sure that your child is drinking adequate water and watch for signs of fatigue, extreme thirst, and muscle cramping.
  4. Brush up on water safety.More than830 children ages 14 and under die as a result of accidental drowning each year, with an average of 3,600 children being injured in near-drowning incidents. Drowning deaths also increase by 89 percent between May and August. Making sure children are never left unsupervised near any water source is key, and you can even take the time to become CPR-certified. You never know when it may come in handy. Also, know the signs of secondary drowning, which can happen hours after a child inhales water into the lungs.

We want your family to have its best summer yet, and that means a safe summer, too! Remember, our Drama Kids locations are offering summer camp options worth checking out.

10 Tips to Take Your Child From Self-Conscious to Confident

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Every parent’s goal is to always raise confident, self-sufficient kids, but we also know that it can seem confusing and difficult to achieve this. Just how do you go about encouraging confidence in a child who is a bit on the self-conscious side?

Luckily for you, we at Drama Kids International are helping kids unlock their confident sides daily!  Here are 10 tips you can work on over the summer with your child:

  1. Acknowledge when he or she is being brave.Has your child stepped out of his/her comfort zone and done something he or she used to be scared of? Be sure to acknowledge this act of bravery, as this is one of the first steps toward growing out of his or her self-consciousness.
  2. Take small steps in uncomfortable social situations.Is your child a bit on the introverted side and working toward becoming more comfortable in social situations he or she would normally shy away from? This is another positive step toward becoming more confident, but encouraging him or her to do too much too fast is not advised. Help your child continue to ease into new social situations and get ready to see him or her blossom.
  3. Model self-love and positive self-talk.Our kids are always watching us, so by modeling self-love and positive self-talk we are teaching them how to not be so hard on themselves. We all know that accidents and mistakes happen, but instead of talking poorly about ourselves, demonstrate that it’s OK!
  4. Give genuine compliments.Compliment your child for something that took an act of kindness or bravery. Complimenting your child on something he or she has been working hard to perfect is also a great place to start.
  5. Teach resilience.We’ve previously discussed the seven C’s of resilience, but if you need a refresher, they are: competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping and control. Embrace the seven C’s and watch your child’s resilience blossom.
  6. Support his or her pursuit of a passion.Has your child taken a keen interest in a new activity? Do your best to support him or her in this new pursuit—it’s as simple as that!
  7. Set rules and be consistent.Consistency in a child’s life is key to many success factors and can apply where confidence is concerned as well. Make sure your child knows the rules and that you follow them as well.
  8. Coach relationship skills.No, we’re not just talking about young love, we’re talking about relationships with peers, teachers, etc. Your child needs to understand what healthy relationships look like on all fronts.
  9. Help your child set realistic goals.Never deter your child from chasing dreams.  Instead be sure to steer him or her toward goals that can be accomplished and crossed off the list.
  10. Help your child prepare for public performances.There will always be instances where your child must engage in public speaking or other performances, and by enrolling your child in one of our drama programs, you’ll be helping him or her put the best foot forward in these situations!

Along with your phenomenal parenting skills, Drama Kids International is able to step up and help your child build up confidence and push self-consciousness to the side with our specialized drama classes. Come find out why the “difference is dramatic” today!

How to Help Your Child Overcome Worries

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Worrying—We all know how trying it can be to deal with and work through worries, but guess what? That worry bug isn’t limited just to adults.

Yes, our kids can be inflicted with plenty of worries of their own. Through our experiences working with children, our team at Drama Kids International has learned many ways to help them work through and overcome their worries and we are more than happy to share some of the techniques with you!

  1. Place their attention and focus elsewhere.This is a technique that has been used by parents and teachers alike for ages but is always nice to get a refresher on. Consider it the art of distraction, where you are drawing your child’s focus away from the worry and onto something more positive, perhaps by going outside, playing a game or turning on a favorite song.
  2. Highlight the positive.Instead of letting your children focus on worries or negative distractions, flip the script and make them consider the positives. Find out what was the best part of your child’s day, something that made him or her excited, or something that resulted in fun, positive memories.
  3. Put those worries in a jar.Sometimes the physical act of writing down what is worrying your child and locking it away in a jar at the end of each day can be just what he or she needs. As adults, we can escape our worries with television or browsing online, but a child may benefit from a more tangible wayof locking fears and worries up tight.
  4. Get those endorphins going.Yes – physical activities and exercise can be a fantastic way to help your child overcome his or her worries. Never underestimate the impact the endorphins being released and how they can make your child more optimistic about the future.
  5. Offer reassurance and comfort.We know – this is another age-old, no-brainer tactic, but it can be one of the best in your arsenal! We all can benefit from a bit of reassurance when feeling engulfed by worries, and sometimes a hug from mom or dad or words of comfort are the best way to help your child through the worst of his or her worries.

Remember, they may be young but that doesn’t minimize the worries our children have day in and day out. By utilizing these tips and making an active effort to understand where those worries are coming from, you’ll be making a positive impact in your child’s life!

Drama Kids International has experienced and well-trained teachers throughout the country who are ready and able to help your child escape their worries by focusing on positive, uplifting, and confidence-building thoughts and activities in a safe and supportive environment. Contact us today!

Drama Kids International - Best Low-cost, home-based business franchises opportunities

Drama Kids Of Sarasota And Manatee Counties Owner Recognized By Parents Of “Lifetime” Student

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – May 24, 2018 – PRLog — Tamara Solum, who has been with Drama Kids for 16 years and is celebrating her 14th year as a franchise owner, was recently honored by Drama Kids student Zachary Fitzpatrick and his parents upon the conclusion of the traditional end-of-year play performed by Zachary and his fellow Drama Kids classmates.  Zachary enrolled at age 5 and has attended Drama Kids for the full 13-year cycle of the Drama Kids program.  He graduated from high school this spring.

The recognition caught Solum completely off guard and had her and the entire audience in tears.  Zachary’s parents, Wayne and Becky Fitzpatrick, presented Solum with a plaque listing all of the critical developmental skills that Drama Kids instills in students, along with a large “storyboard” featuring photos of Zachary and Solum taken over the last 13 years.  The center of the storyboard reads:

“Ms. Tamara, Thank you for helping me reach my goals!  With your encouragement I have gained knowledge, understanding, and friendship.  Your guidance and belief in me has better prepared me for the future and has helped me become the man I am today.  Even though I now tower over you (Zachary is 18″ taller than Solum now), I will ALWAYS look up to you!  Love, Zachary Fitzpatrick – May 2018.”

“I am so fortunate to be able to work with these kids, and I’m extremely grateful to the Fitzpatricks and the thousands of other parents who have entrusted their children to me and my terrific team of teachers over the last 16 years,” said Solum.  “Each year we provide all students with an opportunity to showcase the skills that they have learned with an end-of-year performance for family and friends, and it is incredibly rewarding to witness the great impact that Drama Kids has on each child’s confidence and self-esteem.”

Drama Kids CEO Doug Howard was also in attendance to witness the presentation of the award.  “Drama Kids is all about developing kids, particularly where public speaking and communication skills, creativity skills, and collaboration and teamwork skills are concerned,” said Howard.  “In teaching thousands of students over 16 years, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Tamara Solum has done more for youth drama participation in the Sarasota area than anyone – ever. Tamara is a superstar, and we are very blessed to have her on our team of 75 amazing franchise owners holding classes and camps across  the country.”

Each year Drama Kids franchise owners and their highly trained teachers teach over 13,000 students during 1-hour classes held one day per week in schools and community center locations.  Drama Kids offers a highly structured curriculum consisting of over 450 unique lesson plans, allowing kids to begin attending classes at age 4 and continuing through age 17 without every repeating a lesson or activity. In addition, Drama Kids franchise owners also offer week-long summer camps during the June – August period.

For more information about Drama Kids programs, visit www.dramakids.com.

About Drama Kids

Drama Kids International is the largest after-school drama program in the USA with 10,000 students currently enrolled. Its copyrighted curriculum features original, creative lessons with a built-in advancing scale of development that enables students of different ages and abilities to progress at their own rate. Its curriculum differs significantly from traditional drama and other after-school programs, with an emphasis on fun drama activities that are designed to allow all students to fully participate and develop acting, speaking, and collaboration skills regardless of age or prior experience level.

Drama Kids offers age-appropriate classes for students ages 4 through 18 years old. Classes meet once each week for one hour at locations throughout the country. The program allows new enrollment throughout the year, space permitting. Drama Kids also offers Drama Kids Preschool Workshops, Drama Kids Summer Camps, and Drama Kids At School, an in-school program for elementary and middles schools that brings its innovative curriculum directly into the schools as part of the school’s after-school program. For more information, visit www.dramakids.com. For franchise information visit www.dramakidsfranchises.com.

Contact
Charlie Kerr
***@dramakids.com
3036192005

Summer Fun Ideas for Your Child

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The time to start thinking about summer fun for your child is here, even if it does seem like the year went by in the blink of an eye! So how do you begin planning out fun adventures for your child’s summer? Drama Kids International has found some ideas worth trying out.

Summer is a time for your children to have the freedom to enjoy themselves, while also finding educational opportunities that can benefit them for life!

Embrace the outdoors.Children are spending far too much time indoors, so why not encourage taking in all that being outdoors can offer? There’s bike riding, backyard stargazing, playground escapades and so much more fun to be had. Spending time outside is great for kids—it helps keep them active and can provide exceptional learning opportunities, too.The Educator’s Spin On It has many more ideas for fun and educational activities for your children to embrace this summer.

Learn to appreciate the schedule slowdown.During the school year, life can be hectic and always on the go. Let your child take a moment to slow down and enjoy life—you’ll appreciate the down time, too! Keep these three “R’s” in mind this summer;reflect, read, relax. Children need to be able to reflect on the year and you can use this as a teaching tool for the future, including how to set goals for the next year. Reading throughout the summer is a great way to help your child avoid summer learning loss and give him or her a boost for the next school year. Relaxing is something that we all take for granted and, yes, it is important for our kids to experience some quality relaxation time over the summer.

Enroll them in a fun summer camp program that will also help them identify interests and develop key skills.Find a fun STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) program for a well-balanced experience. If you have a child who is a fan of drama, we have the perfect solution! We may be slightly biased here, but the summer camp programs put together byDrama Kids International are not only a way to help kids develop theater skills, but also serve as an excellent teaching tool, too! Creative thinking, public speaking and leadership skills are just a few of the things children learn with Drama Kids. We’re here to help get kids out of their shells while providing a safe space to learn and grow.

Summertime is just around the corner, and we hope it will prove to be a fun and restful one for your family. Keep Drama Kids’ summer camps in your mind, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us or your nearest Drama Kids International location.