Archive for category: News

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.

We all know the importance of being resilient in life, so it’s only natural for us to want to help our children build up their resilience.

Why is resilience so crucial for children to build? It’s simple—resilience helps them learn how to bend and not break when facing stress or trauma. Resilience is how they’ll know the best ways to get up and brush themselves off after a fall and recover from adversity and stress.

Kenneth Ginsburg, a pediatrician who specializes in adolescent medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, has identified the seven “C’s” of resilience: competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping and control.

So how do you go about helping your kids begin building that resilience? Keep the seven “C’s” in mind and try these seven tips!

1. Focus on relationships.It may seem that resilience is built on self-reliance, determination or inner strength, but it’s the relationships in kids’ lives that gives them a strong foundation. Children need to have at least one supportive relationship with a caring adult—from a parent to teachers or coaches.

2. Remind them that it is OK to ask for help.Knowing how to take care of things on their own is an important life skill, but even the most resilient know when to ask for help. Be sure to reiterate to your kids that it’s OK to ask for help, and that it is actually a fantastic way to demonstrate their strength.

3. Teach the importance of exercise.Do you exercise to help relieve stress? If so, why not inform your kids of its benefits? The key is to get them moving and teach them healthier ways to handle stress.

4. Model it for them.You already know the kids watch your every move, so be sure they are seeing resiliency in you! They need to see how you handle disappointment and sadness. They need to see how you bounce back and move on to the next situation.

5. Limit rescue mode when possible.You are the parent, and it’s only natural to want to rush in and rescue your children the moment they seem over their head. This is a noble thing to do but swooping in for every little thing is doing them a disservice. Give your kids the time and resources to sort things out for themselves when appropriate.

6. Boost their problem-solving skills.Do your kids know how to work through a problem themselves? There are different things they can ask internally, such as “what has worked before?” or “how can this problem be broken into smaller pieces?”

7. Make time for creativity and play.This one might be our favorite! Being creative can help your children come up with valuable problem-solving skills. Allowing them the time to think things through can give them the chance to get creative where solutions are involved.

Drama Kids International provides children with a place to think outside the box, be creative and embrace who they are. We welcome the opportunity to play a role in helping your kids build up their resilience and have specially tailored programs to accomplish this.

Looking for more information on our programming? Contact us today! www.dramakids.com

At Drama Kids International, we know how important it is for children to develop healthy habits! We also know that as parents, one of our most important roles is to help our children develop those healthy habits.

From the physical aspects of eating healthy and staying active to developing healthy emotional habits, there are many things that children are learning from us day in and day out. Wondering how you can better encourage your child to pick up healthy habits? Have no fear, we’ve compiled a list of ideas for you!

1. Have your child help in the kitchen.A kitchen is a place where you can not only sneak in quality family time but also teach your kids useful skills and healthy habits. By having them help in the kitchen, you can expose them to the fun that comes from preparing their own healthy meals. You are also helping to boost their confidence, which makes this idea a double bonus!
2. Limit the junk food coming into your house.Who is doing the grocery shopping in the home? That’s right, you are! One sure way to help your children miss out on the junk food addiction and choose healthier options is to keep the junk out of the house!

3. Find a healthy balance for screen time.Too much time spent watching TV, playing video games or being on the computer helps lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which brings with it an increased risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Establish limits on how much “screen time” your child is allowed to have each day, specify what kinds of screen time they are allowed to enjoy (games, TV shows, mobile device apps, etc.), and try to avoid any screen time shortly before bedtime.

4. Remember, you’re their role model.Those little eyes are always watching you, even when it might seem like they are not! To help encourage your child to embrace healthy habits, you’ll need to be practicing what you’re preaching!
5. Offer them creative outlets to express themselves.This speaks more to emotionally healthy habits, but kids need to know how to express themselves! Drama Kids can help provide such an outlet through our programmingthat is tailored to help children develop speaking, acting and social skills!

Children develop the majority of their healthy habits at home but having help from curricular and extra-curricular activities is always an added bonus. We’d love for you to discover the “dramatic” difference Drama Kids International can make in your child! Contact the DKI location nearest you to get started!

Helping boost your child’s self-esteem is one of the greatest and most beneficial things a parent can do! At Drama Kids International, we specialize in helping children develop and grow life skills such as creative thinking, leadership, and public speaking, as well as helping them discover ways to build up their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Since much of the real work is done at home, we thought it would be beneficial to share some ways parents can help boost their child’s self-esteem!  Here are some things to take into consideration:

 Don’t jump into rescue mode too often. We all want to be there to fix our childrens’ problems and make sure that their struggles in life are limited, but it’s important to allow them to face difficult experiences from time to time without playing the rescuer. By constantly rescuing your kids, you aren’t doing them any favors later in adulthood. Also, by allowing them to experience a trying situation, you are helping them become more empowered, which can be directly linked to their self-esteem.

 It’s not always about praise. In 2017, researchers discovered that lavish praise is not the best way to build up a child’s self-esteem, but that instead, warmth is the key. Instead of inflated praise, children who experience warmth and encouragement from their parents have been found to have higher levels of self-esteem.

 Make sure they feel loved and accepted. Yes, we know this is a no-brainer, but it’s still worth discussing! A child that feels loved and accepted is one who flourishes, so make sure that you are finding ways to express that love, without distractions, daily.

Encourage their talents. All children have something they are good at and something that they would like to improve on. Parents can encourage them to embrace those talents, and also spend some quality time with their child to help them get even better!

 Don’t do everything for them. It’s natural to want to take care of your kids and cater to their needs, but a parent’s role is not to be their maid or waitress. If you do too much for your children, their drive and initiative could suffer. We want to raise responsible, independent children, and that cannot be obtained by waiting on them hand and foot. If your children can get their own breakfast or lunch ready, let them – encourage and embrace their abilities and begin nurturing that independence.

We all know the major role self-esteem plays in our lives and how important it is for children to develop a strong self-esteem early on in life. Without self-confidence and self-esteem, children are left vulnerable to a world that can often be more cruel than it is kind.

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

Valentine’s Day will be here in just two weeks, and our team at Drama Kids International can’t think of a better valentine to give than one that will help children appreciate and enjoy Feb. 14!

A holiday that can make even adults anxious, Valentine’s Day can, unfortunately, have the same influence on children. But there’s no reason for the holiday to make your kids anxious, and with the tips we’ve gathered, they should be able to embrace the lovey holiday with confidence!

1. Make the holiday fun. Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to surprise your family with heart-shaped pancakes or other sweet treats. You can also get crafty and creative and have your child help create some decorations for the day!
2. Make the day special for your significant other. Our kids are constantly watching us, and Valentine’s Day is no different. We want to be a fantastic example for them, and that should cover how we treat our significant other, too. Perhaps have your kids sign a card with you or allow them to help pick out a gift that can be given to your significant other.
3. Remember that school can be tough on V-Day. Do you remember back when you used to sweat bullets hoping that you’d get at least one valentine on Feb. 14? That same anxiety can still be found in children today. While most schools now ensure that the day is inclusive, children can still face fears of rejection from their peers. Be sure to discuss the school day with them, listening and discussing any disappointments they may have experienced.
4. Embrace the spirit of the holiday. Valentine’s Day is one draped in hearts, candy, flowers and displays of grandeur to prove your feelings for someone. It’s easy to buy into the day, but instead of emphasizing the material aspects of Valentine’s Day, remember to show your child that the holiday is rooted in love. Presents and grand gestures are great, but ultimately, your kids should know that however nice they may be, material items are not required to convey love!

If you ask us, love and confidence are two things that just fit together, and the more comfortable and loved children feel, the more confidence they will have in life! Remember, Drama Kids International has developed programs that are specially tailored to help continue building confidence in children, as well as numerous other vital life skills!