The Littlest Penguin

During my last week at work the children put on a play. It wasn't a play so much as an over-conceptualized moving production that took the audience through a series of five themed locations involving music, acting, dancing, poetry, and even food. It was quite an undertaking to put on, but a real joy to see the faces of the kids doing something of which they were proud.

My help in the project was limited, but what I was able to do I enjoyed. Months before the play, we put on workshops for the kids to introduce them to the different types of art they might wish to perform in the play; I helped with the poetry workshop. Yes, I did a poetry workshop in Dutch with kids. It was an adventure. Everything went well, although as I am used to speaking Dutch but rarely writing it, some of the kids corrected my spelling :-P Hey, anything that helps make them feel good about themselves!

Allowing the children to choose which type of art they wanted to do was really great for their involvement. They were so confident, so excited. They were enthusiastic leading up to the play (often telling me how many people were coming to see them in it), and would wave at me in excitement when they saw me in the audience. When I told them what a great job they did afterward, the kids BEAMED. It was amazing to see them so proud and confident. I find it wonderful that my last memory of the kids is them bursting with pride after a job well-done.

The best part of the play? The littlest penguin:



I also think the other dance from some of the kids was very impressive:



I am so proud of all the kids and will always look back at these photos and films with incredible fondness! I hope you enjoy them, too:)













xoxo
kw

ps- REALLY interesting article about guide dogs for children with autism