Playgrounds in the Fairy Tale Forest: Role-Playing Opportunities During Fairy Tale Sessions

Abstract

The natural medium of folktales is the spoken word, not storybook reading. It is therefore most relevant if children encounter folktales exclusively in spoken word storytelling, which can be supplemented by a dramatic approach to the tale. The aim of this method is to make the story as expressive, enjoyable and exciting as possible for the children. The essence of the dramatic approach is role-playing, which is not at all foreign to children, since they involuntarily take on certain roles (mother, father, doctor, bus driver, policeman, etc.) in free play, thereby understanding the world better. The elements that activate children to play can precede the tale, can be embedded in the storytelling or, as a conclusion, can fulfill their mission of bringing the fairy tale world closer to them through action. After a brief theoretical introduction to role-playing and drama, the study describes three tried-and-tested fairy tale
sessions, which are supplemented by experiences gained from specific fairy tale sessions.