MAINTAL
Cinema in your head instead of in the theater with Kamishibai
Photo: City of Maintal“>
Going on a journey with the imagination offers children an important balance in times of restrictive everyday life with limited leisure activities. Where encounters with peers and diverse experiences are not possible as usual, creativity is needed – also to make educational experiences positive. The Japanese narrative theater Kamishibai is of particular importance.
In the summer of 2020, the city of Maintal started the “Educational Language” project to strengthen children’s language skills. An important key lies in storytelling, both in the family and in kindergarten. Therefore, families should also take part in this pilot project and receive impulses for telling stories together at home. The focus is on the “Family Kamishibai”, developed by the Frankfurt association “Forum Kamishibai”. It is a smaller version of the Japanese narrative theater Kamishibai.
Kamishibai is a storytelling art that brings expressively illustrated picture cards and texts in a wooden frame to life as a theater. Storytelling with pictures is particularly important where many different languages are spoken and learning and experiencing a common language is of great importance. “The small and sturdy wooden frame is an ideal offer to take away and borrow,” says Michaela Schmid, coordinator of the family centers in Bischofsheim. “This is wonderfully low-threshold and has a very inviting character, especially for newly immigrated families with young children.”
Michaela Schmid accompanies many families from the district who regularly visit the open meeting point, the “Drop In”. As her contact person, educational justice is particularly important to her, and the family Kamishibai contributes to this. But unfortunately the “Drop In” had to close the doors in autumn due to Corona. So Schmid decided without further ado to use the “drop in” to organize an “outdoor meeting” on a playground. It was here that she introduced a Kamishibai story to parents and children for the first time. Everyone was impressed. The mothers could hardly believe how intently their children were following the story.
But adults can also be cast under their spell by Kamishibai: As part of the public event “Bischofsheim ist bunt” in September 2020, Schmid told about the Kamishibai theater for a whole afternoon. “This type of storytelling has the power to enchant. On this day, not only children’s eyes shone. The adults in particular enjoyed it very much and some of them stayed seated for another story! ”She says.
Unfortunately, there was no continuation of the playground meetings because they had to be canceled again. But Michaela Schmid found another creative solution. Now she offers the mothers and fathers a “walk for two” with a face mask and distance. “This is very popular and there is a great bond. We are all so hungry for real encounters and affection that this simple setting can provide a ray of hope, ”she said. “I listen to the parents very carefully and can thus provide precisely tailored information. And the individual play bags for each child bring new impulses for the whole family. ”This also includes the Kamishibai, which Schmid has been bringing to families since December.
Since then, there have been several walks a week: “When you run, your mind relaxes and your thoughts come by themselves. Here you can also find the right words in a common language and everyone benefits from this. This offer creates the opportunity to get some fresh air and in some toy bags you can also find a Kamishibai ”, says Michaela Schmid. (PM) +++
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