This pamphlet is practically a sequel of The Dramatic Instinct in
Children, one of the units in the _American Home Series_. The two
should be studied together.
Children are naturally dramatic in giving expression to their ideas and
convictions. But they need guidance in order that this inborn capacity
for forcefulness, vividness, or charm may be realized. Supervised
practice in controlling the imagination is no less important than is
that of controlling impulses. To play a part in a little homemade
drama or pageant helps the child to find his place and to do his part
in the world’s work--and play. This pamphlet seeks to answer the
question: _How?_ as its companion undertakes to show _what_
this disposition is.
The dramatic method in teaching has already found its way into the best
schools. It will have an increasingly large place in the best homes.
It should be carefully noted that this brief study is not concerned
primarily with amateur dramatics or theatricals. The author is
not trying to tell parents how to train their children to become
professional actors. He desires, rather, to point out how parents can
help their children develop the latent powers of expression.