ABOUT AKT
All Kids Theater (AKT) is an interactive musical, theatrical, and artistic experience for children with intellectual and physical disabilities.
As a non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of children through the performing and visual arts, we strive to make this possible by making theater, music and art accessible to all kids regardless of their developmental or physical needs.
Our vision is to offer weekly, monthly and quarterly classes in musical theater, private and group music lessons and art as the mediums to teach the power of alternate forms of communication and to foster an environment of acceptance, understanding and friendship. Through creating and performing, we will cross the barriers that often exist between people without disabilities and those with disabilities such as autism, Down Syndrome, and physical and intellectual impairments, thereby promoting an environment of healthy self-esteem and self-acceptance.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why should children participate in the arts?Research shows that kids who are actively involved in music (who play it or sing it regularly):
Do better in reading
Learn coordination, goal-setting, concentration, and cooperation
More likely to do better in math and science because music helps build reasoning skills and cognitive development, which are important to both
Get along better with their peers and have higher self-esteem
More likely to go to college
Children with autism in particular, experience impairments in social relationships and social interactions as well as verbal and nonverbal communication. They often exhibit restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Then why use music to stimulate children with autism? Children on the autism spectrum show a preference for musical stimuli and find the repetitive elements appealing. Music fosters creativity and self-expression and affects the whole person (cognitive, physical, neurological, & emotional).
The non-musical goals we will accomplish with our program are: Cognitive, Academic, Motor, Emotional, Social and Leisure.
The musical and theatrical goals we will strive for with children with autism help to increase tolerance of stimuli, promote verbal/non-verbal dialogues, increase self-expression, develop spontaneity and flexibility, decrease obsessive behaviors and increase awareness of others.
How does this promote my child’s Early Childhood Education?Promote a child’s intellectual development by showing and encouraging your child to think about the world around them through creative play that helps develop literacy (alphabet and beginning reading skills), counting and number awareness, problem-solving, creativity, and imagination.
Ensure opportunities to develop social skills through playgroups or more formal preschool activities such as music class.
Encourage behaviors that demonstrate respect, courtesy, and sharing (taking turns).
Encourage children to accept responsibility and build independence through simple chores such as putting the musical instruments and craft items away at the end of class.
In order to promote phonological awareness and improve their child’s readiness to read: Read nursery rhymes, sing songs, and clap along with the rhythm.
How does Musical Theater help children prepare for school?Connecting story and titles by predicting the story from the title.
Making predictions about stories and following simple plots by asking questions while reading (“What’s going to happen now?”) and allowing children to retell stories
Communicating feelings and ideas by allowing children to talk and tell stories even when they do not appear to make much sense.
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