What is Charlie’s Chimps?

 Charlie’s Chimps is a fabulously fun fusion workshop for young children combining drama, dance and music. At the heart of Charlie’s Chimps is our lovable puppet mascot – Charlie the Chimp. Charlie is cheeky and fun loving – he loves cuddles, giant bubbles, boogie time in the jungle, and especially the ‘jungle surprise’!

 

Workshops involve each child singing, dancing, playing instruments and taking part in drama activities that are based on the exciting adventures of Charlie the Chimp. Resources are high quality and plentiful – which means that every child gains access to a variety of instruments and jungle themed props. Charlie’s Chimps classes are character and theme based – we journey into the jungle with Charlie and act, sing and dance our way through each jungle adventure, encountering Charlie’s puppet friends as we go.

What values does Charlie’s Chimps stand for?

Charlie’s Chimps embraces three core values:

  • Treasuring children – through engaging arts activities that encourage positive self-esteem.
  • Igniting a love of drama, dance and music through play.
  • Nurturing the bond between little ones and their peers/key adults

How will Charlie’s Chimps sessions benefit my child?

The interactive and authentic workshops will engage your child’s creativity and stimulate their physical and social development, whilst all the while nurturing a sense of fun and indeed a sense of humour.  Sessions are designed to boost children’s development in communication, self-confidence, creativity, co-ordination, and musicality – so all participants leave with a smile on their face having enjoyed high quality play encounters and music making together.

Charlie’s Chimps:

  • promotes the importance of joy and laughter
  • enables children to develop the ability to relate well with their peers by working together
  • helps children develop essential movement and communication skills
  • encourages brain boosting enjoyment in line with EYFS areas of development
  • uses imaginative, high quality and plentiful jungle instruments in order to enable children to develop fine motor skills required for writing
  • enables children to be imaginative and creative
  • encourages children to become confident, capable and self assured
  • teaches children rhythm by using a mixture of engaging original songs and well loved favourites
  • encourages children to grow in confidence with their understanding of colours, numbers, sequences, textures, rhythm, pitch and seasons
  • enables children to develop co-ordination and expression through key actions, facial expressions and use of dynamics
  • agrees with research from neuroscientists that suggests young children who are regularly involved with music education have higher levels of cognitive ability
  • sparks creativity through dance – promoting healthy living and the freedom of physical expression
  • encourages each child to ‘have a go’ and celebrates achievements enthusiastically with meaningful praise and personalised certificates
  • supports learning by enabling children to follow age appropriate instructions and anticipate key events
  • is rooted in the ethos that every single child is unique and special

As a parent of little ones, it can feel as though the days are long but the years are short!

Now is the time to make the most of experiences with your precious little one (or little ones!)

This is your time, and Charlie’s Chimps will be the highlight of your week. So, go on……give your child the chance to act, sing and dance.

As Poet William Stafford once said: “Children dance before they learn there is anything that isn’t music.”

How did Charlie’s Chimps evolve?

Founder of Charlie’s Chimps, Megan Morris, shares how Charlie’s Chimps evolved:

“I have benefited tremendously from extensive involvement with the arts in numerous forms throughout my life, initially as a performer and in later years as a facilitator and teacher and I am saddened by the recent squeeze on the arts in some schools due to reforms.  As a Mum of two young children I feel passionately about the importance of giving something back to the community, to the youngest generation in particular.  I treasured the years of being a stay at home Mum to our two adorable children and spent much of our play time together testing out and developing ideas for Charlie’s Chimps.  It was whilst looking for experiences for our two children that I noticed there was a tremendous gap in the market for a unique, high quality fusion workshop that incorporates all three disciplines (of drama, dance and music) and that is led by a qualified subject specialist with my drive and enthusiasm!

As a result, Charlie’s Chimps was born.

Ideas for Charlie’s Chimps simply flowed (rather non-stop) from the very beginning.  People have been known to joke that my Husband and I infact have three children – our two (actual!) children, and…………Charlie!  I was overwhelmed by the generosity and support for the start up of Charlie’s Chimps shown by both individuals and companies – and would encourage you to read more about this on the testimonials page.  Talented musicians Lynne Turner and Justin Sloan performed, arranged and recorded fantastic bespoke tracks for Charlie’s Chimps, with Louise Sloan contributing vocally.  Charlie’s Chimps is delighted to be affiliated with Action for Children.  I look forward to sharing Charlie’s Chimps with you and yours!”