This time of a child’s life is best characterized as a time of rules and roles. Children between the ages of 7 to 10 finally get control of themselves physically and begins to enjoy active games, manipulating small objects (age 7), beginning group sports, organized indoor games (age 8), climbing trees, walking rails (age 9). These children are in the process of building physical confidence, they know who they are and that they control certain parts of their environment, but not other people. They still need adult attention, but they are more willing to abide by pre-determined limits and boundaries. (Goldberg, 1974) Girls and boys usually divide into separate activities at the age of nine and they often get involved in stereotypes which teach rules of behaviour. The classic fairy tales are a great hit at these ages since children begin to identify with a heroic character and love the deeds of the hero which offers guidance to society’s moral code. (Goldberg, 1974) Young audiences want a challenge to think and feel on a deeper level. This becomes especially true with children between the ages of 7 to 10. Whereas …show more content…
The play is about a young haemophiliac who dies of paediatric AIDS. It’s not a cheery, up-tempo story and the cast plays many roles with little attempt to hide the fact that the boy has AIDS. Much of the character development is seen through the drawings of the boy and the colours take on meanings and individual characteristics. The play is not difficult for the children to understand and they are not scared by the honest telling of the tragic story. The children are deeply moved, but in a positive way since David Saar celebrates the life of the boy, Benjamin, rather than mourning the boy’s death. The children are moved and may even be moved to tears, but art is supposed to make us feel, and it allows the children to accept that their feelings are natural and shouldn’t be hidden. (Buchanan,