Ideas for involving Preschoolers in Drama

We do modified Rotation Model for our preschoolers IN their preschool area, and one of the activities they love when its week comes up in rotation our Drama Workshop.

One thing we have used successfully is adapting the story into one of their popular TV shows like DORA THE EXPLORER.

In case, you don't know or remember, The show is presented in the style of both an interactive game and a point-and-click adventure game, with gimmicks such as title cards appearing in windows and Dora asking the viewer to help her decided which one is best for the current scenario or what to do next. Dora has various familiar friends and is accompanied by "Boots" her monkey friend. SIMILAR to Blue's Clues too.

Just did David's anointing today and it worked great.

We started with a Bible Storybook reading of the story. Then we invited the kids to become the "audience" in front of our "TV"  (a very large cardboard square in which Sam the Explorer and "Oily" appeared to act out their show). An off-screen narrator with a copy of the storybook and some notes directed the show as Sam and Oily moved on the screen.   (Sam and Oily were some funny teens we recruited.)

The kids shouted answers/directions to Sam the Explorer and Oily who always seemed to have a bit of trouble finding things for some fun reason.

Things the story led our "SAM THE EXPLORER" and his pet monkey "OILY" to go find or respond to:

Who's that talking to Samuel?
Help us find David (he's out in the field with sheep) Is he over that way?
Is this son David? (no, go find another)
Help us find the oil and horn to hold it in
What are we going to anoint him to be?

For "who" the narrator held up various signs and invited students to decide which one was correct, then invited a student to "click" the sign to advance the story/actors.  Dora and Oily waited onscreen while the kids were discussing.

The kids really got into it.