Frequently
Asked Questions

SCAMPER THEATRE

Who created Scamper Theatre Kids?

Scamper Theatre Kids was created by professional actors and co-parents Brooke Jacob and KJ Hippensteel. Learn more about them here.

Kids already have too much screen time these days and my kid hates zoom!

We agree. Too much screen time is hard for all of us. Grown ups too! That’s why we work so hard to make sure every bit of Scamper Theatre Kids is completely interactive, fast paced and genuinely fun. We’ve been shocked by how well our class translates to zoom. Instead of it being a regular class just thrown together on a computer, we use the technology to activate the imagination. With virtual backgrounds, and the magic of green screen, kids jump inside each story. We’ve created exciting ways to use screens to our advantage!

Do you have in-person classes?

We do! We are going to continue a hybrid of zoom AND in-person classes. We LOVE our zoom classes. They’ve enabled us to connect with families from all over the entire country! We zoom into schools, birthday parties, and kid’s homes every week. And we are proud of the way we’ve been able to utilize the virtual platform in an exciting and truly innovative way. AND, we teach in-person in NYC. We teach at some NYC after school programs, schools, and a studio in Washington Heights.

I don’t know if my kid likes theatre?

They don’t have to! But, what we have discovered EVERY kid loves, is playing pretend and using their imagination. The “theatre” part— that’s just part of it. Scamper classes are more than just “theatre”. It’s a place to connect with other kids, express your emotions, get silly, and practice empathy. Our goal is to help kids speak up, gain confidence, feel proud of themselves and HAVE FUN!

My kid is a little shy.

We never push someone to participate if they’re not comfortable. Some kids take longer to get comfortable in class, and even if it looks like they’re just watching and not participating, they’re actually getting a lot just be seeing us with the other kids. I think the more kids see other kids (and us silly adults) having fun, the more comfortable they get. And a couple weeks in, we usually get a surprise and a formerly quiet kid jumps in to participate. There’s no rush!

Is there a social emotional component to class?

Yes! The kids come for the fun, but it’s really important to us to create a learning space too. If every adult took a class like this, we’d have a kinder, more compassionate, more empathetic world. When we choose our plays and books and songs and themes each week, we pick a wide range of characters, feelings, situations and themes for kids to learn from. Honestly, the kids are the best teachers. Often times we will talk about a feeling and the kids will raise their hand and give amazing advice on how to handle these emotions and situations. Every class has affirmations at the end, kids take turns in the spotlight and we always emphasize how important it is to be supportive when it someone else’s turn.