Several months into the pandemic, my family has, like many others, found entertainment and education through all kinds of virtual options. What sets Oregon Children’s Theatre’s brand-new episodic show, Your Turn!, apart is its kid-centered focus, the warm camaraderie of the hosts, and its inspiration to spark fun and creativity in the familiar comforts of home.
Your Turn! is hosted by Sydney Jackson and Kaleena Newman, two performers with backgrounds in theatre and education. Each episode focuses on a different theme, and explores it through activities including music, movement, art, and mindful moments.
My nine-year-old daughter Maggie and I watched the first episode, “Creating Something New.” Syd and Kaleena introduced and then completed a few activities that were all easy to do, with minimal supplies. In one of Maggie’s favorite segments, they created new sandwich combinations and shared them with each other.
I appreciated the upbeat and authentic feel of the show, and that the activities were easy to replicate. For most of the episode, Syd and Kaleena are at home, creating and having fun with minimal outside stimulation (they do go outside for a brief walk). The show’s production quality is noticeably good, and I loved the focus on creativity and fun. The show is broken up into segments so you can pause easily if you want to do one of the activities. ’
Each episode of Your Turn! will feature submissions from kids sharing things they love to do, like games, activities, or stories, and kids can submit drawn pictures, writing, photos, video, or whatever they would like. Particularly during social distancing, the opportunity to submit their own content and to see other kids’ is a special part of Your Turn!. And for parents and educators, there are also free supplemental activities to do at home posted online.
You can watch Your Turn! here, and learn more about submitting your kids’ artwork, videos and more. No registration is required to watch the show, but donations to Oregon Children’s Theatre are highly encouraged for the organization to create more episodes and digital content.
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