NYC KIDS PROJECT INC
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Mission Statement
NYC Kids Project uses puppetry and Theater Arts to teach children of all abilities to embrace diversity, question stereotypes, and show respect for all. Together, we can build a more inclusive world where all are valued for who they are.
About This Cause
We believe that early exposure to and interaction with characters of diverse backgrounds, identities, and abilities helps children see the richness of the world, become curious about the differences and commonality that are an essential part of the human experience, and empathize with those who are different from them. The organization was originally established in 1981 by the NY State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. Over our 30-year history of collaborating with schools and communities, we have developed a robust interactive program made up of characters who have a diverse representation of ethnicities and abilities and who are around the same age as the students. To date, more than one million children in all five boroughs have participated in the puppetry experiences. In the wake of state government budget cuts in 2011, NYC Kids Project turned to private fundraising. Through the dedication of lead teaching artists Cecilia Arana and Mindy Pfeffer, NYC Kids Project became an independent non-profit and received 501c3 status in 2014. Over the past 10 years, NYC Kids Project has visited over 100 classrooms per year, along with libraries, museums, and community centers. Prior to COVID-19, we were serving 8,000-10,000 children annually, and we are gradually returning to those numbers. We have also expanded to digital programming platforms as well with the ability to reach many more children online. We currently have three school program offerings: Making Friends: For the youngest students, the Making Friends program is a 30-40 minute interactive introduction to diversity and inclusion for up to 30 students. Presented using dolls, hand puppets, adaptive equipment, and sign language, the experience begins with a brief scripted story and quickly transitions into a safe space for students to ask questions, share their stories, and learn how to embrace differences and make friends. The experiences are fun, brightly colored, and carefully crafted to yield meaningful, age-appropriate conversations that resonate with young minds. Making Friends reinforces the idea that being curious about and kind to the people around us, regardless of their identities, is the pathway to feeling good about ourselves and understanding more about the world. Puppet Shows: Designed for older elementary school students, the 45-60 minute Puppet Show experience features multicultural puppets with a range of physical, emotional, and developmental differences. The shows use theatrical vignettes to illustrate situations that students might encounter in their own lives and focus on issues including social-emotional development, gender, race, mental health, and inclusion. Characters bring complex and nuanced perspectives on these issues to life, and all shows include a facilitated dialogue portion where students interact directly with the puppet characters. The Puppet Show also offers an optional follow-up visit to reinforce students’ social and emotional learning, sharing their questions, stories, and concerns in greater depth. Storytelling Residencies: Our most recently added program, Storytelling Residencies, includes multi-week engagements for students in grades 2 through 5 combining empathy and social awareness, puppetry creation, and creative and language arts opportunities including improvisation, storytelling, and creative writing. Residencies explore issues that begin to surface as children age, such as bias, bullying, and gender equity, and position students to create their own stories.