"The circus has come to Pune!""Yes, and it can fly!""Yes, and there are gymnasts jumping from the ceiling!""Yes, and there is a flying unicorn!""Yes, and there are singing koalas!""Yes, and the tiger can bark!""Yes, and the dogs are miaowing!" I love playing 'Yes, and ...' with children. They are just so imaginative. We created a crazy circus together, full of dancing dragonflies, flying kangaroos and a robot or two thrown in. With the older children, we spoke about animal rights and bullying, with one group presenting a very balanced idea of the circus - as entertainment, as a home for strays, and as a nightmare for wild animals. I ended with a story from The Story-Catcher, "The Circus Boy", which led to a lovely conversation about child labour and bullying. "How many of you have never been bullied?" I asked.Not one child raised a hand."How many of you can honestly say … [Read more...]