The Kids on the Block

The Kids on the Block Puppet Troupe offers free, interactive performances to children in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne, Talbot, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties.  Using nearly life-size puppets, children are educated on such topics as problem solving, feelings, and school safety.  The “Kids” dress and act like real children and each has their own personality, hopes, fears, talents and limitations.  Audiences interact directly with the puppet characters during question and answer sessions in each program.  This unique form of communication provides young people with a safe environment to learn an attitude of smart decision-making and sensitivity. If you are interested in setting up a program, contact Susan Sherman at 410-822-0444 or email at ssherman@mhamdes.org.

Bullies and School Safety Program

The Kids on the Block program on Bullies and School Safety is designed to create awareness of bullying behavior, develop problem solving skills and empathy for the targets of bullies, and explores ways that students can get involved in promoting safety in their school.

• Scripts
• You're Not the Boss of Me-Examines a bullying situation and explores ways that the children being bullied can address the problem.
  
• Rescue or Report-Addresses ways in which children that witness bullying behavior can respond to diffuse the situation. Emphasis is placed on "reporting" rather than "tattling".
  
  
  

Early Learning Video Series

The Kids on the Block Early Learning Video Series is a program offered exclusively to children, ages 3-6, in Talbot County.  Programs consist of a 10-minute video, songs and role playing presented by our community volunteer, Judy Amdur.  This program is partially funded by the Talbot Arts Council and the Maryland Arts Council.

• Program Topics
• Aggression- Along with Suzette and Todd, children learn how to problem solve and manage anger through "Freeze, Breathe,
  1-2-3.
  
• Perseverance-Children receive an esteem-
  building message when Suzette demonstrates
  that persistence can turn "I can't" into "I CAN!"

More on The Kids on the Block

The Kids on the Block, Inc. is an international, educational puppet company based in Columbia, Maryland.  Founded in 1977 to help fill the need of children with disabilities to have their non-disabled peers understand and accept them, KOTB has expanded to include over 40 different program topics with thousands of troupes in the US and 29 different countries.  If you would like information on starting your own troupe, please contact KOTB, Inc. at 1-800-368-5437 or www.kotb.com.