As a dedicated producing theatre for children, Polka provides a dynamic range of weekly drama clubs, adult and child drop-in sessions and much more to develop creativity in all children.
With inspirational and inclusive workshops ranging from multisensory storytelling and arts and crafts to dance and drama opportunities for children ages 0 – 12, we base a lot of our Take Part Workshops programme on our professional productions, showcasing how children progress through participating and playing, as well as watching and sometimes performing on our stages!
Please note there are no sessions for weekly classes during the Merton School holidays. Sibling discount available! Book one place and receive 25% off the second. Speak to the team when making a booking. T&Cs apply.
Baby Explorers
0-12 months
30-minute classes every Wednesday at 10 – 10.30am
At Polka we have a passion for learning through play, and play is exactly what starts to engage children’s minds and grow their imaginations. Playing helps babies learn about the world around them, encouraging the development of their cognitive, physical and emotional skills. With plenty of songs and movement, these 30-minute classes are dedicated time for you and your baby to spend together, laughing, exploring and playing in our Creative Studio and sensory play spaces.
Mini Explorers
1-2 years
45-minute classes every Wednesday at 11 – 11.45am
Come join us every Wednesday morning for your children to explore, imagine and play. Through music and drama games, your child will advance in confidence, communication and social skills, learning lots about the world around them. Polka’s dedicated practitioner will encourage Early Years development focusing on essential soft skills, such as speaking and listening, using emotions and focussing on fine motor skills by learning new and classic action-packed songs and stories.
Term dates and booking instructions to follow.
Creative Explorers
2-4 years
45-minute classes every Tuesday and Friday at 11 – 11.45am
Delivered by one of Polka’s experienced practitioners, Creative Explorers will focus on using your child’s imagination to create and explore stories through drama, movement and songs. As your Creative Explorers grow, they will be encouraged to take turns in our 45-minute drama sessions, learning to be active listeners, developing their speech and following story adventures through their own imagination. We will bring plenty of laughter and excitement, exploration and play.
Term dates and booking instructions to follow.
Act 1
4 – 6 years
45-minute classes, every Saturday at 9.30am & 10:30am
Polka’s weekly drama club is a gentle introduction to drama for ages 4 – 6. Polka’s acting experts will engage children using storytelling and role-play techniques, movement and imaginative games. Your child will enjoy real benefits including greater confidence, improved concentration and increased awareness of what they can achieve. Act 1 is for anyone who wants to discover new skills, make friends and have fun.
Act 2
7 – 9 years
1-hour classes held every Saturday at 11.30am
During these weekly drama sessions, children will start exploring acting and performance skills further in a fun, friendly environment. Children will learn to have fun with improvisation and role play, as well as discovering new characterisation and movement exercises. Learn to create your own stories, devise group performances and develop a wide range of theatre techniques along the way.
Youth Theatre
9 – 12 years
Sessions held every Wednesday at 4.30pm
Our Polka Youth Theatre offers a unique opportunity for anyone aged 9 – 12 to work with leading theatre professionals and receive expert drama training. During these weekly sessions, the children will start exploring improvisation and role-play techniques, characterisation exercises and performance skills. Each term we will develop a new piece of theatre that reflects the creativity of the young people involved.
Home Ed Drama Club 1
4 – 6 years
Sessions held every Wednesday at 1.30pm
Our Polka Home Ed Drama Club 1 offers an exciting opportunity for anyone aged 4 – 6 years to take part in drama fun! Polka’s theatre experts will engage children using storytelling and role-play techniques, movement and imaginative games. Your child will enjoy real benefits including greater confidence, improved concentration and an increased awareness of what they can achieve.
Home Ed Drama Club 2
7+ years
Sessions held every Wednesday at 2.30pm
Our Polka Home Ed Drama Club 2 offers an exciting opportunity for anyone aged 7+ years to take part in drama fun! During these weekly drama sessions, the children will have the opportunity to work on a variety of acting techniques in order to enhance their storytelling and performance skills. Each academic year we will develop a new piece of theatre that reflects the creativity of the young people involved, building confidence in creating theatre and performing to a small audience. Expect improvisation and role-play techniques, characterisation exercises, performance skills and lots more!
Arts Award
We are able to offer Arts Award as part of our Spring/Summer Term for Act 2 and Youth Theatre.
Arts Award is a nationally recognised qualification for children and young people aged 5 – 25 years old. It can be delivered in a number of ways including theatre visits, one-off workshops and after school clubs.
For those wanting to take the award, no extra time or resource will be needed. Everything will be included during their usual Act 2 sessions where they will enjoy discovering a wide range of arts from theatre skills, movement and more.
Our team of professional theatre facilitators, storytellers and our Arts Award adviser will guide the children on an exciting Arts Award journey with us, where they will all receive their very own certificate on completion of the course.
There is a small additional charge to partake in Arts Award.