Children are constantly using their imagination with various items, and you should approach staging the same way.
Staging for children's theater is a challenge requiring imagination and an altered perspective, but the beauty is that the possibilities are nearly endless. This is a chance to make bold uses of colors and props, as well as an opportunity to experiment. Children are creative little creatures and appreciate creativity applied to their art.
Puppets
Puppets have been a favorite of youngsters for hundreds of years, and with good reason. Young imaginations are naturally curious about them; the medium of puppetry softens things that may sound like preaching or teaching when spoken by an actor, and puppets allow the production team to accomplish things that would be nearly impossible for actors. Keep in mind that puppets can take numerous forms, from a hand-crafted doll with movable parts to a plush stuffed animal to a simple concoction of cardboard and other household items.
Oversized Items
Children have a unique perspective on the world--everything is much larger to them than it is to adults. Creating set pieces and props that are slightly larger than normal alludes to this fact and is especially effective when adults are performing for children.
Bright Colors
Children, in general, love bright and colorful things to look at. Pick bold shades of colors with which to paint the set and design the props. Pay attention to the overall mood and tone of the script when choosing colors, taking cues from what the author has written. An alternative to using bright set colors is to introduce colors purposefully when important moments take place, such as making red appear in costumes or props when danger is near.
Unexpected Uses
The more a prop can be utilized in an unexpected way, the greater the surprise and enjoyment from the audience. Think critically about how many uses there may be for a particular item, even if that use may be impractical or impossible in real life. Examples may be turning a shield into a raft, a scarf into a leash or an opened book into a makeshift hat.
Strips of Fabric
It is amazing how much this simple item can do with a little imagination. A long piece of blue fabric manipulated by actors or stagehands can be held horizontally to depict water or vertically to depict sky. Having background extras swirl or spin smaller strips of fabrics can denote celebration or chaos. They can be transformed into pastures, robes, beds or anything else in a matter of moments.
