Welcome, Friends!
We’ve all experienced a lot of big changes lately due to COVID-19. This can be an especially stressful time for young people. The Captain Soapman Team is here to help!
COVID-19 is caused by a germ (virus) that can make the body sick. People who have COVID-19 may have a cough, fever, and trouble taking deep breaths. But some people, especially kids, who have the virus may not feel sick at all or may have mild symptoms ike those of a cold.
You're hearing so much about COVID-19 because it's a new illness that has not been seen before. Experts around the world are working hard every day to learn about COVID-19 and how to keep people safe. In the play Captain Soapman, we learn that one way to help stay safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to do a great job washing our hands.
COVID-19 is caused by a germ (virus) that can make the body sick. People who have COVID-19 may have a cough, fever, and trouble taking deep breaths. But some people, especially kids, who have the virus may not feel sick at all or may have mild symptoms ike those of a cold.
You're hearing so much about COVID-19 because it's a new illness that has not been seen before. Experts around the world are working hard every day to learn about COVID-19 and how to keep people safe. In the play Captain Soapman, we learn that one way to help stay safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to do a great job washing our hands.
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Washing your hands is one awesomely positive step you can take to stay healthy and safe. There is much more to learn about COVID-19 and how to keep our bodies and minds healthy at this time. Parents and guardians, we recommend visiting this online resource provided by the Mayo Clinic to help kids better understand current events. To visit “How To Talk To Your Kids About COVID-19” click here. You can find additional resources from the World Health Organization here and from the Centers for Disease Control here.
Just like it’s important to keep your body healthy, it’s also really important to keep your mind healthy, too. COVID-19 can create some really big feelings that may include anxiety, fear, sadness, and loneliness. It’s okay to have big feelings.
Just like it’s important to keep your body healthy, it’s also really important to keep your mind healthy, too. COVID-19 can create some really big feelings that may include anxiety, fear, sadness, and loneliness. It’s okay to have big feelings.
A Note About Grief
Grief is a natural response to loss. It's the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away or dies. Many people are currently experiencing feelings of grief due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
When grieving the death of someone significant, we typically have the support of our community to surround us. At this time of physical isolation, we may be left grieving alone - which can deepen our pain. Some of the events taking place due to COVID-19 can trigger grief, and bring back painful memories as well.
Our friends at Mourning Hope Grief Center can help and currently offer several free support groups for those who are grieving. Please click here to learn more about the programs offered by Mourning Hope.
When grieving the death of someone significant, we typically have the support of our community to surround us. At this time of physical isolation, we may be left grieving alone - which can deepen our pain. Some of the events taking place due to COVID-19 can trigger grief, and bring back painful memories as well.
Our friends at Mourning Hope Grief Center can help and currently offer several free support groups for those who are grieving. Please click here to learn more about the programs offered by Mourning Hope.
Captain Soapman BONUS FEATURES
Below, you’ll find some fun learning activities, behind the scenes information, and other cool stuff related to Captain Soapman. If you haven’t watched the Captain Soapman video yet, you can click here to check it out!
Ready, Set, CreateDid you know that every person has creativity inside of them? In Captain Soapman, Michael has some creative ideas about how The Germs come to life when they steal Robbie the Robot. His dad helps him use creativity and a handwashing activity to scare the germs away and rescue Robbie the Robot.
Our creativity can help us solve a problem or dream up an idea. It can also help us share how we’re feeling about the world around us. Below, Michael has made a list of 5 things he likes to do that make him feel super creative: |
It’s your turn! Make a list of five things that you do that make you feel creative, too! Remember that creativity comes in all different shapes and sizes! Helping an adult cook a meal, singing a song, or using a step stool to reach a snack are all examples of creativity at work! Find a grown up, friend, or toy to share your list with.
Feeling Your Feelings
Sometimes, the changes that come with COVID-19 can stir up some big feelings for people big and small. In Captain Soapman, Michael feels worried and anxious, and to top things off, he misses his mom! Do you have people in your life that you are missing right now?
It can sometimes feel difficult to talk about our feelings, but it’s important to express or share them, otherwise they get bottled up inside us and make us feel rotten!
It can sometimes feel difficult to talk about our feelings, but it’s important to express or share them, otherwise they get bottled up inside us and make us feel rotten!
One way to let the feelings out is to visit with a trusted adult or friend. This could be a mom, dad, foster parent, teacher, or neighbor who you can talk to during physical distancing due to COVID-19. If the person you feel safe sharing with lives in your home, you can talk face-to-face. Other ways to reach people who you care about and who care about you include calling them on the phone or using the internet to connect with them. With his Dad’s help, Michael uses the internet to talk to his Mom and Grandma.
Let’s pretend for a moment that, for some reason, sharing your feelings right now with another person seems difficult. There’s still a way to share how you feel! It may seem sort of silly at first, but whispering them to a favorite stuffed animal or housepet can help you feel a lot better. This is something you can do in your own time, in your own way, whenever it is right for you. Sometimes Michael tells his thoughts to Robbie the Robot, and it helps him feel a lot better!
Let’s pretend for a moment that, for some reason, sharing your feelings right now with another person seems difficult. There’s still a way to share how you feel! It may seem sort of silly at first, but whispering them to a favorite stuffed animal or housepet can help you feel a lot better. This is something you can do in your own time, in your own way, whenever it is right for you. Sometimes Michael tells his thoughts to Robbie the Robot, and it helps him feel a lot better!
Remember when we asked if there were people you are missing right now because of COVID-19? You can write them a note or a letter to tell them that you miss them or to share with them how you’re feeling. If it’s someone you hope to see again soon, you can write to them and let them know what kinds of things you want to do when you see them again.
Below, Michael has written a letter to his classmate Henry. You can use Michael’s note to Henry for inspiration! It’s okay to send the note, or to hold onto it for later.
A Work of Art
In Captain Soapman, the character “Grandma” is played by an actor named Steve Pearson. Steve dresses in a costume to bring his character to life. Steve has a daughter in the 8th grade named Ava who has been drawing and painting since she was very small. Over the years, and with a lot of practice, Ava has become an amazing artist.
The first night Ava saw her dad dressed as a grandma, she thought it was pretty silly! Then she got busy being creative and made this painting of Grandma from the play.
The first night Ava saw her dad dressed as a grandma, she thought it was pretty silly! Then she got busy being creative and made this painting of Grandma from the play.
Artwork by Ava Pearson
Now check out this photo of Steve as Grandma:
Steve Pearson as Grandma
We think Ava did an AMAZING job, don't you? Now, it’s your turn. Grab some markers, paint, crayons, or a pencil and paper and create a painting or drawing of (a) your favorite character from Captain Soapman or (b) a person in your own life. Remember that this is your own interpretation of what the character or person looks like, and the only rules are to be kind and have fun!
We’d love to share your artwork here at the Captain Soapman bonus features page! You can take a photo of your artwork when it’s done and email it to us by clicking here. Make sure to tell us your first name and the name of who you painted or drew, and we’ll share it below!
Here are a couple we've already received!
We’d love to share your artwork here at the Captain Soapman bonus features page! You can take a photo of your artwork when it’s done and email it to us by clicking here. Make sure to tell us your first name and the name of who you painted or drew, and we’ll share it below!
Here are a couple we've already received!
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Germ Number One by Evan Grandma by Quinn
Making Music
Did you notice the music and dancing at the end of Captain Soapman? You may have seen a person you know in the video you watched - or, for kids in Lincoln, Nebraska, you may have recognized our Mayor or other grown up community members who are working hard to keep our town safe and healthy during COVID-19.
The song everyone sings is called “When I Look Outside” and was written by a lyricist named Becky Boesen and a composer named David von Kampen. A lyricist is the person who writes the words to a song. A composer writes the music. Becky and David work together sometimes to create songs for people to sing. Do you ever write songs or the words to songs? What’s your favorite song in the whole wide world?
Below are the lyrics to “When I Look Outside.”
The song everyone sings is called “When I Look Outside” and was written by a lyricist named Becky Boesen and a composer named David von Kampen. A lyricist is the person who writes the words to a song. A composer writes the music. Becky and David work together sometimes to create songs for people to sing. Do you ever write songs or the words to songs? What’s your favorite song in the whole wide world?
Below are the lyrics to “When I Look Outside.”
Have you thought about what you want your life to be like as a grown up? What do you see waiting for you in the future? Write it down, describe it to a trusted adult or friend, or share it with a favorite stuffed animal!
In the song lyrics, the writer lists “yellow lemon drops, sudden ice cream stops, August baseball games, flying sandhills cranes” as parts of summer and the outdoors that make her happy. Below is Michael's list of some of the things he loves about summer.
In the song lyrics, the writer lists “yellow lemon drops, sudden ice cream stops, August baseball games, flying sandhills cranes” as parts of summer and the outdoors that make her happy. Below is Michael's list of some of the things he loves about summer.
Now it's your turn! List 5 things that you love about summertime. Remember, if it’s not safe to get outdoors and do all of your favorite activities this summer, that doesn’t mean you can’t do them again soon!
Let's Dance!
It’s fun to get creative and let your ideas soar! No idea is too big, and when we have a big idea that we want to bring to life, it’s important to dream!
In the video for “When I Look Outside” our choreographer Michelle Ingle put together some fun moves for our actors, and had big ideas for the way the video might look! She shared her ideas with our videographer and editor Alexander Jeffery, and together they took Michelle’s dream and turned it into something we all could accomplish together. Working together with just a handful of days to get the video done meant lots of changes, but in the end, Michelle was really happy about how the video turned out.
Early in rehearsals, Michelle put together a video filled with storyboards to help Alexander understand her vision. A storyboard is simply a series of sketches or drawings that help explain what a story should look like. Here is Michelle’s first video with storyboards:
Pretty neat, huh? Now, watch the final ending credits video:
Here are some questions to think about:
- What kind of changes did you notice between the storyboard guide created by Michelle and the final video? Were they big or small changes?
- In both videos, you may have seen some places and faces you recognize in Lincoln, Nebraska. What and who were they?
- In the final video you might have noticed an awesome dance move or two created by Michelle. Do you ever create movements or dances to songs you like?
Getting Creative
Did you notice that there is artwork that we share to help bring attention to Captain Soapman? Below is a sample of our "official" project image, created by a graphic artist named Maddyabbs at Ebbeka Design Co. in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Maddyabbs did an awesome job of creating designs that helped audiences understand what Captain Soapman might be about before they watched it. Look carefully at the photo above. See if you can find the following:
Creating a graphic design for a project is super fun and is a great way to help people understand more about a story from looking at a picture. We are lucky to work with an artist as talented as Maddyabbs for the official design!
Sometimes, it's fun to take your own ideas and think about designs. Below, on the left is an example of a "just for fun" design created by Paul Durban, whose son Brady plays Michael in Captain Soapman. Next to it on the right is another "just for fun" design created by Becky Boesen, who directed Captain Soapman.
Sometimes, it's fun to take your own ideas and think about designs. Below, on the left is an example of a "just for fun" design created by Paul Durban, whose son Brady plays Michael in Captain Soapman. Next to it on the right is another "just for fun" design created by Becky Boesen, who directed Captain Soapman.
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Now it's your turn! What kind of design would you make to help people get excited about Captain Soapman? We'd love to see your creations! If you email them to us here we'll share them on this webpage! Please be sure to include your first name.
Stuff To Download and Print
It's been fun exploring Captain Soapman with you. Before we say goodbye, here are some fun activities that you can print and do from home! Have fun, stay safe, and remember to wash your hands!
At Blixt Locally Grown, we’re committed to spreading goodness through the arts. Do you or your young person have questions about Captain Soapman? Email us anytime and we’ll make sure to get back to you!
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