\u201cI grew up under the loving care of my parents and grandparents, so my business head was inspired by my paternal grandparents and my love and care for children comes from my maternal grandparents.\u201d<\/p>\n
After matric in 2008, Sarah moved to Bloemfontein to study B Com Marketing at the University of the Free State. She served at CRC Kids church and that\u2019s where she met her supportive husband. \u201cWe got married in 2014 and have been blessed with our two little angels.\u201d<\/p>\n
At a very young age, Sarah was bitten by the storytelling bug and it inspired her to start her own storytelling business called Papadi Park. \u201cMy grandmother always joked and said that during one parents\u2019 meeting, the teacher said \u2018Sarah speaks from the morning to the afternoon\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sarah reminisces how easily storytelling has been for her and how her love for puppets developed by watching The Muppets. \u201cI remember when my cousins and I would gather at my grandmother\u2019s for the school holidays and put on a puppet show. We would call it the \u2018The Ma Big Show\u2019 \u2013 that was our attempt at trying to say \u201cThe Muppet Show\u201d.<\/p>\n
Sarah\u2019s business falls within the early childhood development (ECD) industry. Puppetry, storytelling and music are used to enhance class lessons. This form of education is called Edutainment. She loves this because a simple lesson has an everlasting impact on a child. \u201cOur characters mimic the lives of the children, thereby creating an opportunity for peer-to-peer teaching. This enables the kids to see how similar we all are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her business, Papadi Park, enriched Sarah with the skill of creative and out-of-the-box teaching.\u00a0When the time came to build a career, Sarah went for what felt natural to her. A business that lets her play! A business that lets her teach while providing a sustainable income.<\/p>\n
Papadi Park visits schools, hospitals, and all sorts of gatherings of children across the Free State enabling Sarah and her team of three to meet many people from different walks of life. \u201cSeeing how the teachers and children respond to a talking doll and learning from it, warms my heart the most.\u201d<\/p>\n
But, it is not always just fun and games. Sarah mentions that their daily puppet shows at schools are guided by the national curriculum framework for children from birth to the age of four, as well as the national curriculum assessment policy statement for the foundation phase (children aged 5 to 9).<\/p>\n
\u201cOur show scripts are written based on the various school lessons and themes. At Papadi Park, we also base our lessons on social issues facing children and current affairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs fun as playing seems, it tends to get emotional as well, especially when Papadi Park visits special little guests at children\u2019s oncology wards. \u201cIllnesses are not designed to be fun, nothing about it is designed for playing and to be silly, especially for young children. Throw on top of it a debilitating illness and it is just not good.\u201d<\/p>\n
When she was first invited to the oncology ward, she saw children just like any other kiddies who were excited to see what\u2019s behind the curtain. She noticed a longing and yearning to play. That\u2019s when Sarah knew that this had to be a big part of the services Papadi Park offers. \u201cThis has to be the most fulfilling part of my career as a puppeteer and business woman. Not many people understand how fruitful the world of ECD is, how crucial it is to nation building.\u201d<\/p>\n
Text: ABIGAIL VISAGIE Photography: GYPSEENIA LION<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Born and raised in Thaba Nchu, Sarah Sease is definitely a force to be reckoned with \u2013 a softer, loving and caring force. Her passion and love for children can be seen right throughout her puppet shows. \u201cI grew up under the loving care of my parents and grandparents, so my business head was inspired […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":15600,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,20],"tags":[6482,3633,5986],"class_list":{"0":"post-15599","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-people","8":"category-personalities","9":"tag-born-to-play","10":"tag-get-it-bloemfontein","11":"tag-sarah-sease"},"yoast_head":"\n