The Role of Children’s Theatre in Values Formation Among Primary School Pupils in Ibadan

This study examines the role of children's theatre in shaping values formation among primary school pupils in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. Children's theatre, as a specialised performance genre that combines entertainment with moral instruction, is recognised as a powerful medium for instilling civic, ethical, and social values in young audiences. The research investigates how children's theatre productions staged by school drama groups and cultural organisations in Ibadan contribute to pupils' developing sense of honesty, cooperation, empathy, and respect. Using structured observation, teacher interviews, and pupil focus group discussions, data were gathered from five government-owned primary schools with active drama clubs. The study finds that pupils who regularly engage with children's theatre productions show greater emotional responsiveness to moral dilemmas and more consistent prosocial behaviours as reported by teachers. The use of familiar cultural characters and local folktale narratives was found to increase identification and moral resonance among young audiences. The research concludes that children's theatre is an effective and underutilised resource for values education in Nigerian primary schools. It recommends the formalisation of drama-based moral education in primary school curricula. Keywords: children's theatre, values formation, primary education, Ibadan, moral development.