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This is What You Need to Know about Dramatic Play

Children learn through dramatic play.

What kind of person did you pretend to be when you were a kid? An Olympic athlete, a veterinarian… a rockstar?  I LOVED to pretend when I was little.  What I didn’t realize at the time was that in addition to pretending….I was also learning.

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What is Dramatic Play

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here. #dramaticplay #preschool

Dramatic play is often called pretend play or imaginative play.  In dramatic play, kids act out different roles.

The roles can be real-life scenarios, like when my son would don a tie and pretend that he was going to the office like his Dad.  The roles can also be fantasy, like when the kids pretend that the play structure on the playground is a pirate ship.

Benefits of Imaginative Play

When many people see kids engaging in dramatic play, they think that the kids are just playing.   In fact, a lot of learning is actually going. Learning through play is engaging, meaningful, and essential to young kids.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here. #dramaticplay #preschool

Here are just some examples of the learning that goes on during dramatic play.

Social Studies

Dramatic play lets kids learn about families and communities.  They learn how the world works.  Kids can learn about different areas of a grocery store, different people who work at a doctor’s office or how an animal shelter works.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here.

Social Skills

Kids learn how to work cooperatively to solve problems.  Kids can learn empathy as they put themselves in other’s shoes.

Language Skills

Kids learn new vocabulary and learn how to communicate their wants, needs, and even their desire for a breakfast taco.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here.

Literacy Skills

Children experiment with a wide variety of texts like grocery lists, maps, and taco menus, pre-flight checklists.  They learn that reading and writing are part of everyday life and that different tasks require different texts.  Sometimes kids act out a story from a familiar book.  This actually increases their reading comprehension.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here.

Fine Motor Skills

Writing practice often takes place when kids pretend.  They might make a grocery list, make a sign for a restaurant, address an envelope, etc.  Kids can also work on fine motor skills as they fill prescriptions, feed animals, or fill egg cartons.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here.

Math Skills

As kids set the table in a restaurant, count out the change in a gift shop, or weigh animals in an animal shelter they will practice early math skills.  There are all kinds of opportunities to work on math skills while pretending.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here.

Science Skills

Kids are a natural scientist and through dramatic play, your kids can explore science as they pretend to be astronauts, entomologists, geologists, lab technicians, or weather reporters.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here.

How to Set up a Dramatic Play Area

Your dramatic play area can be as big or small as you like and you can set the area up on any budget.  The basics for a kitchen or home dramatic play center include a table and chairs, a sink, a stove, and a refrigerator.

Additional pieces of furniture can serve different functions to help you transform your center for a new theme.

A puppet theatre can be used as a reception desk in a doctor’s office, but as a check out lane in a grocery store.  A table can serve as a restaurant table, kitchen table, or a vet’s exam table in an animal shelter.  Shelves can be switched out with different props for each theme.

  

If your budget is tight or if you are super creative, you can create furniture for your dramatic play area from cardboard boxes, old furniture, and maybe some duct tape.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here. #dramaticplay #preschool

I have compiled a bunch of great DIY ideas together in a Pinterest Board for you.

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Props

In the dramatic play center, the props are like the icing on the cake.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here. #dramaticplay #preschool

Props can really engage the kids and help them get into their pretend roles, so be sure to give some thoughts on which props to add.  You can use a combination of props made for pretend play, real-life objects, and creative substitutes.

Have fun gathering and making props.

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Find keys, non-working cell phones and laptops, baby dolls of different races, magazines, grocery carts…the ideas are endless. I love visiting thrift shops and garage sales to find props at bargain prices.  You will also find ideas for different themes as you scroll down through the article.

 

Dress-up Clothes

When you are adding props, don’t forget about adding dress-up clothes.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here. #dramaticplay #preschool

Again, visit thrift stores and garage sales, watch for sales on Halloween costumes, and get hand-me-downs for friends and families.

Something magical happens when kids dress up in costumes and you don’t want your kids to miss out on that magic.

 

A Print-Rich Dramatic Play Center

Dramatic play teaches kids that there are many different types of text.  There are many ways to easily add text throughout your dramatic play center.

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here. #dramaticplay #preschool

Label everything that you can.  Labels provide kids with opportunities to look at words, look at the sounds in words, and expand their vocabulary.  Do you need some ideas?  Here are some text ideas that you can add for popular themed play areas.

  • Restaurants – menus, signs for daily specials, order forms, checks
  • Doctor’s Office – sign-in sheets, signs for exam rooms and waiting areas, exam checklists
  • Police Station -maps, parking tickets,……
  • Post Office – price signs, maps, postcards, stamps, mailing labels, envelopes, stationary
  • Home – grocery list, to do list, books, magazines, computers, electronic devices
  • Airport – maps, flight schedules, computers, magazines, boarding passes
  • Grocery Store – ads, coupons, price tags, shopping lists

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here. #dramaticplay #preschool

You can also add fiction or non-fiction books to your center.

    

Pretend Theme Ideas

Want to create some excitement in your classroom?  Try switching things out.  Here are a bunch of thematic ideas to help you transform your dramatic play center.

Are you looking for fun ideas for the dramatic play area in your preschool classroom? Learn how to set up an animal shelter dramatic play area. Ideas for props, dress up clothes, literacy opportunities, and a free printable collar tag are included. This is a perfect addition to your pet theme, animal theme, or community helper theme unit and lesson plans. Teach kids about the importance of animal adoption and the role of animal shelters in our community. #preschool #dramaticplay #prek Animal Shelter

Check out all of these taco shop dramatic play ideas. Transform your dramatic play area into a taco restaurant or taco truck. This is perfect for your dramatic play center your preschool or pre-k classroom. You will have fun with these DIY ideas for making food, props, and decor and will be able to set up your taco restaurant in no time. There are plenty of developmentally appropriate (DAP), hands-on learning opportunities. You will love the literacy ideas! #preschool #prek #dramaticplay Taco Shop

Find ideas to create an entomology lab dramatic play area set up. Your kids will love playing and learning in an insect research lab dramatic play center. Perfect for your insects and bugs theme, spring theme, summer theme, or outdoor themes in your preschool or pre-k classroom. Many ideas for fun, hands-on learning activities and printables are included...perfect for early childhood play-based learning. Math, science, literacy, STEM, and STEAM in one play center. #dramaticplay #preschool Insect Research Lab
Create a geology lab dramatic play center in your preschool, prek, or kindergarten classroom. Combine science, math, and literacy in a developmentally appropriate way with these fun play-based ideas. Kids love the pretend play....they won't even that they are learning. Sensory play, and fine motor skills activity ideas are included. This is a perfect addition to your rocks theme. Use the printables in your dramatic play area or in your science learning center. #dramaticplay #preschoolscienceGeology Lab

 

Find lots of ideas to create a DIY space dramatic play area. Your kids will have fun as they learn about space and pretend. Perfect for your preschool, prek or kindergarten classroom to incorporate science, math, and literacy learning in a fun play-based way. Printables will help you create control panels for a space station, rocket, or mission control in no time. Create a night sky and observatory and an astronaut training area. Set up a space station today. #preschoolscience #dramaticplaySpace Station
Your kids will have fun learning about the weather when you set up a weather station dramatic play area. Encourage pretend play, math, science, and literacy learning with these ideas and printables. Perfect for a weather theme unit or lesson plans in your #preschool #prek or #kindergarten classroom. Spring, summer, fall & winter ..... use all year (in the science center and at circle time too). Click to get ideas for DIY, props, set up, and experiment ideas. #dramaticplay #learnthroughplayWeather Station

 

When kids engage in dramatic play they aren't "just playing" There is a lot of learning going on in the dramatic play center in a preschool or pre-k classroom. Find benefits of imaginative play, ideas for props and dress up clothes, ideas for adding literacy learning, and theme ideas for your dramatic play area. Whether you want to set up a kitchen, grocery store, vet, or restaurant, you will find plenty of DIY ideas here. #dramaticplay #preschoolDoctor’s Office
Find tips & ideas to set up a fun grocery store dramatic play area in your preschool classroom or at home. Get directions for food, props to add to your center (free, inexpensive and DIY ideas are included). Find examples of printables and ideas to add literacy elements and math elements to promote play-based learning. Perfect for a grocery store, farmers market, supermarket that your kids will love.Grocery Store

 

Home- kitchen

Post Office

Fire Station

Vet

Restaurant

Flower Shop

Airport

Additional Ideas

Visit this Pinterest board for even more thematic ideas, prop ideas, and dress-up ideas for your center.

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I hope that this helped you understand the importance of dramatic play for young children…and hopefully, it helped you come up with some new ideas for the dramatic play area in your classroom.

Now, I’m off to work on a taco shop.

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