The Ultimate List of Props for Dramatic Play Centers
Are you ready to take the imaginations of your young kids to the next level? I’ve created a go-to guide of props for dramatic play centers.
Let’s examine why props are important in dramatic play and where to snag them. I’ll also give you tons of fun ideas for play scenarios.

I added some Amazon links in this post to help you find materials faster. Just an FYI….the links are affiliate links. Here’s how it works….I may earn a small portion of your purchase, but you will not be charged an additional fee when you purchase from the link.
Why Are Props Important to Dramatic Play?
Props play a vital role in dramatic play by providing tangible tools for children to explore, experiment, and express themselves in imaginative and engaging ways.
From a simple cardboard box transformed into a spaceship to a toy cash register turned into a bustling grocery store, props add layers of depth and realism to children’s play experiences. They inspire creativity, ignite curiosity, and foster social and emotional development.
With props, kids can step into different roles, experiment with new ideas, and make sense of the world around them in a fun and playful way!
Assessing the Suitability of Props: Tips and Tricks
When gathering props to bring your dramatic play ideas to life, you’ll find that some props are better than others. Here are some considerations.

Safety: The most important consideration is whether the prop is safe for kids to use. Look for choking hazards (especially for younger kids), small pieces that might break off, unsafe materials, sharp edges, etc.
You will also want to consider your kids who have allergies in your classroom. It’s not a good idea to bring peanut butter containers (even if you have washed them). A child with a wheat allergy may have a reaction if you bring an empty cake mix box to use in your center.
Cleanability: Many kids will be handling the props, so you will want to make sure that you can clean them.
Space: You need need to consider the size of your dramatic play centerDo you have a place to store a prop when it’s not in use? If you typically store your props in prop boxes, you will need to consider the size of a prop. Will it fit in your prop box or do you need to get a larger prop box?
Versatility: The best dramatic play props are those that can be used in multiple types of dramatic play centers. Look for props that make you say ‘Wow, I could do so many fun things with this!’ For example, a cash register can be used in a bakery, a post office, or a grocery store dramatic play center.
A best practice is to use generic props rather than branded props (like a Disney princess tea set) so that kids don’t limit their imaginations.
Inclusivity & Cultural Considerations: When picking out props, think about including things from different cultures so that everyone feels welcome and represented in the fun.
For example, if you are creating a pretend kitchen or grocery store, you can add boxes and cans of food that represent different cultures. If you have families from different cultures, get them involved and ask them for advice.
These items not only add diversity to the play experience but also provide opportunities for learning about different cultures and fostering appreciation for our diverse world.
Best Places to Find Props for Dramatic Play
Safety Considerations
Again, the safety of the prop is key when choosing items for kids to play with. Be on the lookout for potential choking hazards, small parts that could break off, materials that might not be safe, and any sharp edges that could cause harm.
DIY Props
Who says you need to break the bank to find awesome props? With a little creativity and some everyday items, you can make your own fantastic props right at home! From repurposing old clothes to crafting treasures out of cardboard, DIY props are a budget-friendly way to add flair to your dramatic play.

Free Props
Don’t be afraid to ask around for props. Many people will be happy to help you out.
Local Businesses: A local pizza shop might supply a few small pizza boxes for your pizzeria dramatic play center. Ask your local post office if you can use a few boxes or envelopes for your pretend post office.
Facebook Groups: Post your needs in your local community Facebook groups. Many people will be happy to help.
Parents: Let your kids’ parents know what you need. You may be surprised by the connections they have.
Inexpensive Props
I’m a master at finding inexpensive props for dramatic play. Check out local garage sales (remember that the early bird gets the worm), frequent thrift shops, and scan the aisles at dollar stores. Watch for end-of-season sales to pick up seasonal props for your center.
Additional Places to Find Props

Do you find yourself stopping by the Dollar Spot every time you enter a Target or Wal-Mart store? I do! You never know what you’ll find there. I also love browsing through craft stores and checking the toy department at various stores that I visit. From play food to scene backgrounds, I’m sure it comes as no surprise that Amazon is also a favorite place to find props. You will find many Amazon links throughout this post.
Everyday Props for Dramatic Play
Ready to level up your dramatic play center with props that can do it all? Check out this fantastic lineup of everyday, versatile items that’ll take imaginative play to the next level! These props can be used for many different dramatic play themes in preschool classrooms.
Play Kitchen Props
- Stovetop, Refrigerator, Sink
- Toy dishes and utensils, plastic pots and pans
- Pretend food items
- Empty baby food jars
- Toy tea set
- Empty food containers (e.g., milk carton, cereal box)
- Pretend cleaning supplies (e.g., broom, mop)
- Table and chairs
Play House Props
- Baby dolls with doll clothes, beds, and stroller or baby carrier
- Pretend tools (e.g., hammer, screwdriver)
- Seating area
- Toy telephone or cell phone
- Toy laptop or tablet
- Keyrings
Additional Everyday Props For Your Dramatic Play Center

- Toy cash register and play money
- Dress up clothes
- dresses, blazers, ties, jewelry
- purses
- small backpacks
- Calculators, old keyboards
- A toolbox filled with toy tools and a tape measure
- Shopping cart or basket
- Books, magazines, newspapers
- Writing materials, shopping list – paper and Post-it notes with crayons
Props for Dramatic Play Restaurants or Bakeries
Are you ready to transform the dramatic play center in your early childhood classroom into a restaurant or bakery? Here are some basic props that would be great additions to your center.
General Kitchen Equipment Props
- Play kitchen set (oven, stove, refrigerator, microwave, sink)
- Pots, pans, dishes, and utensils
- Play serving trays, plates, baskets
- Toy mixer or blender
- Toy coffee maker
Food Props
Food items will vary based on the type of restaurant or bakery that you want to set up. Here are some basics to have on hand:
- Pretend cooking oil and vinegar bottles
- spices and herbs in jars
- Pretend condiments (e.g., ketchup, mustard)
- Toy food items (e.g., fruits, vegetables, bread)
Additional Restaurant or Bakery Props
The next time you go to a restaurant, stop and take a look around the space. This will help you come up with more prop ideas for your play space.
- Toy cash register and play money
- laptop and phone
- Trikes or cars for delivery vehicles (or UberEats)
- Pads of paper and pens for taking orders
- To-go bags
- Takeout containers
- Pretend menu board with chalk or dry-erase marker
- menus (laminate takeout menus)
- Tablecloths, napkins, aprons
- Pictures of different food items
- Birthday party supplies
Pizza Shop Dramatic Play Center Props
Are you in the mood to set up a pizzeria or pizza parlor dramatic play center? Be sure to add some of these props.

- Toy pizza cutter and serving spatula
- pizza pans
- pizza boxes
- cheese and pepper shakers
- Make pizza crust and toppings from colorful foam
Taco Shop Dramatic Play Center Props
My favorite restaurant to set up is a taco stand dramatic play center.
- tortilla warmer
- salsa bowls
- A molcajete to blend up some guacamole
- Pretend tortillas – You can make them from felt.
- Taco fixings – Use pom-poms felt, or torn paper to make your food props
- Don’t forget the hot sauce!
Bakery Dramatic Play Center Props
A bakery is an extremely versatile dramatic play center and your young children will have a great time baking up some lovely treats. I love that you can switch things up to make seasonal bakeries for different holidays like Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
- Toy cake or cupcake decorating set
- Play cake stand or dessert platter
- cake pans, muffin tins
- Pretend baking ingredients (e.g., flour, sugar)
- Toy pastry brush and baking sheet
- Pretend baking molds and cookie cutters
- Pretend whipped cream and sprinkles
Sandwich Shop Dramatic Play Center
- Toy toaster with bread slices
- Make meat, cheese, and veggie slices from felt or foam
- Chips – clean out small bags of chips, stuff them with tissue paper, and tape them closed. You can also clean out small cans of Pringles or other chips, and glue the lids back on the cans.
- Paper to wrap sandwiches, bags, etc.
Coffee Shop or Smoothie Shop Dramatic Play Center Props
You can add coffee and smoothies as part of any of the restaurants above, or you can set up a center that focuses solely on drinks.
- Toy fruit juicer or smoothie maker
- Play barista set with coffee cups and saucers
- Toy toaster with bread slicesToy tea set with cups and saucers
- Play fruit basket and vegetable bin
- Toy food scale for measuring ingredients
- To-go cups and lids
Chinese Restaurant or Sushi Restaurant
When I was a kid, I didn’t have any experience with Asian foods. An Asian restaurant would have been a great way to introduce me to new foods.
- Chopsticks
- Chinese takeout containers
- Jars of soy or other Asian sauces
- Sauce dipping bowls
- Toy sushi set
- Shred paper or use string or ribbons to make noodles
- Make dumplings or eggrolls from playdough or felt
Props for an Ice Cream Shop Dramatic Play Center
Most kids love ice cream, so you can’t go wrong with an ice cream shop in your dramatic play center.
- Toy ice cream scoop and sundae toppings
- Balls of paper or large pom-poms for scoops of ice cream
- Empty ice-cream containers
- Pretend whipped cream and sprinkles
- Make ice cream cones from tagboard or thick cardstock
Props for Dramatic Play Stores
You can create many types of stores in your dramatic play area. Here are some ideas.
Grocery Store Dramatic Play Props
Most of your kids are probably familiar with a grocery store. You can ask parents to help you with some of your kids’ favorite foods or cultural selections.
It’s fun to set up a grocery store. For ideas, check out this post about setting up a grocery store dramatic play area. Here are some prop ideas.
- Cash register with play money
- Empty food boxes, cans, etc.
- Toy food
- Grocery flyers
- Toy shopping cart or basket
- Toy scales for weighing produce
- Play shopping bags or reusable tote bags
- Pretend price tags and signage
Jewelry Store Dramatic Play Props
Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any time of year, here are some props for a pretend jewelry store.
- Play necklaces, bracelets, crowns, etc.
- Supply chord and pony bead to creat DIY jewelry
- jewelry boxes, gift boxes
- gift bags, bows
Flower Shop Props
Imagine how much fun your kids will have as they create flower arrangements.
- Silk flowers in various colors
- Foam
- containers and vases
- Toy flower bouquets
- Pretend potted plants or flower pots
- Toy gardening tools (shovel, rake)
- Pretend watering can
- Pretend flower seeds or bulbs
- Play gardening gloves
- Toy ribbon and decorative accents for bouquets
- Play flower catalog or order forms
Farm Market Props
You can make a seasonal market like a pumpkin patch or apple orchards, or you can create a general farmers market with a bit of everything.
- Toy fruit and vegetables (apples, oranges, carrots, tomatoes)
- Pretend baskets or crates for displaying produce
- Toy scales for weighing produce
- Play cash register with play money
- Toy shopping bags or reusable tote bags
- Toy honey jars or jars of jam
Gas Station or Auto Shop
Don’t forget to add dramatic play props and elements to your outdoor play space. Here are some ideas to help you out.
- Tricycles or Cozy Coupes
- Gas pumps
- Stoplights or stop sign
- Tools
- Pretend oil and other liquids
- Bucket, sponges, spay bottles
Props for Community Helper Dramatic Play Centers
Setting up a community-helper themed dramatic play area is a great way to teach kids about the different people within our community. They will enjoy trying out the various roles. Kids will have so much fun they won’t realize that they are getting a social studies lesson in the dramatic play space. Here are some prop ideas.
Post Office Dramatic Play Props
Are you ready to create a pretend post office for your kids? This list will help you out.
- Toy mailboxes
- Mailbags
- Envelopes, cards, scrap paper, and pretend stamps
- Postal or kitchen scale to measure pages
- Bins for sorting mail
- Cardboard boxes of various sizes
- Pretend postal uniforms (hats, shirts, vests)
- Toy package wrapping supplies (wrapping paper, tape)
- Pretend address labels and delivery slips
Fire Station Dramatic Play Props
Set some chairs together to make a “firetruck.” Then, supply your fire station with some of the following props:
- Toy fireman’s helmet and jacket
- Cut pieces of plastic hose so that all of the firefighters have a hose to use.
- Toy fire extinguisher
- Toy fire truck or engine
- Pretend emergency phone or walkie-talkies
- Maps
Doctor’s Office or Hospital Dramatic Play Props
Here are some prop ideas for a pretend doctor’s office, ER, Hospital, or x-ray center.
- Toy stethoscope, thermometer, blood pressure cuff, and otoscope
- Pretend doctor coat or lab coat
- Toy medical bag or doctor’s kit
- Pretend syringe or injection
- Pretend bandages and adhesive strips
- Toy reflex hammer
- Pretend prescription pad and pen
- X-ray images
- Toy waiting room chairs or benches
Optometrists office Props
- Toy eyeglasses, sunglasses, and cases
- Pretend eye chart for vision testing
- Toy magnifying glass for close-up examination
- Appointment book or scheduler
- Play waiting room chairs or seating area
Police Station Props
- Toy police badge and ID card
- Pretend police uniform, hat, or vest
- Play police walkie-talkie or radio
- Maps
- Flashlights
Animal Shelter Or Vet Clinic Props
You can teach kids about animal shelters and pet adoptions when you set up a pet shelter dramatic play center. Here are some prop ideas:
- Stuffed animals
- Small bowls for food and water
- Grooming tools like brushes, play shampoo, and hair dryers
- Vet supplies: stethoscope, syringes, pretend medicine bottles
- Pet beds, cages/clothes hampers
- Pet toys
Science Props for Dramatic Play
Just like stores and restaurants, there are a variety of science-themed dramatic place centers that you can set up for your kids. Here are some basic science props that you can add to various dramatic play centers
- Play safety goggles
- Toy test tubes and beakers
- Pretend petri dishes
- Magnifying glasses
- Periodic table poster
- Lab apron on coats
- Play science journal or notebook
- Microscopes
- Play graduated cylinders
- Toy magnets
- Balance or scale
- Play science lab timer
- eye-droppers and tweezers
Entomology or Insect Research Lab Props
Wanna study bugs? Here are some prop ideas to help you set up an insect research lab dramatic play center.
- Pretend butterfly nets
- Play bug catchers or jars
- Insect photographs
- Plastic insects
- Play bug observation containers with magnifying lids
- Toy tweezers or forceps for handling insects
- Pretend insect habitats (e.g., terrariums, ant farms)
- Insect anatomy models or diagrams
- Insect-themed books or field guides
Geology Lab Props
Add a few rock-themed props to create a geology lab dramatic play center.
- Toy hammers
- Pretend safety goggles
- Rock and mineral specimens
- Rock and mineral identification guide
- Toy excavation tools (brushes, shovels)
- Pretend geological maps or charts
- Geodes or crystal clusters
- Toy gemstone sorting set
- Plastic containers or egg cartons for collecting and sorting rocks
Weather Station Props
Your kids can study the weather as they pretend to be meteorologists. Here are prop ideas to help you set up a weather station dramatic play center.
- Thermometer
- Barometer
- Rain gauge
- Maps and radar images
- Play weather observation log or journal
- Windsock
- A microphone, and play video camera to film forecasts
Space Station Props
Here are space station dramatic play prop ideas to help you create an outer-space experience for your kids. Get a large appliance box and make a spaceship from it.
- astronaut helmets or space helmets
- Pretend space suits or astronaut costumes
- Play control panel with buttons and switches
- Walkie-talkies or radios
- Pretend space food and drink packets
- Play moon rocks or meteorite specimens
- Toy space tools (wrenches, screwdrivers)
- Pretend space maps or star charts
- Space-themed books
- Pretend space exploration equipment (telescopes, cameras)
Construction Site Dramatic Play Props
Your little builders will have a blast when you gather construction site dramatic play props.
- Toy hard hats or construction helmets
- Pretend tool belts with toy tools (hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches)
- Toy safety cones or construction signs
- Play construction vehicles (dump trucks, excavators, bulldozers)
- Pretend construction materials (wooden blocks, foam bricks)
- Toy measuring t
- apes and rulers
- Play construction blueprints or plans
- Pretend construction vests or safety vests
Props That Promote Literacy Learning
As you are gathering props for pretend play, be intentional about finding props that will promote early literacy learning. You can boost literacy skills in your play area by including non-fiction books, signs, and written materials related to the theme.
Invite children to read menus, signs, and labels and even create their own stories and messages, making learning fun through imaginative play. Don’t forget to add paper, pencils, journals, and opportunities for them to write.
Backdrops
Purchase Dramatic Play Printables in the Store
Thinking of setting up a fun dramatic play center for your kids? These printables will make it a breeze. Click the image to see them in my store
Purchase on TPT
Do you prefer to shop at Teachers Pay Teachers? You can also purchase the dramatic play printables in my TPT Store.
More Information about Dramatic Play
Now that you have a better understanding of what dramatic play is all about, Here are some additional articles about dramatic play.