This document discusses the importance of dramatic play for children. It recommends that children should have opportunities for dramatic play for 1/3 of the day using diverse materials that represent different cultures, genders, abilities and roles. Examples of dramatic play materials for infants, toddlers and preschoolers are listed, including dress up clothes, kitchen items, dolls and toys. It also discusses providing an inclusive play space and adapting materials so all children can participate. The teacher's role is to engage in pretend play with the children.

1. DRAMATIC PLAY

2. :
CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE MATERIALS IN
THEIR OWN WAY TO PRETEND, COOPERATE AND
COORDINATE WITH EACH OTHER. FOR 1/3 OF THE DAY.
• Dress-up Theme Dress up
• Both male and female > firefighter
• Hats > doctor
• Shoes > mail carrier
• Coats
• House keeping
• Pots and pans >dolls (different races and
abilities)
• Small table and chairs >stuffed animals
• Kitchen play area >telephone
• Play food (different cultures) > cleaning
supplies(broom,mop)
• (ECERS dramatic play)

5. INFANT AND TODDLER
Infant
3-5 of each
• Soft animals
• Dolls
• Pots and pans
• Toy telephone
Toddler
• Dress up (both gender)
• House keeping
• Play food
• 5 dolls (3 different
races)
• Play food
(power point slide 31)

6. DIVERSITY MATERIALS AND
ADAPTATIONS
• Ensure space can be accessed by wheelchairs or walkers.
• Use pictures of different cultures and abilities in the center.
• Ensure that materials can be accessed by everyone.
• Have dolls of several ethnicities and abilities.
• Dress up clothes from many cultures.

7. OUTSIDE DRAMATIC
PLAY
• Playhouse
• Ride in cars
• Gas station
• Ice cream stand

8. WHAT I’M LEARNING
• Role play
• Social and language skills
• To cooperate and coordinate
• Building relationships
• Pretending
• Telling stories and events
(power point slide 24)

9. TEACHERS ROLE
• A teacher's role is to pretend with the children. If they are on a field trip or playing
house. Teacher’s need to answer that pretend phone call from mommy or pick out
the biggest pretend pumpkin at the pumpkin patch.

10. MILESTONES OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Language and Literacy
* Enjoy hearing and creating humorous
stories characterized by exaggeration
(milestone p.13)
• Represent ideas and stories through
pictures,dictation and play. (milestone
p.12)
* puppets to act out story books
*Dolls and stuffed animals
social and emotional
• Show empathy and caring for
others.(milestone P.4)
* rocking a crying doll trying to
calm her down
Successfully enter and engage in group
pretend play (milestone p.4)
* The children talk with each other
and say ”I want to be the dad”

11. REFERENCES
Virginia Department of Social Services. Milestones of Child Development. Retrieved from
http://va.gapitc.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/Milestones_Revised2014.pdf
Whitener, C. (n.d.). Activities. [PowerPoint slides].
Cryer, D, Harms, T, and Riley, C. (2003). All about the ECERS-R. New York, NY: Teacher’s
College Press.