2. SECTION 1: PROPER MATERIALS
When incorporating a
dramatic play center into
your classroom include
material that covers the
following aspects of daily
life:
Housekeeping Work environments Leisure Fantasy
3. HOUSE KEEPING WORK ENVIORNMENTS
• Dolls/Stuffed animals
*2 or more* - required for
Infant & toddlers
• Small furniture
• Kitchen food/utensils
• Dress up clothes
(bags, shoes, hats)
• Physicians (doctor, dentist)
• Construction
• Teaching
5. SECTION 2:
DIVERSITY
• TO ENSURE THAT DIVERSITY IS INCLUDED IN THE
DRAMATIC PLAY CENTER PROPS SHOULD BE BASED
UPON THESE FIVE CATEGORIES:
• RACE (DOLLS SHOULD BE AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT RACES)
• AGE
• GENDER
• CULTURE
• ABILITY
6. SECTION 3:
HOW BENEFICIAL?
• WITH THE ADDITION OF A DRAMATIC PLAY CENTER TO YOUR
CLASSROOM AND HAVING PROPER MATERIAL CHILDREN CAN DEVELOP
MANY NEW SKILLS SUCH AS TEACHING THEM TO PROPERLY FOLLOW
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO KEEP A HOUSEHOLD TOGETHER.
(PRETEND COOKING, CLEANING, PARENTING)
• CHILDREN CAN ACQUIRE SOCIAL SKILLS AND LANGUAGE FROM
PRACTICING REAL LIFE SITUATIONS WHILE PLAYING
• CAN HELP WITH EMOTIONAL ISSUES
7. SECTION 4: THE TEACHER’S
ROLE
• THE TEACHERS ROLE IS TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT
SPACE AND MATERIALS TO ALLOW THE CHILDREN TO
FREELY MAKE USE OF THEIR IMAGINATION ALL WHILE
ENGAGING IN PLAY WITH THEM.
EXAMPLES:
* HAVING A PRETEND PHONE CONVERSATION WITH
STUDENTS
*ALLOWING CHILD TO GIVE YOU A “CHECK-UP”
8. DOMAIN: SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Strand 1 relationships with others (Page 50)
A10. show empathy and caring for others (examples: pretend to soothe a crying
baby in the house/dramatic play area; be concerned when friend Is hurt)
Strategies:
Helping children use words to describe action and feelings.
Demonstrating caring for others when they are sick, hurt, or in need of special
assistance. (e.g., offering a helpful pat or helping adult apply a soothing cloth).
9. DOMAIN: APPROACHES TO LEARNING
Strand 3: Creativity and
Inventiveness
(Page 62)
C2. Approach and explore
new experiences in familiar
settings - (ex. React to the
movement of sounds;
explore new toys to see what
happens)
*Strategies*
Encourage child to
pretend, make believe, and
use imagination
Providing a variety of new
objects to be pulled,
pushed, held, dropped,
thrown, patted, and
explored using the senses
10. DOMAIN: COGNITION AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Strand 3 learning about
families and
communities
Sub strand D – Families
and Communities
(page
107)
C5. demonstrate
awareness of money being
needed to purchase goods
and services (examples:
Play store or restaurant
with play or real money,
receipts, credit cards,
telephones; Demonstrate
understanding that coins
of different sizes and
colors have different
names)
Strategies:
• Providing play
opportunitiesfor child to
purchase things in
dramatic play (e.g.,
grocery store, bank, post
office, shoe store).
• Using the names of coins
and currency,
demonstratingand
explaining both their real
and relative value.
11. DOMAIN: SOCIAL AND DEVELOPMENT
Strand 1 Relationship
with others
(page 50)
A9. Successfully
enter and engage in
group pretend play
(examples: Say, “I can
be the person who
collects the tickets.”
Say, “Let's pretend
we're building a zoo
for all the animals.”)
Strategies
• Helping children enter
a group by suggesting
a role that will help
extend the group's
pretend story.
• Providing props for
pretend play and
suggest new themes
when needed.
