Activity Title: Post Office play
Category: Dramatic Play
Targeted Age Group: preschoolers (3-5 years)
Intent: This activity helps build children's early literacy and social skills, and it also encourages them to explore community roles, particularly those they like, by imitating the way they talk, walk, or laugh. Also, engaging in post office play, the children are practicing writing, sorting, and calculating, which supports their cognitive development and communication skills.
One essential skill is perspective-taking, whereby children understand and consider the needs and roles of others, such as those of a customer, mail carrier, and letter recipient. (Dietze, B., & Kashin, D., 2016, p. 26).
One domain and skills indicator:
social: co-operating (1.6) -exchanging of ideas and materials during play. ( Ontario ministry of education, 2014).
Materials:
Includes: Envelopes, notepads or small paper sheets
mailboxes, mailbags or small tote bags
stickers (used as pretend stamps)
pencils, crayons, markers
name cards or photo name labels
clipboards
clean up bins for materials
A post office sign
Invitation to play:
Create a "writing desk" area with papers, crayons, pencils and envelopes. Set up cardboard boxes labelled with the children's names or pictures to serve as mailboxes. Place a tote bag or small satchel nearby to use as "mail bags." Post a simple sign that says "Post Office Open," and start the activity by delivering a letter together as a group. Encourage the children to write letters or draw pictures for their friends and then deliver them to the right mailbox. Have the children take turns playing the role of mail carrier, recipient and sender.
Website link example of dramatic play:
Dramatic Play Archives - Play to Learn Preschool
references
Dietze, B., & Kashin, D. (2016, p. 26). playing and learning in early childhood education. Pearson Canada.
Ontario ministry of education. (2014). ELECT: Early learning for every child today. Retrieved from. https//preschoolcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ELECT_compressed.pdf
Activity Title: Chefs in the kitchen
Category: Dramatic Play
Targeted Age Group: Toddlers (1-3 years)
Intent: Toddlers will pretend to cook meals and bake. this dramatic play will help to support the children in self-directed and engaged learning.
One essential skill is self-directed and engaged learning. This helps children foster their innate curiosity to learn and helps them realize their potential. (Galinsky, 2010).
One domain and skills indicator:
Social - social interest (1.1) - beginning to play “follow the peer” games. (Ontario ministry of education, 2014).
Materials:
Play kitchen set
bowls, plates, and spoons
pots, and baking pans
Empty spice jars
Aprons and chef's hats
plastic food or felt fruits/veggies
Already made playdough
Invitation to play:
Set up a play kitchen with utensils and food on a shelf, make sure there is space for the children to move around freely and be engaged. Then, encourage the children to make delicious meals and or bake for their friends, educators, and stuffed animals.
Website link example of dramatic play:
25+ Dramatic Play Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
References
Galinsky, E. (2010). mind in the making: the seven essential life skills every child needs. Harper studio. Life Skills
Ontario ministry of education. (2014). ELECT: Early learning for every child today. Retrieved from. https//preschoolcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ELECT_compressed.pdf
Activity Title: Movie Set Director
Category: Dramatic Play
Targeted Age Group: school age (6-12 years)
Intent: School agers will develop, plan, teamwork and creativity in making a dramatic play of a movie set director.
One essential skill is focus and self-control. This will help the children collaborate and cooperate in the dramatic play. (Galinsky, 2010).
One domain and skills indicator:
social-friendship (1.1), participating in peer groups, and participating in complex socio-dramatic play. (Ontario ministry of education, 2014).
Materials:
Table and chairs
Toy phone
costumes
directors chair
clapperboard
toy camera
script
storyboards
Invitation to play:
I will set up a "movie set area" with all the material, then I will allow the children to choose the roles in which they love to act. they can create a scene from a book they love. I will encourage them to be fully engaged in their play.
Website link example of dramatic play:
10 Dramatic Play Examples (2025)
References
Galinsky, E. (2010). mind in the making: the seven essential life skills every child needs. Harper studio. Life Skills
Ontario ministry of education. (2014). ELECT: Early learning for every child today. Retrieved from. https//preschoolcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ELECT_compressed.pdf
Activity Title: Puppet Peekaboo
Category: Dramatic Play
Targeted Age Group: Infant (0 - 12 months)
Intent:
Puppet Peekaboo will support the children in their attention and memory skills through their interaction with the puppet play. it will also help in building their communication skills.
One essential skill is communication; their interaction with the puppet play will help them build communication. (Galinsky, 2010).
One domain and skills indicator:
Communication, language, and literacy- Expressive language skills (3.3) Vocalizing and babbling, vocalizing to initiate social contact, babbling using a wide variety of sounds. (Ontario ministry of education, 2014).
Materials:
Mirror
A basket to store puppets
A blanket for hiding
soft hand puppets
finger puppets
Invitation to play:
I use the finger puppets or soft puppets to say hello, sing to them, and play peekaboo with them, behind a blanket. I will play with them and encourage them to touch and interact with the puppet.
Website link example of dramatic play:
24 Dramatic Play Ideas For Toddlers And Preschoolers
References
Galinsky, E. (2010). mind in the making: the seven essential life skills every child needs. Harper studio. Life Skills
Ontario ministry of education. (2014). ELECT: Early learning for every child today. Retrieved from. https//preschoolcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ELECT_compressed.pdf