Activities for the Dramatic Play Area

Dress Up

• Create a dramatic play box of dress up clothes for the children. Dress up clothes allow the children to become the actors, taking on the role of a person other than themselves. Select a particular theme for the dress up clothes or include a variety of outfits. Include props that fit the dress up clothes. Ask friends and family for clothes they no longer use, or check out a thrift store for inexpensive dress up clothes. Watch for sales after Halloween, when costumes are significantly reduced. Clearance costumes add a fun touch to the dress up clothes box.
  
  

Puppets

• Incorporate puppets into the dramatic play area. Provide a puppet stage, either commercially produced or homemade, and a variety of puppets for the kids. Include hand puppets, finger puppets and homemade puppets. Encourage the children to create their own puppets in this dramatic play activity. Provide materials, such as socks and paper bags, for the puppet making. Encourage the kids to recreate their favorite stories with the puppets.
  
  

Stores

• Set up a store area for dramatic play activities. For variety, organize boxes with props for many different types of stores and business. Ideas for store and business themes include a grocery store, salon, pet store, post office, police station and office. Include props and costumes that allow the children to recreate the business. Set up one or two businesses at a time, depending on the size of the dramatic play area.
  
  

Doll House

• Set up a doll house in the dramatic play area. Purchase an inexpensive doll house or create your own using a cardboard box. Allow the kids to assist in decorating the doll house, using paint, wallpaper and scraps of carpet. Provide furniture and other props for the doll house.
  
  

Kitchen

• Use a toy kitchen set in the dramatic play area. Provide plastic food, pans and utensils for the kids. Save empty containers from your own kitchen for inexpensive food props. Add a kitchen timer, aprons and oven mitts as props for the play area. Include a child-sized table with a tablecloth and table settings. This allows the children to learn how to set tables properly and provides a place to serve the food created in the kitchen area.