Sentry Page Protection

Please Wait...

Unit 5 Student Login Hi, (First Name) | Log Out

Unit 5 Student Login

Welcome, (First Name)!

Enter Member Area

(Message automatically replaces this text)

OK

My Profile Log Out

(Unit 5) Topic 7: The Dramatic Play Learning Center

2 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Benefits of Dramatic Play

​Topic 7 Page 4

​Fine and Gross Motor Skills

When children engage in the props of the dramatic play area, they are developing fine and gross motor skills. For example, when they pick up and control an ice cream scoop while pretending to work at an ice cream parlor, they are practicing coordinating their small muscles.

​Teachers should seek to incorporate the development of fine and gross motor skills in a variety of engaging activities. Dramatic play is an excellent opportunity for just that. ​

Supporting Literacy

By including different forms of print in the dramatic play area, teachers can encourage children’s pre-literacy skills. Books, magazines, and newspapers that relate to the current theme of the center can help children experiment with the purposes of literature. Additionally, including pencil, paper, and a clipboard helps children with pre-writing skills. For example, let’s say the center is restaurant-themed. The child will practice writing down an order from a customer.

​While they most likely will not be able to write the order using full sentences, words, or punctuation, the scribbles and drawings that they can make are an important step in the early writing process. Incorporating literacy items into the center makes the center more realistic for children as well as more developmentally beneficial. 

Stuff a Scarecrow

http://www.lessons4learners.com/stuff-a-scarecrow.html

Ice Cream Shop

http://www.lessons4learners.com/ice-cream-shop-p.html

​Math ​

​Dramatic play can encourage math development also. Students can practice learning number symbols and counting when purchasing items at a pretend store.  Patterns, concepts such as larger than and smaller than, as well as one-to-one correspondence can easily be explored during this time, too. 

(Unit 5) Topic 7: The Dramatic Play Learning Center * Navigation Menu