Dramatic Play Ideas

When I played restaurant and grocery store with my next to youngest daughter yesterday, I realized that I just didn't really truly play with my younger kids like I had played with my older kids when they were younger (of course in those days, there were fewer of us).

We had so much fun that I resolved I simply have to try to play more like this, inshaa Allah. So, I snooped around and found my old list of dramatic/role playing play ideas that I had compiled several years back.

Here's the post. I hope you can find some great ideas to make memorable moments that both you and your child(ren) will remember.

Dramatic play (fancy name for role playing or just plain play) can be an excellent way to help your child develop his/her thinking and social skills. It can also be just an excellent opportunity for you to spend time with your child and help develop those skills as well as help increase your child's vocabulary. Below is a list of dramatic play ideas that I have compiled.

I'm a big kid so sometimes when we play, we go all out. One time the kids and I played Optometrist. Being a power computer user, I made store signs and downloaded an eye chart from the internet as well as paper glasses for the kids to cut out and decorate. We took the eye exams and fitted them for new paper glasses. I made medical cards, basically the works.

Another time we played library and I printed out their own library cards with their name on it.. And still another time we played restaurant and made up menus.

Of course you don't have to go all out like this, the important thing is to have fun. Kids will have fun playing with mom or dad, no matter what. I also found out that this was an excellent opportunity to introduce new related vocabulary to them and explain how so and so worked, getting in some life skills.