Preschool Dramatic Play Area

Preschool Dramatic Play Area
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Preschool Dramatic Play Area
■ Which center you chose to develop and why
Learning centers help preschoolers become more imaginative since they provide interesting materials used for learning themes and skills. I chose to develop a dramatic play area that centers on the theme of a restaurant. This is because it reinforces cognitive, social as well as physical skills that are appropriate for preschool children. It does this by providing a child with an opportunity to practice social skills and increase his or her social awareness. It is also a good situation to teach teamwork, cooperation, empathy and respect for other class members. Additionally, it facilitates self-expression, role-playing and an increase in imagination and creativity. Children will also learn about conflict resolution, problem solving, and vocabulary development, communication and life skills, and understand experiences through role-playing. Finally, the center will enable children to learn about their environment and community at large.
■ What items are included and why they are included
The center is primarily used for role-playing and will have a variety of items so that the children can be creative. Both commercial and teacher-made materials are included. The dramatic play center with the theme of a restaurant includes items such as paper plates and cups, aprons, vase with faux flowers, plastic silverware, plastic fake food, and trays for serving, toy cash register and play money. Children will be invited to cut pictures of food from newspapers or magazines then glue them on a large sheet of construction paper to resemble an actual menu. The foods will be labeled so that the children can see pictures associated with the written word. A table with two or more chairs will be provided and covered with a tablecloth and a flower vase placed o...