If there’s one type of play that I’d do for the rest of my days, it would be dramatic play! It’s such a fantastic way to encourage so many skills in a way that’s playful and age appropriate. Today I’d like to share our brand new Construction Site dramatic play area!
Our children have always loved helping their dad build things. They practically come running when they see him with his toolbox, so I knew they’d be into a construction site dramatic play area. I always start by developing my printables so that I have some direction when I start sourcing materials and props. Luckily my husband is in the building industry so he helped cross check my signs and labels and gave me some great ideas for additions!
Next we started our shopping! Bunnings was our first stop which is where we got our caution tape, orange builders fencing and some traffic cones. It was all very inexpensive and we have lots left to use for a construction themed birthday party down the track! We also headed to our local Toys R Us to grab a few Imaginarium brand construction costumes which came with hard hats, goggles and a few tools as well. They were a bargain at only $20.00 each on sale.
All of other props were things we already had so this was a really simple set up for the kids! Next we went through our play stash and collected all of our play tools and construction materials. We moved all of our play room furniture into our storage cupboard so that we had our whole play room space to set up in.
My husband got to work setting up the most beautiful construction themed small world in our Tuff Tray. He did such an amazing job and both of our little learners played there for hours! To start with, he added some adhesive road tape (from kmart) and then some large rocks from our garden. Next, he added some gravel/pebbles as the base and then all of our construction loose parts and vehicles. It turned out so well!
The next area was our tool and safety gear storage shelf and the building blocks area. My little learners helped me to sort our tools into containers but we didn’t have enough room on the shelf for all of them! Rest assured, the printable packet of signs and labels includes lots of different materials that aren’t pictured in these photos.
Our tools are mostly Bosch brand kids tools because they are so realistic! Ideally I would love to have real tools but my youngest isn’t quite there yet.
We used some Ikea Knagglig crates to store our cardboard Melissa & Doug building blocks inside. These blocks are fantastic for little learners and are actually really sturdy considering they are made from cardboard. I borrowed them from my Mum but I think I’m going to have to try and get my hands on some to keep because they have been such a popular part of our construction site!
Our final play area in our construction site was our Site Manager table. These is where the workers sign in and out and fill in all the paperwork required on a building site 😉 I added a manilla folder for the job lists and building plans to live in and I also displayed our site rules here. Both of my little learners are pre-writers but they both loved sitting here filling in their paperwork. This is a wonderful way to encourage early writing and reading skills with your little learners!
So what do you think? Would your little learners LOVE playing in this space? Below I will share a few more of the printables included in this packet as I know they’ll be super popular with your little learners too! As always, if you set up a construction themed dramatic play space, I would absolutely love for you to use my #littlelifelonglearners hashtag over on instagram!
Are you ready to create your very own Construction Site for your little learners? I’ve created all the printables you’ll need! Tap the button below to grab the signs and printables you see in this blog post!
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In a dramatic play center, children will often act out behaviors and actions they see in real life (such as shopping at the grocery store) as well as make-believe situations (such as a princess in a castle).
Find large, sturdy plastic containers with lids to hold each set of dramatic play items. Label each container with an easy-to-read sticker so things can be quickly found. This box is a transparent container from Costco, but any sturdy container with a lid will work fine.
Provide props for children to reenact a favorite story or book. Create a wish list of items and ask for family and community help in gathering materials. Include functional print such as magazines, newspapers, receipts, pens, note pads, maps, brochures, calendars, appointment books.
Through dramatic play, children learn to express themselves, understand different perspectives, and build crucial social skills like cooperation, sharing, and problem-solving. It also helps in developing their vocabulary and communication skills as they interact with their peers in various pretend scenarios.
This is where the classic “floor is lava” scenario comes into play, but other examples might be pretend play like being a dinosaur stomping around the living room or using a spoon as a “magnifying glass” while hunting for butterflies in the basem*nt.
Dramatic Play Materials. To get the most out of dramatic play, children need a variety of materials, equipment, and props to encourage creative expression and imagination. Find dress-up clothes, pretend play kitchen sets, and props for housekeeping, different kinds of work, and fantasy play.
To encourage dramatic play, provide materials that children are interested in. Be sure to rotate the play materials when children lose interest in them. Items don't have to be new.
The main difference between role play and drama is the amount of direction and agency the pupils get. In other words, children will often follow scripts in drama lessons to act out a particular scene, but role playing can start off with an idea, object, name or theme and take any direction.
In the Dramatic Play area, children take on different roles and enact real-life experiences. They use props and make-believe to deepen their understandings about the world. Pretending is very important to your child's development.
Examples of pretend play are: being superheroes, playing 'mummies and daddies', playing shopping, dress-ups, playing flying to the moon, tea-parties, playing trucks in the sandpit and playing with dolls and teddies to name a few.
The elements of drama are essential pieces to the structure of a drama or play. Aristotle's six elements include plot, characters, diction, thought, music, and spectacle. Each component is included in a play though they vary based on a play's unique story.
The structuring of the action is commonly described by the following terms: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and denouement. The exposition brings the audience up to date as quickly as possible, giving the setting (year, time of day, locale, etc.), the atmosphere (mood) and the main characters.
Elements of Drama: The elements of drama can be categorized into three major areas: literary elements, technical elements, and performance elements. place in a play. the action of the play that is directly related to the play.
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