# 40 Dramatic Play Ideas > A roundup of pretend-play setups (school, library, post office, shops, cafés, clinics and more), grouped by what they build: reading and writing, math, vocabulary, and overcoming fears. Each idea credits its original blogger. - URL: https://www.funlittles.com/40-dramatic-play-ideas/ - Ages: 2–8 yrs · Difficulty: medium · Mess: low - Time: prep none, activity varies - Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class - Skills: literacy, writing, math, vocabulary, social-emotional, pretend-play ## Ideas - **Cardboard classroom**: A fun and frugal pretend classroom where kids take the teacher's role, which leads to plenty of reading. - **Pretend school**: A pretend school setup for imaginative play, with tips for extending the play. - **School play materials list**: A school role play idea with a useful list of the materials you need. - **Creative home library**: A very creative library setup made from almost nothing, including a pretend laptop. - **Let's play librarian**: An easy tutorial on making index card flaps for a pretend library. - **Library pretend play**: A library setup brimming with details without being fancy, with plenty of reading and writing potential. - **Pretend post office**: A post office play setup with tips for creating gentle writing prompts while having fun with the kids. - **Post office setup**: An adorable post office setup full of opportunities for writing, scribbling and drawing. - **DIY post office play kit**: Homemade play mailboxes and a post office play kit. - **Family mailbox**: A family mailbox to add to post office play at home. - **You've got mail**: A realistic preschool mailbox made simply using a brad. - **Mail delivery play**: A post office play that walks kids through the mail delivery process. - **Office play with writing**: A pretend office with opportunities to engage in writing, making phone calls and using grown-up pens. - **Everyday office play**: A role play scene set up with real everyday items, building language, fine motor and writing skills. - **Toddler picnic**: A simple pretend picnic for toddlers that gets them talking. - **Sensory tea party**: A pretend tea party with a sensory twist that builds conversation. - **Play dough construction zone**: A construction worker play scene built around play dough. - **Fix It workshop**: A "We can fix it" workshop where kids pretend to repair things. - **Restaurant at dinner time**: A restaurant dramatic play idea that turns dinner time into pretend play. - **DIY recipe book**: A wonderful learn-to-read recipe book for kids that is easy to adapt into a pretend restaurant menu. - **Squash shop**: A pretend squash shop full of fun conversation. - **Door-to-door salesperson**: Kids pretend to be a door-to-door salesperson, a fresh role play idea. - **Pretend bakery**: Our own bakery dramatic play, with built-in counting and math. - **Play dough candy store**: A sweet shop stocked with play dough candy, with built-in math. - **Pretend toy store**: A pretend toy store setup with built-in math. - **Numbers pretend shop**: A pretend shop for learning numbers. - **Flower shop**: A fun flower shop dramatic play with a handy materials list. - **Play dough garden centre**: A garden centre pretend play made with play dough. - **Ice cream shop**: An imaginative play ice cream shop made with recyclables. - **Homemade grocery store**: An easy grocery store setup that is full of ideas for play materials. - **Simple grocery store**: An ultra simple pretend grocery store setup that is easy to do with your kid. - **Lite-Brite bank**: Use Lite-Brite pegs to play bank and practice counting. Extend the activity depending on the kid's age. - **Tri-fold board ATM**: A clever way to use a tri-fold board as an ATM for bank play. - **Coffee shop role play**: A coffee shop role play that works as a reading prompt as well. - **Sensory coffee shop**: A coffee shop that combines sensory play with a dramatic play setup. - **Play dough coffee shop**: A coffee shop pretend play made with play dough. - **Fridge box food truck**: A food truck made from a big fridge box for imaginative play. - **Pretend hospital**: A hospital setup to help kids overcome fears of the doctor through play. - **Doll hospital**: A doll hospital setup where kids care for their dolls. - **Doc McStuffins clinic**: A Doc McStuffins clinic dramatic play for easing worries about the doctor. - **Hair salon**: Salon play for fun or to overcome haircut anxiety. - **Lemonade stand in the tub**: Dramatic play at bath time with a pretend lemonade stand. - **Dramatic play printables**: Printables to use in dramatic play setups. - **Vet's office printables**: Printables for a vet's office dramatic play. - **Pretend play props roundup**: A roundup of creative pretend play props and ideas. - **Vet clinic**: Ideas for an animal clinic dramatic play. - **Car wash**: A DIY car wash dramatic play. - **Cloud dough ice cream shop**: An ice cream shop setup with a homemade Kool-Aid ice cream dough recipe. ## Tips - Every role play can become a reading, writing or math prompt, but setups like school, library, post office and stores have the literacy and math built in. - Different blogs set up the same play idea with different details. Pick the one that appeals to you and pay attention to its details. Or forget about learning and just play! - Most of our dramatic play is spontaneous and kid-initiated. Some setups I make as an after-school surprise. - If my child is afraid of the doctor I'd set up a simple hospital role play. Hair salon play helps with haircut worries, and playing 'park' or 'store' helps shy, slow-to-warm-up kids. - Bank play suits older kids: introduce 'deposit' and 'withdrawal' while showing them what they mean. ## The original post by TurkeyMom (2015) Dramatic play/ role play whatever you want to call is the pinnacle of play based learning. There is so much learning involved while playing .These posts on **Scholastic** and on **Crayon Freckles** sum up clearly the importance and benefits of role play. Here we have gathered a number of general role play ideas which have many elements to encourage reading, writing, doing simple math. Under **each general idea we have collected numerous ways to set up the same dramatic play**. Choose the one which appeals to you and surprise your child with a fun role play setup. The reason for including many links for the same idea is the multiple differences in details. It could be the same flower shop or same picnic or school , but different blogs have varying focus on the same play idea. Please pay attention to the details in each link and you should have a fair idea on how to create a resourceful play scene. Of course, you can always completely forget about play based learning and just play! I have categorized the tons of ideas in the post below in 4 MAIN categories for easy reading. ** Please click through the items in bold to go to the original post** **Dramatic Play Ideas that encourage** 1. **Reading & Writing** 2. **Math Skills** 3. **Vocabulary & Concepts** 4. **Overcoming anxiety & fears** Reading and writing All role play ideas can be turned into reading, writing,math and getting creative prompts. That's why the ideas generally will fall into more than 1 category. Having said that, some **play set ups have a built-in literacy or math prompts** like school role play, library role play, post office role play, store play. The following categorization is based simply on my observation of my child's play style. School Dramatic Play What kind of play encourages reading and writing than class room dramatic play set up. All the kids love to pretend to be adults ot anyone who is in charge. Kids who are used to school or who have seen homeschooling moms teach would love to engage this kind of play. When they carry out a teacher's role it inevitably ends up with some reading. **Inner Child Fun** - fun and frugal **[Learn With Play at Home](http://www.learnwithplayathome.com/2012/06/pretend-school-imaginative-play.html)** **-** with tips for extending the play. **Childhood101-** with a useful list of materials needed. Library Dramatic Play This kind of role play idea has so much potential for reading and writing . The following links each has a unique focus and please pay attention to the details in the posts. **The Good Long Road's -** very creative library setup. The laptop is genius **[No Time for Flash Cards](http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2011/01/pretendplaylibrarian.html)** - easy tutorial on making index cards flaps **The Pleasantest Thing's-** brimming with details without being fancy. Post Office Dramatic Play This kind of play doesn't need any introduction. Post office role play screams fun writing, scribbling, pre-writing, doodling, drawing. It can be anything. Visit the following links for more inspiration and ideas. [](http://nurturestore.co.uk/pretend-play-post-office) My personal favorite -Post Office Play setups have oodles of opportunities for writing.Visit these links and see how each of these talented bloggers have set up their post office in a different way. Check them out and be inspired! **[Nurture Store](http://nurturestore.co.uk/pretend-play-post-office) 's**- tips for creating gentle writing prompts while having fun with the kids. Buggy and Buddy's adorable **post office set up** is something you want to look into. [](http://pubx.ch/1Gsn1Pv) **Kids Activities Blog**- play mailboxes and play kits. **[Let's Lasso the Moon](https://letslassothemoon.com/family-mailbox/)'s-** family mailbox **Crayons Freckles -** realistic mailbox using simply a brad **Getting Messy with Jessi** **-** mail delivery process. Office Dramatic Play Kids love to pretend to be adults. What's more exciting to them than pretending to work at an office, making phone calls, punching calculators and using grown up pens. This role play idea encompasses multiple categories, language, fine motor and reading&writing. [](http://www.teachpreschool.org/2012/01/everyday-dramatic-play-in-preschool-and-a-linky/) **Mom with a lesson plan'**s -opportunities to engage in writing [**Teach Preschool's**](http://www.teachpreschool.org/2012/01/everyday-dramatic-play-in-preschool-and-a-linky/) use of real items to setup a role play scene is fantastic. **Restaurants and Coffee Shops** play are also a wonderful way to encourage reading and math (menus, prices). Down below I have included them in our language category. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vocabulary and Concepts Allmost all dramatic play prompts develop budding language and conversation skills. Some more than the others, especially the ones where there are more than one distinct role to be played. If your are in the moment playing with your child( the best kind!) or if the child has a companion or at times if the kid is taking on more than 1 role, the following ideas are worth taking a look. Picnics and Tea Parties **Creative Playhouse** - toddler picnic. **Growing a Jeweled Rose** - tea party. Construction Zones & Workshops **Crayon Freckles** - play dough construction zone **Little Explorers** - "Fix It" workshop. Restaurants No Time for Flash Cards - **[restaurant dramatic play idea.](http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2010/04/pretend-play-during-dinner.html)** **[La Force be with you](http://www.laforcebewithyou.com/2010/12/learn-to-read-recipe-book.html) -** wonderful DIY recipe book for kids. Easily adapt the idea and turn it into a menu New Ideas **Fireflies and Mudpies** **-** squash shop with fun conversation **Glittering Muffins** - door to door salesperson --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Math Skills Any store/ restaurant related role play set up will have inbuilt math play prompt. Below I have a few fantastic and inspiring stores role play ideas Bakery/ Sweet Shop [](https://www.funlittles.com/lets-start-a-bakery/) Our own **[bakery dramatic play](https://www.funlittles.com/lets-start-a-bakery/)** **Kids Activities Blog**- play dough candy store Toy Store [](http://www.learnwithplayathome.com/2012/08/learning-numbers-pretend-shop.html) **[No Time For Flash Cards](http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2012/04/pretend-play-toy-store.html)'s** toy store **[L earn with play at home](http://www.learnwithplayathome.com/2012/08/learning-numbers-pretend-shop.html)** - learn numbers Flower Shop **Let's go Fly a Kite** - has a handy materials list for a fun flower shop play **[The Imagination Tree](https://theimaginationtree.com/playdough-garden-centre-pretend-play/)** - Garden center Ice Cream Shop **[Learning 4 Kids](http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/05/16/imaginative-play-ice-cream-shop/)'s-** ice cream shop with recyclables Grocery Store [](http://de-tout-et-de-rien-caroline.blogspot.com/2012/01/lepicerie-pres-de-chez-vous.html) **A Mom with a lesson Plan** - easy set up but full of ideas for play materials. [**Playing House**](http://playinghouseinmaryland.blogspot.com/2011/09/pretend-grocery-store-play.html) has a ultra simple grocery store set up. No reason not to do this with your kid. Bank I think playing "Bank" would be a great idea for older kids. Introducing simply " deposit" and "withdrawal" terms while showing them what they mean is a fun way to introduce "Money" to them. **Crayon Freckles -** use lite brite to play bank. Extend the activity depending on the kid's age. **Kindergartenkindergarten** has a clever way to use a tri-fold board as an ATM. Coffee Shop [](https://theimaginationtree.com/coffee-shop-role-play/) [**The Imagination Tree**](https://theimaginationtree.com/coffee-shop-role-play/) -works as a reading prompt as well. **[Growing a Jeweled Rose](https://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2012/07/150-summer-play-ideas.html) -** sensory play and dramatic play set up. **Fairy and the Frog -** play dough coffee Shop Food Truck **[Tinkerlab](http://tinkerlab.com/fridge-box-imaginative-play/)** - box truck (must see!) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Overcoming fears/anxiety Dramatic play is great for over coming fears and many kids are not so ok with going to the doctor, am I right? Role play can be used to ease the child into any situation. If my child is afraid of the doctor I'd set up a simple hospital role play. For kids who are uncomfortable with hair cuts, hair salon play would be great. Also fears need not be the only issue that can be addressed Think about slow to warm up or at times shy kids. Role playing a certain anxious situation like park/play ground or simply a store would be a wonderful tool to overcome hesitation and worry. Ideally role play ideas under language skills would overlap with overcoming anxiety. Some hospital and doctor's office set-ups Growing a Jeweled Rose - **hospital setup** **Fairy and the Frog** -doll hospital set up **Crayon Freckles** - Doc Mc Stuffins Play **[Hair Salon](http://de-tout-et-de-rien-caroline.blogspot.com/2011/11/les-jeux-dramatiques-allons-chez-le.html) -** For fun or to overcome haircut anxiety [](http://de-tout-et-de-rien-caroline.blogspot.com/2011/11/les-jeux-dramatiques-allons-chez-le.html) Dramatic Play in the Tub! **Lemonade Stand** Printables **Growing Pre K** **[Pre-K Pages](http://www.pre-kpages.com/dramatic-play-vets-office/)** Round Up **Simple Kids** Few more incredible ideas **Vet clinic ideas** **Car Wash dramatic play** **[Cloud Dough ice cream shop](http://mommasfunworld.blogspot.com/2013/02/kool-aid-ice-cream-dough-new-sensory.html)** set-up with a homemade recipe So many possibilities, so many spins.. >