Dramatic Play Thomasena B. Keith, M.Ed., Instructor Early Childhood Education Lively Technical Center

DRAMATIC PLAY

STAGES OF PLAY SOLITARY PLAY – Infants play by themselves. Until about nine months of age, infants explore single objects. PARALLEL PLAY – Children play beside each other, but not with each other. COOPERATIVE PLAY – Play between two or more children.

STAGES OF MATERIAL USE IN PLAY Manipulative Stage – A child at this stage handles props. When given a baby bottle, children in the manipulative stage will screw and unscrew the cap. Functional stage – The child will use the prop as intended while playing with other children. Imaginative Stage – Children are able to think of substitutes, instead of feeding the doll with a bottle.

SOCIO-DRAMATIC PLAY ROLE-PLAYING – This allows children to try out a variety of roles, as one child plays the role of hairstylist, another plays the role of customer. BENEFITS OF SOCIO-DRAMATIC PLAY – From this type of play, children grow cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally.

THEMES FOR DRAMATIC PLAY Artist Baker Barber Waitress Police Officer Florist Builder Sailor Dentist Cook Mail Carrier Nurse Doctor Pilot Teacher Truck Driver

THE TEACHER’S ROLE Resource Person – Provides materials and space. Coaching – Support children with ideas for difficult situations. Modeling – Show the children the appropriate behavior to use during their socio-dramatic play.

EQUIPMENT AND SETUP FOR SOCIO-DRAMATIC PLAY Prop Boxes – Contains materials and equipment that encourage children to explore various roles. Costume Corner – Provide clothing for the theme of the week; clothing for firefighters, nurses, doctors, and post office clerks, cooks, construction worker, etc. Housekeeping Area – Supply child-sized furniture and equipment. Kitchen utensils, furniture, and other household items. Outdoor Play Area – Include a jungle gym, sandbox, housekeeping items, toy cars and trucks, sawhorses, wooden boxes, planks, and boards.

PUPPETRY A puppet is a figure designed in likeness to an animal or human. Puppets come in a number of sizes and shapes. Puppets can appear to express emotions. People make puppets move by using their fingers, hands, and wrists. Puppets are powerful learning tools for young children. Puppets can be used to help children solve problems. Children can communicate feelings and thoughts using puppets.

TYPES OF PUPPETS Hand Puppets – They are the easiest to use since no strings or rods need to be worked. Mascot Puppets – Mascot puppets can be used in many classroom routines. It can help introduce new activities and class members. “Me” Puppets – Children use their own hands, these are called “me” puppets.

BENEFITS OF PUPPETS Offers emotional release Provides sensory stimulation Encourages thinking through problems Promotes listening skills Expression of feelings Promotes fine and gross motor development Promotes decision-making skills

SUMMARY Play is an important part of a young child’s day. Children move through three stages of material use in their play, they are the manipulative stage, the functional stage, and the imaginative stage. Socio-dramatic play allows children the chance to try out many roles. Puppetry experiences provide children the chance to explore emotions, thoughts, and situations.

CREATED BY…. Thomasena B. Keith, M.Ed., Instructor Early Childhood Education Lively Technical Center Tallahassee, Florida 32304 Reference: WORKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN By: Judy Kerr, The Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc., 2004

March 8, 2005 THE END