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Thursday, August 1, 2013

Do You "Do" Dramatic Play?

Friends, do you "do" dramatic play in your kindergarten classroom?  Are you allowed to?  Do you have time?  Do you like having play centers or not?  This is always a hot topic, and I'd love to read your thoughts on the topic, so please consider leaving a comment!

I have only been teaching kindergarten for five years (this year coming up will be my sixth), but even in that short amount of time, I've noticed that there is less and less time for dramatic play. Or really any play at all.  I am lucky to squeeze in 20 minutes at the end of the day, and usually we only get to it three days a week.  My students do also get 20 minutes of outdoor recess with a paraprofessional.  During the fall and spring months, I do try to get them outside for an additional 20 minutes at some point during the day, but then there is no time for inside play.

There has been so much research done to prove the importance of social, pretend play at school, so I want to make sure to continue it in my classroom (besides, we all know the kiddos LOVE it!).  To help this effort, I have made a pack of 35 writing templates for use in dramatic play centers.  They get kids writing, reading, doing math, and add a teensy bit of academic rigor into play.  The kiddos love to write and to have authentic tools in the play center, so I think these will go over well.  Check out some of the templates included in this picture below:
 There are templates for the following play centers: grocery store, restaurant, doctor's office, vet clinic, garden center/flower shop, wood shop, post office, business office, post office.

The pack is on sale today and tomorrow for 50% off, which makes it only $1.75 for 40 pages.  I think that is a pretty great deal, especially since these sheets are all super easy to prep. Basically, just print, copy, slice with paper cutter if needed, and stick in the play center!  I hope you'll check them out at my TpT store!

Click {HERE} or on the graphic below to read more about them!


ALSO-Don't forget to enter my Birthday Giveaway that's going on now. There are 4 winners and tons of amazing prizes!!! My TPT store is also still 20% off for 2 more days!

{CLICK HERE}to see the original post and then enter the Rafflecopter below.

10 comments:

  1. We were required to have a dramatic play area in out pre-k rooms. I hated it after a while. The kids just dumped everything out. No matter how often I explained how to use things and put them away, they'd dump and walk. That was the only area I had that problem with and I was never clear on why. I think the clean up was just more complicated for them than dumping legos back into a bin or putting blocks on a shelf.

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  2. We have a house, blocks, legos, a sand table, and other toys. My kids play daily for 30-45 mins. I really believe the kids need to play in Kindergarten, to learn to work with others, to talk about problems that occur. If they don't get to do it now, it just makes more problems as they get older.

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    1. I agree! 45 minutes of play would be awesome!!

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  3. This is such a great unit....so creative...and affordable! It is on my wishlist! I have about 15-20 minutes of "academic free choice" time...I call it! Amber

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  4. We have a playhouse, blocks/cars, puzzles/games, art, etc as "choice time" 5 days a week for 30 minutes. The students choose an area to play, go and play, then at the end they each share one thing they did during choice time. It is SO important for building social skills, cooperation, community building, and the review at the end covers CC speaking standards.
    -Andrea
    alwayskindergarten@aol.com

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    1. Integrating the speaking standards is a great idea!

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  5. I have a dramatic play (kitchen, McDonalds, Menards, etc), blocks, a sand/water table, and several other "toys." They get free choice at the end of each day for about 25 minutes. They work so hard during the day that it is nice for their brains to take a break PLUS they get to practice their social skills. I have thrown in several writing activities to the dramatic play area and your new pack looks fantastic!
    Sara
    Polka Dot Kinders

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    1. Thanks! I always do choice time at the end of the day, too. The kids definitely are all learned out by the end of the afternoon and I need a minute to do folders/behavior logs/etc!

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