Outdoor dramatic play will naturally enhance creativity, critical thinking and build vocabulary in your students!
When the children arrived at preschool, they found this large outdoor cafe all set up and ready for play…
The Setup
The backdrop that you see in the photo is a very large cardboard box panel that I painted so it would look like a wall with windows and a curtain…
Adding Props
Additional props for play included a basket of fruit and a basket of dishes…
I also set out aprons for those who wanted to dress the part of a food server and notepads for taking orders…
Building Life Skills
So much learning takes place through dramatic play. We are writing, communicating, cooperating, and for the most part sharing. We are using our imaginations and practicing daily life skills…
You just gave an idea! I always take materials outside—why not a theme box for outside? Say, an outside cafe box! It will go perfect with out community helpers theme. Yay, Deborah, you inspire me, AGAIN! :))
Haha – you don’t need inspired Ayn – you have so many wonderful ideas already:)
LOVE moving the dramatic play center outside!! Sometimes, I like adding restaurant themed props to our dramatic play…I just ask places like McDonalds, Chick Fil A, Market Street, etc for cups, food boxes, lids, straws, etc. I’ve also asked places like Chile’s and Olive Garden for extra/old menus…they are so durable and the kids love to “read” them and “order” food. 🙂
Oh – those are all such good ideas! I did this kind of at the spur of the moment. I will start collecting more items for when we set it out next time!! The children will love these ideas!
I love those chairs and tables….where did you find them?
I found the square table and all the chairs at Lowes this summer. I had the round table already and painted – it was falling apart so I gave it a make-over with outdoor spray paint:)
those chairs!
They are cute aren’t they! My hubby found them!
Lovely! I’ve been really pondering over what we can do outside with regards to dramatic play lately myself. My space is limited in our home and they really can’t “get into it” like I’d prefer so I thought…well, let’s take it outside. What a grand idea this is. I’ll be sure to save it. Where did you find your little chairs?
I found them at Lowes over the summer!