by Angel Avery-Wright Dramatic play areas are often very popular with children. Children can dress up, cook dinner, take care of a baby, serve food at a restaurant, or take the cat to the vet. Materials that enhance dramatic play are plentiful. Dolls, plastic food and dishes, appliances such as a refrigerator and stove, tables...Read More

By Angel Avery-Wright Chalk is an open-ended art material that can be used for so much more than just art. Chalk gives children the opportunity to learn so many different skills such as eye hand coordination, problem solving, and taking turns.Read More

by Natalie Grebe Recently I attended a birthday party for a friend’s little boy named Cian. Cian was turning two and was all smiles as guests arrived and piled presents inside his red wagon. He mostly enjoyed playing with his cousins in the yard and luring his favorite “Grammie” to his sandbox to play alongside...Read More

Amy Hoffman During a recent holiday I saw many of my friends post photos on social media of their children or pets playing with their favorite gift – a cardboard box! It reminded me of how much I enjoyed playing with boxes when I was younger, and even as an adult I struggle with, “Should...Read More

Natalie Grebe Pretend Play. Dramatic Play. Likely these are some of the first terms you encountered when learning to teach in a childcare setting. Children pretending, acting, and vocalizing the world around them is certainly not a recent concept. What has changed however, is how we as early childhood teachers can support this type of...Read More

Angel Avery-Wright When an assessor walks into the room, one of the first things that catches our eye is the display: artwork, family photos, calendar, posters, and other photos. Do those other photos depict diversity?Read More

Natalie Grebe   As an assessor, I often observe classrooms with many well-stocked activity centers: a kitchen center for dramatic play, a bookshelf with cozy areas, a science center full of magnifying glasses, scales and scoops, along with plenty of puzzles, blocks and vehicles. I also often see puppets! I have loved puppets since I was...Read More

Angel Avery-Wright Boxes of all sizes can add so much fun to a dramatic play center and incorporate science, math, and art. Use larger boxes, like supply or food boxes in dramatic play to enhance themes such as a pizza oven for a restaurant theme. Use an open box for a vegetable stand or flower...Read More

By Stefanie Camoni Preschool children love to pretend. They pretend to be police officers, fast food workers, moms, dads, even puppies and anyone or anything they have encountered, watched on TV, or read about in a book. Therefore, it is important to fill the dramatic play center with props and materials that allow children to...Read More

Kelli Harris When I was in graduate school, one of my assignments was to create a prop box, and my mind automatically went to the dramatic play area in my classroom. Prop boxes are a wonderful way to enhance and change the themes in our dramatic play areas. But this assignment was not for the...Read More