Dramatic Play Tips for Childcare Providers & Parents

Hello Educators & Super Parents! 

May is here, and that means longer days, more play, and the perfect time to spark creativity through dramatic play! Whether you're seeking dramatic play tips as a childcare provider planning activities for your staff and students, or a parent preparing for a fun-filled summer, we've got you covered with easy, engaging ideas that inspire imagination, social skills, and self-expression.

🎭 Dramatic Play Tips for Childcare Providers & Parents

1. Create a Summer-Themed Role Play Corner Turn a corner of your classroom or home into a beach, ice cream shop, or campsite! Use towels, umbrellas, toy cones, or faux campfires to set the stage. Invite children to role-play as lifeguards, ice cream servers, or campers. Rotate the themes weekly to keep it fresh!

2. Costume Days Let children and staff pick a theme of the week (superheroes, storybook characters, community helpers). Encourage storytelling and improvisation. Parents can join in at home by having mini dress-up shows or “character nights.”

3. Puppet Theater Create simple sock puppets or paper bag characters. Encourage kids to create short skits, practice emotions, and perform for their peers or parents. Great for confidence and emotional development!

4. Dramatic Movement Games “Act Like…” games (e.g., "Act like you're on a safari!" or "You're a seed growing into a flower!") help kids connect with their bodies and use imagination. This is a great indoor or outdoor activity.

🌴 Empowering Parents for Summer Drama Play

• Storytelling Nights: Take turns acting out bedtime stories or making up your own tales together.

• Backyard Theater: Let kids perform a “summer play” for family members using old clothes as costumes and homemade props.

  
  

• Creative Journaling: Encourage kids to write or draw their own adventures and then act them out.