DRAMATIC PLAY THEMES

Ideas for Adding Interest to the Dramatic Play Area

Housekeeping

• Elementary School - lunch box, cafeteria trays, backpack, spiral notebook, pencils, large chalkboard and chalk
• Home Living - dolls, doll beds, high-chair, baby bottles, diaper bag, dress-up clothes (male and female), telephone, phone book, magazines and newspapers, feather duster
• Kitchen - pots and pans, potholders, empty food containers, table and chairs, plates, utensils (eating and cooking), placemats, cups, napkins, salt and pepper shakers, plastic food, cook books or recipe cards, plastic flowers in a vase, dishtowels, sponge, empty liquid soap container, dish drying rack

Fantasy

• Animals - plastic animal noses, animal ear headbands, animal Halloween costumes
• Circus - clown shoes, noses, and clothes, circus program, hula hoops, megaphone, popcorn bags
• Storybook Characters - dress up clothes or Halloween costumes, books or posters of the characters

Leisure

• Football - jersey, helmet, shoes with plastic cleats
• Camping - tent, sleeping bag, "campfire" made from paper towel tubes and tissue paper, lantern
• Gardening - gardening gloves, plastic gardening tools, empty seed packets, kneeling pad, small wheelbarrow, spray bottles, watering can, sunglasses, straw hats
• Golf - plaid pants and skirts, sweater vests, golf caps, plastic golf clubs, ping pong balls (instead of hard golf balls), saddle oxford shoes
• Hiking - hiking boots, compass, walking stick, hat, backpack, canteen/water bottle
• Picnicking - picnic blanket/table cloth, picnic basket, cooler, pretend ants, sunglasses, straw hats
• Soccer - soccer shorts, shin guards, shoes with plastic cleats
• Vacation - travel brochures or posters, maps, binoculars, compass, sunglasses, floral shirts, grass skirts, empty sunscreen bottles, beach chairs, beach towels, straw hats, colorful plastic cups and plates, camera

Different Kinds of Work

• Artist - berets, sketch pads, large loose fitting shirts, table top easel, "paintings", paint brushes, color palate, pottery wheels, pottery, sculptures, art smocks
• Barber/Beauty Shop - curlers, hair dryers and curling irons (without the cords), hair brushes/combs/picks, shower caps, barber capes, magazines with pictures of various hairstyles, empty shampoo and hairspray bottles, wigs, cash register and play money, old credit cards
• Construction Work - hard hat, tool belt, plastic tools, plastic work- bench, work boots, safety goggles, work gloves, lunchbox, walkie- talkies, construction signs, orange construction tape (or ribbon)
• Doctor’s Office - lab coat, "scrub" shirts, surgical masks, stethoscope, pretend prescription pad and writing utensils, cotton balls, sheets of white butcher paper, appointment book, magazines for the waiting area
• Florist - plastic/silk flowers, plastic vases, Styrofoam, tissue paper, cellophane, clear tape, small gift cards and writing utensils, invoice pad, delivery truck made from a cardboard box
• Ice Cream Store - scoops, large pom-poms or cotton balls, empty topping bottles, napkins, spoons, dishes, menu (store donated or teacher made), construction paper sprinkles and toppings, empty ice cream containers, cash register and play money, old credit cards, hats/shirts with logos
• Office - phone, rolodex, computer keyboard or typewriter, briefcase, portfolio, old calculator, desk calendar, file folders, business cards, writing utensils, paper clips, legal pads, note pads, sticky notes, message book, yellow pages phone book
• Military - camouflage shirts and hats, canteen, sunglasses, hiking boots, walkie-talkies
• Musician - microphones, head phones, records/CDs/tapes, instruments, flashy clothes, sunglasses
• Post Office - mailbox, mail bins, stamps/stickers, old stationary and envelopes, junk mail, writing utensils, cash register and play money, post office uniform or hats, stamp brochures, cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape
• Restaurant - menu (restaurant donated or teacher made), apron, tray, food containers, plastic food, order pad and writing utensils, cash register and play money, old credit cards, salt and pepper shakers, empty condiment containers, flowers in a vase, placemats/tablecloths/napkins, dishes, silverware, water pitcher, waiter/waitress uniform, chef hat
• Supermarket/Grocery Store - plastic shopping baskets and child-sized push carts, plastic fruit and vegetables, scales for weighing fruit, cash register, cash register tape, play money, old credit cards, old checks, aprons/shirts/hats with grocery logos, food boxes/cans/bottles, coupons, paper grocery bags, department signs
• Veterinarian Office - stuffed animals, stethoscope, doctor’s kit, grooming brushes, empty grooming bottles, towels, pet bowls, empty pet food containers, dog bones, lab coat and "scrub" shirts, appointment book and writing utensils, cash register and play money, posters of pets, dog/cat reference books