Dramatic Play and Puppetry

1. Dramatic Play and Puppetry

2. Objectives • define the goals of dramatic play • discuss the importance of dramatic play to a young child’s development • discuss appropriate ways to use puppets in the early childhood program

3. Goals of Dramatic Play • Physical: increase in strength, overall fitness, motor skill development, health; • Cognitive: increase in skills such as problem solving, creative thinking, planning, organizing, language, and overall academic success;

4. Goals continued • Social and Emotional: enhanced development of cooperation, sharing, turn taking, less egocentrism, increase in pro-social values and self esteem, practice of appropriate social roles.

5. Importance of Dramatic Play • excellent means for developing creativity and imagination of young children • need an interesting environment and freedom to experiment • children are free to express their inner feelings • teachers find out how children feel about themselves and others by listening to them

6. Beginnings of Dramatic Play • visible in children as young as 1 year imitate the activity when given the right prop • put a comb to their hair and pull it along the side of their face • drinks from a cup, puts a hat on their head, etc • these are examples of pre-pretend play because it only involves the actions that are known to the child

7. Beginnings of Dramatic Play Cont. • actual dramatic play begins when a child uses a prop for something other than the activity for which he has seen it used • usually happens when the child is two years old

8. Development of Dramatic Play • simple imitative movements to complex dramatic play • important for teachers to be good observers and listeners • creative dramatics may begin with one child, and others will join in • playing store, speaking on a toy telephone

9. Development of Dramatic Play Cont. • dramatic play is their way of understanding and dealing with the world • important medium for language development • as play becomes more elaborate, the child’s language becomes more complex • listen and respond to each other

10. Dramatic Play in the Home (Housekeeping) Center • one of the best places to express themselves • pretend to be many different roles in society • provides endless opportunities for the teacher to broaden the children’s horizons

11. Dramatic Play in the Home Con’t • supplies should reflect the activities in the classroom and extend the skills being taught while introducing new ones • emphasize a nonsexist approach • encourage both boys’ and girls’ dramatic play • teacher should not be the leader

12. Dramatic Play in the Home Con’t • teacher observes and asks questions • encourages children to play by providing props that extend the play but do not change the theme • help children with their thinking by making obvious statements about their work that the child could expand on

13. Dramatic Play in the Home Con’t • modeling behavior - process of imitating what has been observed • children use a variety of materials from various parts of the room to support their play

14. Suggestions for creating dramatic play boxes for the classroom • Build around thematic units • Collect inexpensive play materials • Designate a specific play area in the classroom • Allow adequate time for play experiences

15. Suggestions continued • Encourage children to be creative with play themes • Add literacy/print experiences to every play box • Add items to promote character development and pro-social behaviors

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17. Questions to assess your dramatic play area at set-up • Does the play center incorporate a variety of materials that will encourage dramatic play of young children? • Does the play center include materials that will stimulate literacy activities (reading, writing, speaking, listening)?

18. Does the play center include teacher-made as well as commercial materials? • Are materials available that promote creativity and flexibility of play? • Are the materials developmentally appropriate for young children?

19. Are play props included which are conducive to a thematic unit? Is there a "theme" to your play center? • Does the play center reinforce physical, cognitive, & social skills appropriate for the grade level?

20. Questions to assess your dramatic play area once in use • Are children actively involved in play themes? • Do projects stem from natural encounters with play materials? • Are children engaged in high levels of social play, specifically cooperative play?

21. Questions continued • Does the center area account for various skill differences and individual learning preferences? • Are children supporting in problem solving activities?

22. Puppets • offer two ways to express creativity • creative experience of making the puppet • making the puppet come to life • using puppets begins in the preschool

23. Puppets continued • shy children may be more likely to participate with puppets • great tool for teaching abstract concepts • stimulating creative storytelling

24. Ideas for Using Puppets • puppet center (puppet materials, props, theater) • specific puppet for each center area • felt boards and puppets • move puppets to the beat of music to teach children rhythm and music interpretation • social studies

25. Stick puppets bag puppets hand puppets (pg 524) finger puppets wooden spool puppets two-faced paper plate puppets play dough puppets Styrofoam ball puppets ping-pong puppets sock puppet glove finger puppets old mitten puppets cardboard cylinder puppet people puppets Kinds of Puppets

26. What is…? • creative dramatics • dramatic play • modeling behavior

27. Activity