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dramatic play; a form of play in which a single child imitates another person or acts out a situation

socio-dramatic play; involves several children imitating others and acting out situations together

puppetry is another type of play that allows a child to imitate others

child places feelings and emotions he or she feels onto the puppet; known as projection

solitary play; or independent play; basically exploratory in nature

involve the child gathering information; explore single objects until about nine months of age

parallel play; children play beside each other

little interaction among children

associative play; first type of social play where children interact with one another while engaging in a similar activity

loosely organized, so there is not a definite goal

cooperative play; play between two or more children

children begin playing with peers as they grow socially and emotionally

learn to respect property of others, learning that permission is needed to use some materials; at this stage socio-dramatic play begins

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first stage of material use is called the manipulative stage; child at this stage handles props

second stage is called the functional stage; the child will use the prop as intended while playing with other children

third stage is called the imaginative stage; children in this stage do not need real props, they are able to think of substitutes

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themes for socio-dramatic play vary

often focus on everyday situations children experience

teachers will often provide props that complement a unit of study, as well as the children's interests

themes change with age

Three-Year-Olds

the emphasis in three-year-old children's play is on process

no preplanned plot or theme

real and pretend are still not firmly seperated, so the child becomes what he or she imitates

routines are important

Four-Year-Olds

more likely to take part in socio-dramatic play

play no longer centers primarily around the home

play now involves more aggressive behaviors (ex; children like to imitate ghosts, monsters, or TV action heroes)

may notice feminie and masculine traits exaggerated

children's roles change frequently

children are included in or excluded from play based on sameness and difference

Five-Year-Olds

socio-dramatic play of five-year-olds reflects games with rules, as well as fears and hostile feelings

can usually tell the differnce between reality and fantasy; may hear the child say "this is just pretend"

real-life roles as well as folk heroes are part of five-year-olds' socio-dramatic play

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first role of a teacher is to act as a resource person that provides materials and space

studies show that in classrooms where theme-related props were provided, children spent more time is socio-dramatic play

the quality of toys and activities in classroom will also affect time spent in socio-dramatic play

also includes coaching, modeling, and reinforcing

coaching: provide children with ideas for difficult situations

modeling: show the children the appropriate behavior to use during their play

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dramatic play is best scheduled during self-selected play periods

periods must be long enough for the children to carry out thier ideas; many programs allow the first hour in the morning for this type of play

avoid scheduling too many activities; this affects the number of children who take part in and remain with socio-dramatic play

schedule activities that complement each other; blocks, woodworking, puppets, and art activities all encourage dramatic play

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Equipment and Setup for Socio-Dramatic Play

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Equipment and Setup for Socio-Dramatic Play

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children spend more time in socio-dramatic play areas when the area is in the center of the room

provide age-appropriate materials and store them in accessible areas

Prop Boxes

contains materials and equipment that encourage children to explore various roles

Costume Corner

rotate costumes to complement current studies

needs to contain clothing from a variety of cultures

lightweight cardboard boxes are good for storage; mark each box

Housekeeping Area

supply child-sized furniture and equipment; rotate often

Outdoor Play Area

needs equipment that promotes socio-dramatic play

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puppetry involved the use of puppets in play

powerful learning tools for young children; allows children to act out emotions and say things they might not be willing to say to another person

because of this, teachers may be able to learn what makes a child angry, sad, or happy

puppets can be used a teaching aids; can be used effectively in almost every area of the curriculum

often, they are used to motivate children, encourage them to share their thoughts, and to spark ideas

puppets can be used to help children solve problems

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includes hand, mascot, and "me" puppets

the value of each type depends on the needs and interests of the children

Hand Puppets

easiest to use since no strings or rods are need to work

Mascot Puppets

some teachers choose to have a mascot puppet in their classroom

a mascot puppet is usually large, and remains in the classroom all year

can be used in classroom routines and as a teaching tool

"Me" Puppets

children can be taught how to make puppets by using their hands

these puppets are made with markers, felt pieces, fake fur, construction paper, and double-stick tape

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almost any materials can be made into puppets

store-bought or self-designed patterns can be used

parts can be glued or sewn on

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not always needed, but many classes have them

lightweight and easy to store

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often contemporary, designed to fit children's needs and interests

using a theme will help decide on events

developing a plot is the most difficult part of writing a puppet story

children must be able to follow the action of the story

events and problems add interest and tension to stories

end by resolving the conflict

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when using puppets in the classroom, the puppet should always model proper communication skills

when the puppet speaks, it should face the children, and when the children speak the puppet should stay still and face them

the puppet should also use proper grammar

three basic types of movements can be modeled with hand puppets; the fingers, wrists, and arms may be moved

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the room should set the mood for the story

the first few minutes set the tone of the story

make a special effort to gain the attention of the children

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use a special voice for puppets; shouldn't be similar to a human voice

uses different pitches are important

children should be able to hear the puppets clearly

voices should be constant

match the puppet's size and character