What Is Dramatic Play in Early Childhood Education?
Play is central to every child’s development. As infants, playful interactions–rolling a ball, holding a stuffed animal or doll, feeling puzzle pieces–are important signs of development. As children grow older, their play becomes more advanced. Their attention span grows, and their interests in specific types of play–dolls, cars and trains, blocks–begins to show. Dramatic play is when a child acts out a certain scenario, such as pretending to be a cow on a farm or a cook in a restaurant or dressing up as a fairy or a princess. Dramatic play can be done alone or with others.
