Offer an array of objects and props that support your child's world of make-believe. Put together prop boxes for your kids with three of four props that help get your child's play theme under way. Then, as the child's interest dwindles, add another theme-related item to re-stimulate the play. After a trip to the fire station, provide a fire truck, a helmet, and a piece of hose. Later, add a walkie-talkie, and a toy ambulance. Go to the library together and find a book about fire fighters.
Grocery Store
- Paper bags
- Toy cash register
- Play money
- Empty cereal boxes, clear plastic cartons, and yogurt pots
Doctor's Office
- Medical kit
- Bandages
- Dolls
- Tongue depressors
- Ace bandage
Business Office
- Keyboard
- Telephone
- Tablet of paper
- Envelopes
- Adhesive notes
- Hole puncher
Materials to support all play themes
- Blankets
- Big, empty boxes
- Wood scraps
- Masking tape
- String
- Cardboard
- Large paper
- Discarded paper towel rolls
Artist Studio
- Plastic scissors
- Paper
- Marking pens
- Glitter
- Glue
- Discarded wrapping paper and ribbon
- Tape
- String
- Paint
Writing Supplies
- Fat pencils
- Lined paper
- Stapler
- Crayons
- Stickers
- Stamp with pads
Make Pretend Play Even Better!
- Find the royal you! Play the role of prince when your daughter steps into the role of princess. Let her be in charge. Don't take over by questioning, instructing, or intruding. Simply watch, listen, and play along. You'll learn lots about your child.
- Allow your children to transform your dining table into a fort. Let it stay up a few days so the fort theme can develop and extend over a period of time.
- Go out of your way to bring in same-aged playmates. As your child moves into the 3 year, a playmate satisfies and supports her world of make-believe. It is not until a child is 7, that she can play well with more than one child at a time.
- Try not to interrupt children's play. If you must take your astronaut to the grocery store, let her stay in her space suit. When it's time to eat lunch, maybe she can eat in her closet-turned-space-capsule.
- When you search for a preschool for your child, notice if the curriculum provides for, and values pretend play. Is there a housekeeping corner, a grocery store, a block corner?
- Play along if your child creates an imaginative playmate. Often children use imaginative friends as an emotional counterpart. The shy child may create a friend who is brave and outgoing.
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