April 13, 2013 DVAEYCDr. Donna R. Sanderson

West Chester University

Library of Love is open for business

Caroline holding a library card.

Become representers of their experiences and to create new imaginative realities.

Dramatic play activity has been linked to social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth.

Children’s dramatic play ability is enhanced as their development allows them to use symbolic representation to engage in cooperative play with others.

By the age of 3 most children are capable of pretending with imaginary objects and events even when props are not present.

As children become preschoolers dramatic play becomes a cooperative activity where players work together to carry out a predetermined theme. This is called…..socio-dramatic play.

For play to be considered socio-dramatic several components must be present. The child must:

◦A) engage in role playing (pretends to be another person, object or animal)

◦B) make believe with actions and objects◦C) have verbal and social interactions with at

least one other person to coordinate roles and plots

◦D) have a play theme that lasts more than 5 minutes

Welcome to the Library Of Love!

Socio-dramatic play is an especially powerful medium for supporting literacy development.

Play promotes oral language as children become “storytellers of pretend events.” (Brown, et al, 2001).

During socio-dramatic play children must negotiate play scripts and roles with peers, determine the meaning of props, act out the roles using different voices, inflections and rich verbal exchanges.

Dramatic play is important for reading & writing development, children must understand that the written word is a symbolic representation of an object or idea.

This enriched environment allows children to practice writing

and reading in an authentic, highly motivating context.

List of specialty books with corresponding numbers housed behind the main desk. Young Adult Section 3

Uh oh, you get fined for a late book!!

These librarians are hard core!

Dramatic play is the ideal play arena for learning self-regulation because it is a highly motivating activity to practice rule bound behavior.

The imaginary situation helps children separate their thoughts and behaviors from what is going on around them and to use their internal ideas to guide their behavior.

Cognitive skills that are enhanced can be: using spatial awareness, classification, fractions, sorting, grouping, patterns, geometric awareness, etc….

Dramatic play leads to advanced play meaning greater intellectual competence, creativity and problem-solving. Likewise, art and writing is also a way children represent their knowledge.

Sorting and organizing books into sections.

Music section & children’s section.

Specialty books behind the desk.

Cooking Section

Dramatic play allows children to practice social skills and to “gain culturally valued competencies.”

Research had documented that children participate in more complex social interactions in socio-dramatic play than in other centers in the classroom.

Children learn to negotiate roles, take turns, resolve interpersonal relationships. Through their negotiations and discussions they begin to understand their own and other’s family and cultural beliefs, practices and values.

During dramatic play children also take on the roles of others, allowing them to gain an understanding of the role, experiences another’s perspective, develop empathy, and engage in rehearsal for life.

The librarian assistant telling me about a book.

Your friendly neighborhood librarian.

Dramatic play can act as a cathartic release (a way to discharge emotion).

It allows for children to act out fears and traumatic events in a safe environment.

Through play children have the power to change the endings if they wish.

Children can practice solving dilemmas and use play as a dorm of communication.

Computer boxes work great – label them Not all prop items/ideas are appropriate for all ages –

consider safety first Rotate the boxes frequently and you will prevent

boredom (and behavioral problems due to boredom) Parents are great resources for prop box item

donations Do not allow stereotyping based on sex. All children

should be allowed to explore any “role” they choose. View dramatic play and prop box enrichments as

opportunities to build upon skills and learn concepts

• the beach, flower shop, restaurant, hospital, doctor/dentist office, veterinarian, fire fighter, police station, dry cleaners, ice cream parlor, bakery, plumber, tourist/vacationer, post office, library, fishing boat, camping, house painter, astronaut, optometrist, shoe store, jewelry store, wedding, hair salon, gas station, office worker, grocery store, car wash, school, pizza parlor, bank, movie theater, etc……………

Play based activities can be fun

As well as highly educational!