Exploring the Benefits of Pretend and Dramatic Play in Children

We have all observed children engaging in pretend and dramatic play. As a matter of fact, most of us

probably remember engaging in this type of play as children. There are numerous benefits of pretend

and dramatic play in children. In this article, you will be introduced to these benefits. By understanding

the benefits and working to encourage this type of play in children, you will stimulate the process of

building numerous skills in special areas of the developmental process.

If you walk into a daycare center, a preschool classroom, or even in the classrooms of lower grade

elementary school students, you will notice there are many activities that promote pretend and

dramatic play in children. This is a method that is used throughout these types of environment due to

the fact that research has shown that it helps to assist in various skills that are required in life. Castle

play furniture and castle playsets are commonly used by daycares, preschool centers and schools.

By engaging in pretend and dramatic play, children can benefit because it actually allows the

experimentation of various roles in life that involve social skills and emotional responses. It has recently

been established that by learning an assortment of basic skills, a child will experience more success in

the area of academics as well.

When a child participates in role playing game that considered to be pretend or dramatic play, it will

allow the individual to become more creative. By playing various types of career roles, such as being a

policeman, playing a fireman, or pretending to be a doctor, the child is allowed the opportunity to use

and increase their problem solving skills and interact with others. There are many types of imaginative

play sets that encourage this type of pretend and dramatic play. Wooden kitchen play sets, pretend play

food sets, and other toys that encourage dramatic play can prove to be an essential component to the

social and emotional development of a child. By engaging in pretend and dramatic play with other

children, a child develops the skills of taking turns and sharing with others.

By implementing the use of hand puppets and marionettes puppets, a child may gain strong language

skills. Language is an important developmental milestone in the life of a child. Children may learn how to

use language to control his surroundings, describe the things that he experiences with his senses, and

organize his thoughts. The development of language also allows a child to describe the string of events

in a story and reenact that story. When a child casting a show, with marionettes puppets, he is

recognizing that there is a connection between words that are written and words that are spoken.

By allowing your child to play and pretend using imaginative playsets and other types of dramatic play

toys, you are allowing him the ability to develop his basic thinking skills. This allows the individual to

learn how to use his senses to experience things, and also how to effectively deal with problems. This

may also prove to be extremely beneficial in the area of making important decisions and to learn what is

considered to be proper behavior and what is considered to be improper behavior. This is a great way to

reinforce good manners and to help your child distinguish between good manners and bad manners.

Wooden doll houses and many different types of dolls or wooden animals can be used to encourage

pretend play and dramatic play. Items around the home are often given to children to allow them the

use of their imagination. Have you ever noticed how much children love boxes? It is because boxes can

be anything that they want them to be – a house, a boat, a car, an airplane, and more! Allowing a child

to play with old clothes to dress up in, old cell phones and landline telephones, cooking utensils, fabric,

coins, and more can provide great products for pretend and dramatic play. Children furniture such as

pretend princess room furniture, creates stimulating and fun play environment.

Children can be given a number of supplies and products to encourage this type of play. Important skills

such as language development, learning manners, and general academic success are all considered

positive results in pretend and dramatic play. Items such as play kitchen sets, sandboxes, play office sets,

doctor sets, police sets, firemen sets, activity play tables, and other types of playsets can prove to be an

exceptional tool to basic skill development in children. Children can enjoy hours and hours of pretend

and dramatic play with these types of products.

Marina Neiman, author and mother of two, writes for 1888Toys.com – Educational Toys Store, features

educational toys for pretend and dramatic play such as hand puppets, animal marionettes, kitchen toys

and other toys for fun play.