A Fun Dramatic Play Idea for Preschool Kids
Almost every child knows who or what a postman or mail man/woman is and what they do. They deliver the mail to us from the post office.
Let preschool children experience what it’s like to be a “real” mail delivery person delivering mail in the local community and working in the postal service with this dramatic play learning activity.
It’s easier than you might think to collect all of the things you need to create your very own post office dramatic play center.
Post Office Pretend Play Area – Items You Will Need
Mailbox:
This can be made very easily by cutting a mail slot into a rectangular cardboard box and wrapping it in red construction paper or wrapping paper like the post office mailboxes you see in your local community.
Make sure you don’t wrap over the mail slot. You can draw or glue an envelope to either side and write the word mailbox on it, or just leave it plain.
- Envelopes – Available at the dollar store.
- Paper – Available at the dollar store.
- Pencils – Available at the dollar store.
- Clock
- Calendar
- Stickers
Post Office Bag(s)– Look for costumes on sale after Halloween or contact your local postal service and ask if they can donate any old bags they may be throwing in the garbage for educational purposes.
Postman/Woman Uniform– Look for costumes on sale after Halloween or contact your local post office and ask if they can donate any old bags they may be throwing in the garbage for educational purposes.
Post Office Themed Visuals on the wall – Cut out pictures from magazines or print out pictures on the internet, laminate or Mac TAC, and display in the dramatic play center.
Child sized table and chairs
This pretend play center is a great way to expand on the subject of community helpers, and people in the neighborhood. Make sure to have real-to-life picture books in the library of a variety of community helpers.
Another great idea is that if possible, a member of your local post office could come into the class and talk about the mail and a simplified process of what it takes to get the mail moving through the system.
Post Office Tour/Field Trip:
Why not try and take a small tour of your local postal office if possible.
The more you engage the children on the subject, the more they will be interested in the dramatic play center you have set up for them.
Have fun and don’t forget to post pictures to show us how great your center looked and how much fun your class had on our facebook fan page.