How would you set up a dramatic play area to encourage participation and creative expression?

Question

I want to do a dramatic arts theme for 3-5 year olds. I have access to lots of centres, but am looking for ideas and rearranging the room. How much room should this area be compared to other areas? I have access to an adjoining room. Should I keep the groups seperate and have two dramatic play areas? or should I have one room with more and the other room with a small dramatic centre? What would you do? The cleaning crew will be removing everything from the room and I get to design a plan for where they put it back.

Answer 1

I like my dramatic play area to be close to home living area. The children can wear the dress up clothes throughout the room. They set up their chairs as buses or planes and take trips with suit cases, purses and brief cases. The room just needs quiet areas for those who don't want to participate in the drama that day. Be flexible and don't keep your children from using their imagination throughout the room.

Answer 2

puppets really do help- a little puppet screen and basket full of them ,

Answer 3

Keep the groups separate?  You have two classrooms and are going to join them?  What's the numbers like?

Personally, I like a dramatic play that is about 6x4 feet.  You can do quite a bit with it.  I suggest having two dramatic play areas... that way you can rotate the dramatic play furniture and etc for more variation.  They don't need a whole large room for dramatic play as long as they have a variation.  One reason why I say smaller is so that only 3-4 children at a time play in the area. I find a larger group tends to cause a bit of "chaos" but a smaller group tends to stay focused and extend their play with all the children involved.  Also, you do want to encourage play at other centers for a "well-rounded" education so having the small center keep the children moving instead of playing at dramatic play for all the free time.  We know that is the most popular center of a preschool classroom.