- Definition
Dramatic play is when children use their imagination to pretend, like dressing up as superheroes or using a block as a phone, to act out stories or real-life situations. It's a way for them to explore and understand the world around them through make-believe.
When your child puts on a hat and pretends to be a chef cooking in a play kitchen, that is dramatic play.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Dramatic play is like being the star of your own movie, where you get to make up the story as you go.
Ask your child: What character do you want to be today?
Common mix-up: Some may see this as just 'goofing off.' But dramatic play is how children make sense of the world and practice important social skills.
Examples
- Using a block as a telephone to call a friend.
- Pretending to be a doctor giving a teddy bear a check-up.
- Two children acting out a scene as a family getting ready for a trip.
dramatic play is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
