After a wonderful Book Week celebration in August, the love of stories has not stopped at Daisy Lane Early Learning in Drewvale. This September, we are channelling that excitement into dramatic play activities for children, acting out favourite book scenes and characters together.
This post explains why dramatic play activities for children are so valuable, how our Book Week theatre programme works, and how families can keep the storytelling going at home.
Why Dramatic Play Activities for Children Matter
Dramatic play activities for children allow them to step into someone else's shoes, try out new language and make sense of stories in a hands-on way. Raising Children Network explains that imaginative and pretend play supports children's thinking, language and social skills as they experiment with roles, rules and ideas (see raisingchildren.net.au).
Acting out a story helps a child understand it far more deeply than simply hearing it read aloud.
Book Week Theatre in Action at Daisy Lane
Building on Book Week, our educators have set up ongoing dramatic play activities for children across the centre, including:
- A dress-up corner stocked with costumes inspired by favourite picture books
- Small group retellings of well-loved stories as mini plays
- A simple stage area with props and backdrops children help create
- Group performances shared with families at pick-up time
- Story sequencing games, where children act out what happens first, next and last
Children take turns being the narrator, the characters and the audience, so every child gets a chance to shine.
Supporting Literacy Through Dramatic Play
Dramatic play activities for children also build genuine early literacy skills. As children rehearse dialogue, they expand their vocabulary and improve sentence structure. Acting out a plot in order strengthens comprehension and sequencing, both of which are important foundations for reading, an area also covered in the Queensland Government's guidance for families on supporting reading at home (see education.qld.gov.au).
Standing up in front of friends to perform also builds confidence that carries well beyond storytime.
Keep the Story Going at Home
Families can easily join in the fun. Try:
- Choosing a favourite book and acting out one scene together
- Making a simple costume from things around the house
- Taking turns playing different characters from the same story
We would love to welcome your family to see our dramatic play activities for children in action. Contact Daisy Lane Early Learning in Drewvale to book a tour and see our Book Week theatre programme continue into spring.
