![Picture](/uploads/5/8/2/1/58217791/3803023.jpg?130)
Snack: Grapes and Pretzel Rods
Book: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs written by Judy Barrett
Book: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs written by Judy Barrett
The children have been helping to develop many areas of our classrooms. Lately there has been a transformation in our dramatic play area. They have created a stage, a backstage, a place to prepare food for the audience, a dressing room, and a music conductor table. They have added new materials, like costumes and taken things out, like the babies. This has been a busy and exciting place to spend time playing. We are continuing to add things as the children mention needs or things that might be missing. When we add items, we often ask questions like "Where could we find something like...? " or "How could we make that for ...?". We know that the more ownership the children take in the development of this area, the more they will take part in the play. Today several children made new things for the area, while in other areas of the classroom. When they brought them into the dramatic play area they described them to their peers and the new materials became part of the play. Here is what some of the conversations sound like in dramatic play.
Izzy: I made a drawing at the message center and if you press this orange button, fancy clothes will come out of the machine. You can try it out Harlow. (Harlow presses the button and begins to grab items from the rack of clothes.)
Lily: I made some things at the message center. This is a map for the people to find the stage. It should go where people can see it, before they come to the stage. Maybe it should go in the hallway or maybe here on the wall near the seats. I also have a dancer. The dancer should go by the stage.
Brady: We need more cards for songs and more songs for cards. How could we make them? Hmmm, maybe we could draw them? We also need instruments that aren't here at school. Maybe we could make them with something like paper at the message center or paint in the studio?
Zoe: I know all of these songs (looking through the song basket). I am really good at this music. This is fun!
Theertha: Who want the nail polish? Nail polish coming up! You can pick! Come on to the nail polish table.
Izzy: I made a drawing at the message center and if you press this orange button, fancy clothes will come out of the machine. You can try it out Harlow. (Harlow presses the button and begins to grab items from the rack of clothes.)
Lily: I made some things at the message center. This is a map for the people to find the stage. It should go where people can see it, before they come to the stage. Maybe it should go in the hallway or maybe here on the wall near the seats. I also have a dancer. The dancer should go by the stage.
Brady: We need more cards for songs and more songs for cards. How could we make them? Hmmm, maybe we could draw them? We also need instruments that aren't here at school. Maybe we could make them with something like paper at the message center or paint in the studio?
Zoe: I know all of these songs (looking through the song basket). I am really good at this music. This is fun!
Theertha: Who want the nail polish? Nail polish coming up! You can pick! Come on to the nail polish table.