My children have always loved to play pretend. They would spend hours being creative with things they would find around the house. They would turn the entire living room into a dog grooming salon, a pet store or an ice cream shop. This kind of pretend play would keep them busy all day long and give me a much needed break at times!
Pretend play can be super annoying to the parent, especially if you are home with your child all day long. Creativity is not always the cleanest past time. There have been many days when I would walk into a room and see close to 100 stuffed animals and pillows, and chairs and blankets scattered across my entire living room!
When there weren’t enough blankets to accompany each stuffed animal, my children had to improvise. I was shocked to see that they had taken an entire box of Kleenex and pulled out all the tissues. They had given each stuffed animal their own individual Kleenex tissue blanket. An entire box of Kleenex was being used as a play item!
Just looking at the mess would send me running into the next room to escape it all! What were they thinking?!?!
After further inspection, I saw that it wasn’t just pillows and blankets and stuffed animals. And 100 sheets of tissues scattered about. All of my children were playing together quietly. They had created an entire animal shelter and adoption center. Each animal had their own pillow and blanket or tissue to keep them warm and help them to feel safe.
Why pretend play is important:
Playing pretend is essential for children because it helps them to develop their social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
It helps them explore the world around them and interact in ways they wouldn’t be able to act anywhere else.
Pretend play can help to alleviate stress and help your child to be calm and relaxed. It helps them to get along with the people they are playing with. They have to come up with ways to keep the play going and solve problems together.
Playing pretend keeps them happy, busy and creative at the same time. It is perfect when you have multiple children that you have to homeschool.
If you are looking for some imaginative fun for your little ones you are going to love these pretend play resources and units for your homeschool!
FREE Pretend Play Resources and Units:
Restaurants, Stores and Places in Town:
These Pretend Play Writing Printables from Pre Kinders are perfect for dramatic play centers. There are printables for writing checks, shopping lists, calendars, writing down messages, play money and more!
Zoo Pretend Play – Three Chickadees
Restaurant Dramatic Play – Pre-K Pages
Pretend Play Preschool Ice Cream Store – Spell Out Loud
How to Create a Pretend Play Airport – The Littles and Me
Movie Theater Pretend Play – Research Parent
Printable ID Cards and Licenses – Itsy Bitsy Fun
Pet Store Dramatic Play – Pocket of Preschool
Grocery Store Pretend Play Printables – Homeschool Share
Camping Pretend Play – Where Imagination Grows
Dramatic Play Coffee Shop – Inspired Motherhood
Printable Library Cards for Play – Clementine Creative
Pretend Library Play Set – Learn Create Love
Hot Chocolate Stand Pretend Play – From ABCs to ACTs
Hair Salon Dramatic Play – Pre-Kinders
Bakery Pretend Play – Life Over Cs
Community Helper and Career Play:
Post Office Dramatic Play – Teaching Mama
Doctor Pretend Play Printables – Kids Activities Blog
Fire Station Dramatic Play – Pocket of Preschool
Dentist Office Dramatic Play – PreK Printable Fun
Veterinary Printables and Pretend Play
Weather and Meteorologist Station Pretend Play – Early Learning Ideas
Create a Doctor Dramatic Play Area – Early Learning Ideas
Police Pretend Play and Printables – Living Montessori Now
Hospital Dramatic Play – Play to Learn
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Sarah is a wife, daughter of the King and Mama to 4 children (one who is a homeschool graduate)! She is a an eclectic, Charlotte Mason style homeschooler that has been homeschooling for almost 20 years.. She is still trying to find the balance between work and keeping a home and says she can only do it by the Grace of God, and Coffee!
