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Joining in dramatic play is critical.

Updated: Jun 17, 2021

This post, from my time as a literacy coach, is sweet, but also sentimental to me because the children were in my kindergarten class the next year.


The other day I was walking around one of the PreK classrooms I work with as the teacher sat in the middle of the room pulling students, one at a time, to work on some handwriting. Meanwhile, the rest of the kids were engaged in play around the periphery of the room. In the library, there was a little girl sitting on a bean bag, holding an old phone up to her head. She wanted to chat but didn't seem sure how to start the conversation. I sat down in the beanbag next to her. Me: Would you like to call me? (I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket)


Girl: Sure! Ring, ring, ring, ring!


Me: Hello? This is Mr. Halpern.


Girl: Hi, Mr. Halpern, do you think you could go to the store?


Me: Sure! Oh here comes M (another little girl had heard our chat and wandered over).


Girl: Can she go with you? I need milk, coconut oil...


Me: Hang on, M - we need to write this list down for the store! (M runs off and returns with paper and marker, grabs a hardcover book and starts writing)


Me: What was that again?


Girl: Eggs, Apples, Milk, coconut oil - it's good for dry lips, and pizza - please bring a pizza home for dinner!


Me: M and I are on it! Is that it?


Girl: Yes, bye-bye!


Me: Bye!

And with that, we had practiced oral language skills, concepts about print, handwriting, and oh yeah, had fun playing!


Once I planted the seed of how this telephone play might look, another little boy came over and I handed him (carefully) my phone and the conversation took off in another direction (a doctor's appointment, a scary shot...) and I walked away with a smile.


If you're lucky enough to work with PreK or Kindergarten, find ways to coach into play when you can. Besides having a blast with your students, you'll gently lift the level of play, boosting important skills along with all the fun. Play is the work of our littlest learners after all!

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