Thanksgiving Dramatic Play
Thanksgiving can be a bit of a minefield to explore in the classroom. It’s really hard for preschoolers to understand the historical significance of the holiday – they can’t comprehend just how long ago the first Thanksgiving took place. It’s also a challenge to represent the holiday in a way that is culturally competent while also remaining developmentally appropriate. This is why I try to stick with two common themes related to Thanksgiving; Food and Family.
Food is ideal for Thanksgiving-themed dramatic play. Here are three different ideas for this holiday:
Family table – give children all of the materials that they might need to create beautiful Thanksgiving table scapes. Include materials like tablecloths, placemats, dishes, centerpiece options, decor, silverware, and different types of cups. Children can practice setting the table and take on different roles as they pretend to eat together.
Grocery store – shopping for meal ingredients is an essential part of the holiday, so it makes perfect sense to give children the opportunity to do this on their own. Include items that they would definitely need to cook a Thanksgiving meal such as empty spice jars, cans of cranberry sauce, boxes of stuffing mix, potatoes, breads, and pasta, along with other grocery store necessities (shopping bags, cash register, checkout counter, shopping baskets or carts, etc.).
Pie bakery – Is it really Thanksgiving without pie?! Set up a bakery where children can bake and sell their favorite holiday desserts. Make sure to add plenty of aluminum pie pans, felt pieces that can be used as crusts and fillings, bakery boxes, signage, and a cash register.
Check out Wednesday’s post – Classroom Materials for Thanksgiving – to find links to items that will support all of these Thanksgiving dramatic play ideas!
