Post Office Dramatic Play Center
Probably one of my favorite Dramatic Play opportunities during the school year, is The Valentine Post Office. I purchased the postman costumes years (and years) ago from Lakeshore, here are some available on Amazon. They are adorable, and consist of a jacket, a hat and a mailbag. If you do not have costumes, you can find many templates for postal worker hats online , or simply make your own as a headband, or do the Post Office without costumes.
Next, fill the playhouse with TONS of writing paper. I have scraps of paper, paper cut as hearts, paper that is ran as cards to cut out, and so-on. Add some markers, pencils, crayons, stamps, or anything else you can think of. Include lots of Valentine making materials: Cards, hearts, stamps, stickers, envelopes, papers, stencils, etc. Display some valentine words that you can make on your own or find in our Valentines Thematic Unit. Next make a mailbox that has a cubby for each student. You can purchase such a cubby ( find one in your school storage space), or even make one by stapling milk boxes, with the tops cut off, together to make a shelf-looking structure. Whichever you choose, don’t forget to label the boxes so students will know how to deliver their mail.
Make sure you display in full view, your students’ names (with pictures) to assist letter writing.
Before opening the center to my students, I give them one main rule: The post office is for writing letters! You can add pictures to finish your writing, but you must write first! This is when my independent writing moves to a new level, and I love it!
The kids have a great time making Valentines and delivering them to one another, while practicing their emerging writing skills in an authentic way! Hip Hip Hooray for dramatic play!!
Enjoy promoting kindness and caring as your students practice their emergent reading and writing skills in an engaging, play-based way.
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Dramatic play offers unprecedented opportunities for teaching Common Core Math concepts through authentic experiences. In fact, when asked to work on math skills in the context of a play situation, students are always able to work at a level above their normal skill. To meet the high academic demands of the 21st century, play will be critical to student success, scaffolding their learning in a way that allows them to be successful.
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Product Description
Valentine Thematic Unit is filled with curriculum essentials, games and activities that will enhance your Valentine Celebration in your classroom or homeschool setting. All activities are strategically linked to academic Core Standards.
Table of Contents:
Literacy Activities
Speedy Heart: Naming Alphabet Letter Sounds Fluently
Valentine YOYO: Reading Sight Words
Postal Race: Reading and Alphabetizing Names
Valentine Sounds: Blending Sounds Together
Capital Clash: Building Alphabet Letter and Sound Fluency
Vanishing Hearts: Reading Alphabet Letter Sounds Fluently
Vanishing Hearts: Reading CVC Words Fluently
Conversation Hearts: Reading and Writing High-Frequency Words
Sorting Mail: Reading and Writing Various Fonts
Math Activities
Find a Heart: Identifying Numbers
Valentine Count: Making Numbers Equal to 10
Cupcake Wars: Adding and Subtracting on a Number Line Using the Signs + and -.
Draw a Shape: Drawing Shapes
Symmetry: Making a Heart
Candy Heart Graph: Gathering and Interpreting Data
Art Projects
Valentine Animals
Valentine Mouse
Valentine Puzzle
Kitchen Science
Sweetheart Pudding
Decorate a Valentine Cookie
Songs
My Friend
Love Dust
Bushel and a Peck
You are my Sunshine
Writing
Valentine Word Wall Words
Writing Prompts:
My Friends
Things I Love
I Can:
Label It
Write a List
Write Word Wall Words
Sight Word- Decodable Independent Reader
My Valentine