Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/the-seeds-of-dramatic-play/5014825/
A ten month old picks up a toy telephone and holds it to her ear, happily babbling into it. A toddler pushes a truck along the floor making the engine roar and the brakes squeal. A two year old lifts up her shirt and holds a baby doll to her chest as a quiet, peaceful expression crosses her face. Either a boy or girl may now become a powerful "parent" as they tenderly tuck their baby into a doll bed. Why are they doing this? How do they know how?Early childhood educators know the value of dramatic play with preschoolers. Children learn empathy as they practice literally putting themselves in someone else's shoes. Language is enhanced as their play characters express themselves to their peers and social relationships are strengthened. They increase their cognitive skills when they use objects of their own choosing as symbols or props in their play. Their imagination grows as they play out scenarios they create in their minds. Most notably, they come to terms with all forms of emotional experiences, from fear of separation at bedtime, to family conflict, to power struggles as they take on roles and act out these scenes in their play. ...