Literacy Through Play

First Book/ECRTR Meetings

August, 2011
Dramatic Play

Play
Music

Outdoor Games
 Play and Brain Development

• Exploratory Play

• Constructive Play

• Dramatic Play
 Dramatic Play

Concrete object Abstract idea

Marks on the page Message

Function vs. Feature of Print
Function Feature
• Reason or purpose of • Letter-sound
print relationship
• Structure of
grammar
• Meaning
 Four Major Functions
• Environmental Print

• Occupational Print

• Informational Print

• Recreational Print
 Literacy Development
Through Dramatic Play
• Allows children to experiment with
purposes for literacy that they’ve seen at
home
• Allows children to recognize that
different tasks require different texts
• Allows children to produce a wide variety
of texts
• Builds comprehension by allowing children
to act out familiar stories/scenarios
 Play Literacy is Purposeful
Play Area Play Literacy Area
• Sink, stove, dishes, • Kitchen: Recipe cards,
table, refrigerator, grocery list, books about
food, aprons, place food or cookbooks
settings • Pizza shop or restaurant:
menus, cash register,
money, step-by-step
instructions for making
pizza, books about making
pizza or nutrition
 Play Literacy is Purposeful
Play Area Play Literacy Area
• Stethoscope, • Doctor’s office: clipboards,
doctor’s bag, pill check-up checklist, x-rays,
bottles, pretend prescription pads, baby
syringes, blood dolls, bandages, magazines
pressure cuff for waiting area, books on
bodies
• Veterinary clinic: exchange
stuffed animals for babies,
books on pets
PLAY LITERACY @ YOUR
LIBRARY
How can your library support literacy
through play?
 On-site: Play Area
• Theme
• Props
• Environmental print
• Functions of print
• Social interaction
• Books or other library resources
• Storage
 Shari Sloane
www.kidscount1234.com

• Props
• Environmental print
• Functions of print
• Social interaction
• Books or other
library resources
• Storage
 Restaurant

http://dbsenk.wordpress.com/
2011/03/12/dramatic-play-
center-ideas/
 American Falls

• Props
• Environmental print
• Functions of print
• Social interaction
• Books or other
library resources
• Storage
 Grocery

http://blogs.scholastic.com/classroom_solutions/20
10/11/literacy-kindergarten-dramatic-play-centers-
housekeeping-grocery-store.html

http://www.printablekidsplaymoneyte
mplates.com/tag/editable-money-
template/
 No room, budget, or
staff time to create a
dramatic play area in your
library space?
 Prop Boxes
• Theme
• Props
• Functions of print
• Social interaction
• Books or other library resources
• Storage
 Prop Boxes
• Bins and tubs
• Trunks and suitcases
• In-house use:
– Library staff
– Parents
• Outreach:
– Child Care Providers/Teachers
 Outreach
• Deposit programs
• Check-out
• Site-visits
Madison Public Library (WI)

• Props
• Environmental print
• Functions of print
• Social interaction
• Books or other
library resources
• Storage
Getting started…
 Resources
Literacy-Building Play in Preschool:
Lit Kits, Prop Boxes, and Other Literacy Play: Over 300 Dramatic
Easy-to-Make Tools to Boost Play Activities That Teach Pre-
Emergent Reading and Writing Skills Reading Skills, by Sherrie West
Through Dramatic Play, by V. Susan
Bennett-Armistead, 2009. and Amy Cox, 2004.
 Additional Resources
• Literacy Through Play, by Gretchen Owocki, 1999.
• Scholastic classroom blog: Literacy in Kindergarten Dramatic Play
Centers
http://blogs.scholastic.com/classroom_solutions/2010/11/literacy-
kindergarten-dramatic-play-centers-housekeeping-grocery-
store.html
• Kindergarten Nana: Dramatic Play Center Ideas
• http://dbsenk.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/dramatic-play-center-
ideas/
• Shari Sloane, Dramatic Play Centers:
http://www.kidscount1234.com/play.html
• Education World: The Prop Box--Setting the Stage for Meaningful
Play
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev101.shtml
• Madison Public Library: Play Literacy
http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/kids/play-literacy