Nothing says summer like a cookout! Kids love the opportunity to act out familiar situations and play with their food. Why not combine those interests with a play cookout? This activity from Learn Every Day About Seasons lets you and your children have a cookout without the heat and mess. Fire up the "grill" and get ready to chow down with this seasonal dramatic play activity!
Materials:
- felt or craft foam in the following colors: pink, peach, light brown, dark brown
- small outdoor grill
- spatula
- tongs
- paper plates and other picnic tableware
- apron
- empty mustard and ketchup bottles
Preparation:
- Cut hot dog, bratwurst, hamburger, onion, pepper, and bun shapes from the felt or craft foam.
- Display all the materials in the dramatic play area of the classroom.
What to Do:
- Set the grill out in the dramatic play area and talk with the children about times they have eaten at barbecues. Ask the children what they ate at those barbecues, and what the weather was like.
- Show the children the materials, and invite them to take turns pretending to cook and serve the "food."
Instructions
1. Set up a small table with all the materials.
2. Let the children take turns choosing a box, wrapping it, and decorating
it with ribbons, crayons, and markers.
3. Invite them to create birthday cards using folded white card stock, and
attach the cards to the "gifts."
4. The wrapping, taping, and decorating encourage small motor
development.
More to do Dramatic Play: Create a class birthday party with decorations, streamers,
and a pretend cake. Invite the children to role play having a birthday party.
Language: Encourage the children to use their imaginations to describe
what could be in the box and who the gift might be for.
