Dramatic Play - Pet Shop

Description

This is a gray cat sitting down.

The dramatic play center provides opportunities for students to collaborate, engage in learning, and build language skills through conversations.  Children have the opportunity to role play real-life experiences by taking on many roles in imaginative play. Utilization of the space as a pet shop allows the children the opportunity to take on the roles of pet shop employee or a shopper of a pet. It allows for children to explore, learn and practice care for the animals. It also encourages the child to think about the costs of owning pets and to practice the exchange of money.

Purpose

• fine motor skills while grooming animals, performing physical check-ups on animals, attaching leash/collar and handling money
• math skills with the calculation of costs and exchange of money
• writing opportunities to write name of animal (cat, dog, etc.) and cost of animal
• expression of artistic ability through drawing of pet 
• print exposure to animal names with labels of pets
• reading opportunities with exposure to variety of pet related books in center
• expression of feelings and emotions
• creativity, imagination, abstract thinking
• oral communication, vocabulary 
• cooperation, sharing, taking turns

Suggested Materials

• stuffed animals and toy animals (dog, cat, bunny, snake, lizard, frog, parrot, etc)
• play food for animals (carrot for bunny, bone for dog, etc.)
• cash register with play money
• baskets/other materials for animals to sit in
• labels on pets containers with pictures and words to identify pet (price can be optional)
• doctor supplies to check out animals (play stethoscope, thermometer, etc.)
• bathing and grooming materials (play sink, small towel, brush, etc.)
• collar and leash to put on some of the animals (reinforce safe use of these materials with children)
• pet carrier for shoppers to take their pets home  
• telephone
• writing utensils
• paper, clipboards, notepads
• reading materials - pet related books in center, including nonfiction and fiction

Questioning Examples

These guiding questions can be used to assist the teacher, instructional assistant, or parent volunteers in supporting children's development and learning during play.

• Why did you choose that pet to play with?
• What can you do to make sure that pet is healthy before he/she leaves the pet store? 
• How can you keep your new pet healthy after you get it home?
• What kind of foods would your pet like to eat?
• What do you notice is the same or different about these pets?

Considerations

This center can be set up with the following areas included: pet area for individual pets to be placed (labeled baskets, boxes or containers), grooming area with sink and other supplies to groom pet, check-up area with medical supplies, refrigerator or area for pet food, cash register and telephone area for customers to pay for their pets. A basket/tote with books about pets should also be in the center for students to explore. In addition, writing prompt papers for students to have the opportunity to write the type of pet they want to purchase, the cost of the pet and a drawing of the pet (see attached prompt). Also, encourage children to try both roles of the pet shop worker and the customer looking for a pet. 

This center should allow for enough space for at least three students to play with the furniture and props.  The dramatic play center should be located in an area of the room that enables students to communicate without disrupting other children's work and play.

Photo Examples

Literature Connections

Many literature connections exist for this topic and can be read to students before introduction of the center or during learning of the theme of animals. These books can also be placed in the pet shop center for independent exploration by the children. The following are a few suggestions:

"Please, Puppy, Please" by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee

"Pet Show!" by Ezra Jack Keats

"National Geographic Kids Everything Pets" by James Spears

"My Big Animal Book" by Roger Priddy

"If You Give a Cat a Cupcake" by Laura Numeroff 

"Biscuit" by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

"I Completely Know About Guinea Pigs" by Lauren Child

"Harry the Dirty Dog" by Gene Zion

"Look and Learn: Pets" by National Geographic Kids

"Cookie's Week" by Cindy Ward

"Franklin Wants a Pet" by Paulette Bourgeois

Downloadable Resources

This is a center sign to be used at the pet shop center.

This is a writing prompt paper for students to use in the center.

Graphics from: www.mycutegraphics.com