Pretend play is one of the most important types of play for toddler-age children. The benefits of pretend play are countless but include boosting your child's imagination, creativity, problem-solving skills, and independent play skills. This list of pretend play space ideas for toddlers will keep your children entertained for hours and enhance your preschool classroom community and ensure that you are cultivating an imaginative child.
1. Space Theme Pretend Play Space
This out-of-this-world play space will give your students ample learning opportunities while they explore space from the comfort of their home or classroom. Gather some cardboard boxes, construction paper, pictures of space shuttles, and space food, and start creating.
Learn More: Pocket of Preschool
2. Bakery Theme Pretend Play Space
This delicious pretend play space will improve not only your child's imagination but also their baking skills! This website has fun printables that include pictures of food, food posters, price lists, labels, and decorations for your pretend bakery.
Learn More: Fairy Poppins
3. Library Theme Pretend Play Space
This pretend play space will ensure hands-on learning while they play. This play space can give your child picture book recommendations, introduce them to beloved chapter books, and teach them how to read and take care of your beautiful books.
Learn More: Growing Book by Book
4. Flower Shop Pretend Play Space
For this pretend space, you might want to pop in at your local thrift store to get some plastic flowers, an old cash register, and vases. Set up shop in your classroom and use this fun learning opportunity to teach your students all about different flowers, how money works, and many other skills.
Learn More: Learning 4 Kids
5. Dress-Up Pretend Play Space
This DIY dress-up corner will give your children the opportunity to be whoever they want to be! You can buy costumes or ask for donations, and make some paper helmets and cardboard props for your children to play with!
Learn More: Happy Brown House
6. Garden Theme Pretend Play Space
Allow your children to let their green thumbs show in this beautiful play space. Grab some cardboard boxes and make some tissue paper flowers and let your children learn all about flowers, gardening, and how important it is to take care of your garden.
Learn More: Pinterest
7. Pizza Restaurant Pretend Play Space
This yummy pretend play space will work up your child's appetite while they practice their reading, learn about recipes, menus, and prices, and practice their math skills when they pay and tip their waiters.
Learn More: Pocket of Preschool
8. Fairy Garden Theme Pretend Play Space
This beautiful and magical play space will definitely prickle the imagination. You can create an imagination tree and imagination circle where your students can be and think whatever they want to. Your students can make their own fairies and gnomes that can live in the garden. This can also be a great space to write magical stories.
Learn More: Pinterest
9. Hair Salon Theme Pretend Play Space
These printables will help you set up a fabulous hair salon in no time. For this center, you can make your own appliances, use toys, or even visit the thrift store again to get some fun brushes, hairdryers, and other accessories. Involve the boys in this play center by incorporating a barbershop.
Learn More: Pre-K Pages
10. Veterinary Clinic Pretend Play Space
All your animal lovers are going to love this pretend play space! Round up all your stuffed animals, grab a white shirt or doctor's jacket, and a stethoscope and let your children start healing those imaginary ailments.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
11. Ice Cream Shop Pretend Play Space
This yummy pretend play space might make your students crave real ice cream at the end of the day! Use these printables and items you can find in your classroom to set up shop! Your students can make their own ice cream crafts to sell at the stand, with weird, wacky, or just plain yummy flavors.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
12. Dinosaur Dig Pretend Play Space
This dinosaur dig will inspire your little archeologists to dig and discover while pretending and having fun. This play space is the perfect sensory activity that can be placed inside or outside. This play center can be so versatile. Use pictures, plastic animals, or even dinosaur-shaped candy hiding away in the dirt.
Learn More: Fairy Poppins
13. Aquarium Pretend Play Space
This beautiful aquarium play space will liven up any room. These printables will help you set up an aquarium in your home or classroom. Add a water table and some plastic or stuffed ocean animals, and your students will be entertained for hours.
Learn More: Pre-K Printable Fun
14. Under-The-Sea Pretend Play Space
This magical under-the-sea dramatic play space can be enjoyed by the whole family. Make a submarine and go on this under-the-sea adventure while learning about all the ocean creatures.
Learn More: Fairy Poppins
15. Post Office Pretend Play Space
Teach your students how the post office works with this great post office pretend play space. Incorporate it into your writing center and teach them how to mail a handwritten letter.
Learn More: Pocket of Preschool
16. Grocery Store Pretend Play Space
Who doesn't love going to the grocery store and going shopping? This fun pretend play space will engage your students and teach them how money works.
Learn More: Homeschool Share
17. Airport Pretend Play Space
Fly away with this fun pretend space! Create your very own airport in the comfort of your own home or classroom. This airport dramatic play center will teach your kids what to expect when they go to the airport.
Learn More: Fairy Poppins
18. Baby Nursery Pretend Play Space
This pretend play space is always a hit with children. Get some old dolls from a thrift store and get some grandmas to knit a few blankets and baby clothes.
Learn More: Lovely Commotion
19. Hospital Pretend Play Space
With Flu season around the corner, now is the perfect time to introduce your children to a doctor's office with this fun pretend play center. This is also a good way to help children who might be a little scared of doctor's visits feel a little more at ease.
Learn More: Little Lifelong Learners
20. Camping Pretend Play Center
Camping is always a good idea and can teach your children valuable life skills. Set up this camp dramatic play center and let your children start exploring!
Learn More: Teach Prek
21. Donut Shop Pretend Play Space
Who doesn't love a good donut? This yummy dramatic play center can be used as an art activity, where students decorate their own donuts. It can also be part of a math lesson where children can learn about money, counting, and dozens.
Learn More: Confetti Crate
22. Lemonade Stand Pretend Play Space
This fun play space can be set up outside or inside. You can choose to use real lemonade to make this pretend play space fun and refreshing! Let your whole school or family join in the fun and come by to 'buy' some lemonade!
Learn More: Teach Talk Inspire
23. Drive Thru Pretend Play Space
This pretend play space is not just fun, it will help teach your children the process and hard work that goes on behind the scenes of a drive-thru, and might help your students respect the process and the workers in the food industry.
Learn More: Pinterest
24. Starbucks Pretend Play Space
This fun dramatic play can be so versatile and fun. In the warmer months, you can serve a variety of iced drinks. During the cold months, you can serve a variety of hot drinks! Let your children get a little creative by letting them create their own blends and flavors!
Learn More: Smackdab in the Middle Blog
25. Office Space Pretend Play Space
It's never too early to expose your children to the inner workings of office space! If you work from home, this fun dramatic play center can be the perfect way to entertain your children while you are busy in your own office space!
Learn More: Be Brave Keep Going
26. Police Station Pretend Play Space
A great way to teach your children about law enforcement is to use a dramatic play space! This police station's dramatic play area is fun and engaging. Get your local sheriff or school police officer to pop by and give a little demonstration or talk.
Learn More: Fairy Poppins
27. Laundromat Pretend Play Space
Let your children play around while learning to do some household chores in this dramatic play center. Grab some old boxes, cardstock, and markers, and let your children help you create a laundromat!
Learn More: Pinterest
28. Pirate Ship Pretend Play Space
Watch as your children walk the plank and scrub the deck in this fun dramatic play center. Create a big cardboard pirate ship and some cool props like a bandana, eye patch, sword, and parrot!
Learn More: Pinterest
29. Pumpkin Patch Pretend Play Space
It is the season! If the weather is too cold or not quite cold enough, you can create your very own pumpkin patch in your classroom. Going to a pumpkin patch is so much fun. You can create your own maze and even buy some real pumpkins that your children can pick out and carve their very own jack-o-lantern.
Learn More: KinderGals
30. Build A Snowman Pretend Play Space
Frosty the snowman can now visit your classroom or home any time of the year with this fun pretend play space. Use boxes wrapped with white paper, or use balls covered in white fabric or cotton balls.
Learn More: Simple Home Blessings
31. Farm Pretend Play Space
Let your children learn all about farming and how important farmers are in our society. You can create a farm with animals and produce and teach your children how to feed the animals and take care of them with their crops.
Learn More: Pocket of Preschool
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