As a child, I remember hours of unsupervised play that inevitably involved taking on roles, new names and different occupations. All of these adventures spurned me to dramatic heights while simply playing in my yard or sitting upon a garden tractor seat. Children in our care have the same need as we did to explore their world through trying on different roles. Unfortunately, today's children face more obstacles than we did to spontaneous dramatic experiences as a result of television, video games and, to some extent, computers. These messages are transmitted through the media and through their peer groups.
Children become more aware of acceptable norms regarding language, clothes and play activities.
As school-age care providers, we can supply opportunities for the children in our care to create their own dramatic play and replace some of these imposed images. We need to develop an environment in which dramatic play is acceptable and child-driven. They are also making rapid cognitive and emotional gains. As a result, the need for challenging, age-appropriate activities is more necessary. In the context of dramatic play, cognitive and social development become very important.