This center is a vital part of a well-rounded curriculum in the prekindergarten classroom. Social skills develop as children learn to negotiate roles, share materials, and work cooperatively in order to play together.
Oral language develops when children share ideas and communicate with each other during their play.
Vocabularies are increased when children play with new materials and learn the meanings of new words. Literacy emerges when children write grocery lists, telephone messages, and notes to put on the bulletin board in the play kitchen. Fine motor development is encouraged when children use their fingers to fasten buttons and snaps on dress-up clothes. This center is most fun and meaningful when students are engaged in play related to a particular theme of study, e.g., post office, pet shop, restaurant, dentist's office. Allowing the students to creatively explore the materials and form their own role play situations is ideal.