“Dramatic play can be defined as a type of play where children accept and assign roles, and then act them out. It is a time when they break through the walls of reality, pretend to be someone or something different from themselves, and dramatize situations and actions to go along with the roles they have chosen to play.” (Earlychildhoodnews.com 2008)
Sometimes as adults, we may not realize all the skills children are are developing in play, as it can seem a bit frivolous, and it may not be obvious why it is SO very important. During dramatic play such as this, children work on cognitive skills, language skills, abstract thinking skills, problem solving skills, and gross/fine motor skills. Dramatic play also encourages empathy, negotiation, and cooperation. As Einstein once said, “Play is the highest form of research.”