Saturday, January 25, 2014

Post Office Dramatic Play

We are introducing community helpers this coming week. The students were getting sick of the home living center-just starting to use the materials inappropriately.  I went into my closet in which I keep my various dramatic play materials and found a mail man messenger bag. So was born the idea to make the whole center based off of that bag.

  We started with some paper and pencils/colored pencils.  This is to encourage the students to write letters and more!







I then found a poster in the messenger bag in which I hung on the wall.
 It is a poster of all the processes in which the mail goes through to get to the destination.




I then put some envelopes we had around school  in a basket.  I went on google images and found an image of a forever postage stamp.  I printed it the index size photo.  I cut them all out and put a glue stick in there.  I also made directions on what all envelopes in the center must have.  I kept it simple for this age: who it is to, where they are, who it is from, where they are, and a stamp.There is also a mail box (logo printed from google images) for them to deposit all of their mail.  The mail carriers will then bring it to their work station to stamp.


I have made a directory for the kids to use as well.  I used a photo of each child and typed out their names in a font that is how they write their letters.  This way they can properly address their letters to their friends.  I still have to add the staff at school so they can write them letters to. To the right of that is a bin of stamps.  The mail workers can put a stamp over the stamp to prove they saw the stamp and then put it in the infamous blue messenger bag hanging on the rack next to it. They can then deliver the mail.


The students all have their individual cubbies in which they use daily. That will also be their mailbox. Students can venture across the room and deliver mail to the students cubbies. Still coming, teacher and staff mailboxes as well.


I will introduce this center on Monday and then allow the students to use it.  I will make sure to give them similar directions to those above and demonstrate filling out an envelope.  I am excited to see if they use the center correctly!