1. Literacy Through Play First Book/ECRTR Meetings August, 2011

2. Play Dramatic Play Blocks Music Puppets Sports Board Games Outdoor Games

3. Play and Brain Development • Exploratory Play • Constructive Play • Dramatic Play

4. Dramatic Play Concrete object Abstract idea Marks on the page Message

5. Function vs. Feature of Print Function • Reason or purpose of print Feature • Letter-sound relationship • Structure of grammar • Meaning

6. Four Major Functions • Environmental Print • Occupational Print • Informational Print • Recreational Print

7. Literacy Development Through Dramatic Play • Allows children to experiment with purposes for literacy that they’ve seen at home • Allows children to recognize that different tasks require different texts • Allows children to produce a wide variety of texts • Builds comprehension by allowing children to act out familiar stories/scenarios

8. Play Literacy is Purposeful Play Area Play Literacy Area Kitchen: Recipe cards, grocery list, books about food or cookbooks Pizza shop or restaurant: menus, cash register, money, step-by-step instructions for making pizza, books about making pizza or nutrition • Sink, stove, dishes, table, refrigerator, food, aprons, place settings

9. Play Literacy is Purposeful Play Area Play Literacy Area Doctor’s office: clipboards, check-up checklist, x-rays, prescription pads, baby dolls, bandages, magazines for waiting area, books on bodies Veterinary clinic: exchange stuffed animals for babies, books on pets • Stethoscope, doctor’s bag, pill bottles, pretend syringes, blood pressure cuff

10. How can your library support literacy through play? Play Literacy @ your library

11. On-site: Play Area • Theme • Props • Environmental print • Functions of print • Social interaction • Books or other library resources • Storage

12. Shari Sloane www.kidscount1234.com • Props • Environmental print • Functions of print • Social interaction • Books or other library resources • Storage

13. Restaurant http://dbsenk.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/dramatic-play-center-ideas/

14. American Falls • Props • Environmental print • Functions of print • Social interaction • Books or other library resources • Storage

15. Grocery http://blogs.scholastic.com/classroom_solutions/2010/11/literacy-kindergarten-dramatic-play-centers-housekeeping-grocery-store.html http://www.printablekidsplaymoneytemplates.com/tag/editable-money-template/

16. No room, budget, or staff time to create a dramatic play area in your library space?

17. Prop Boxes • Theme • Props • Functions of print • Social interaction • Books or other library resources • Storage

18. Prop Boxes • Bins and tubs • Trunks and suitcases • In-house use: • Library staff • Parents • Outreach: • Child Care Providers/Teachers

19. Outreach • Deposit programs • Check-out • Site-visits

20. Madison Public Library (WI) • Props • Environmental print • Functions of print • Social interaction • Books or other library resources • Storage

21. Getting started…

22. Resources Literacy-Building Play in Preschool: Lit Kits, Prop Boxes, and Other Easy-to-Make Tools to Boost Emergent Reading and Writing Skills Through Dramatic Play, by V. Susan Bennett-Armistead, 2009. Literacy Play: Over 300 Dramatic Play Activities That Teach Pre-Reading Skills, by Sherrie West and Amy Cox, 2004.

23. Additional Resources • Literacy Through Play, by Gretchen Owocki, 1999. • Scholastic classroom blog: Literacy in Kindergarten Dramatic Play Centers http://blogs.scholastic.com/classroom_solutions/2010/11/literacy-kindergarten-dramatic-play-centers-housekeeping-grocery-store.html • Kindergarten Nana: Dramatic Play Center Ideas • http://dbsenk.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/dramatic-play-center-ideas/ • Shari Sloane, Dramatic Play Centers: http://www.kidscount1234.com/play.html • Education World: The Prop Box--Setting the Stage for Meaningful Play http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev101.shtml • Madison Public Library: Play Literacy http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/kids/play-literacy