Taking Pretend Play Outdoors

Taking pretend play outdoors can encourage children to explore dramatic play in a whole new way.  Here we created an outdoor tree swing for baby and a slide.  My little one pushed her baby doll in the stroller over to her “pretend park”.  She fed baby, pushed her on the swing and helped her down the slide.  All things she sometimes needs help to do at the park but now she got to help baby.

For the young boys there are many activities to facilitate dramatic play.  How about being a forest ranger.  Grab some pool noodles to pretend to chop down trees.  Gather sticks to start a pretend fire.  Hike around searching for animal tracks.

Keep it simple and just bring some small toys outdoors.  Toy dinosaurs would love a small mud pit.  Push toy motorcycles on a dirt path.  Barbie dolls would love to lounge and swim in a bucket of water.

Read about more outdoor imagination activities in a previous blog post.