Community Helpers Dramatic

Play!

Firefighter Dress up * Melissa and Doug costume OR * Black or red long sleeve shirt or jacket with yellow duct tape horizontal lines (one at the bottom, one at mid chest) * black, red, or khaki wide legged pants with yellow duct tape stripes at bottom Activit ies * find heaviest pillow, tie ribbons around multiple pillows, or roll a heavy comforter and tie with ribbon and have child drag it across the floor (simulating saving a person) * time your child running across the yard, field, or up the stairs with a stopwatch * set up red paper plates (or regular with flame painted on) against wooden paint sticks in the yard and give child hose to knock down the plates * set up dining room table chairs in a row and have child crawl under them (simulating crawling under smoke or tight spaces) * watch a YouTube video demonstrating CPR and practice on baby dolls

Police Officer Dress up * Melissa and Doug costume OR * navy blue collared shirt and navy pants * black long sleeve shirt with white SWAT letters on back/front Activit ies * play Red Light, Green Light (simulating directing traffic) * use an ink pad to collect fingerprints * play with walkie-talkies using police words * ride bike or play car making siren noises * put handcuffs on family members not following the rules * time your child running across the yard, field, or up the stairs with a stopwatch (to catch bad guys faster!)

Construction Worker Dress up * Melissa and Doug costume OR * cut sleeves off and cut down the center of an orange shirt and put yellow duct tape around edges of vest * jeans, black or khaki pants * tool belt or apron from Home Depot Activ it ies * build houses, towers, and roads with wooden blocks or LEGOs * stack up a bunch of old boxes, wrap a beach ball or large bouncy ball in a black trash bag, tie a string to it and hang from the ceiling/under the deck/doorway/porch and swing ball into boxes (simulating a wrecking ball) * pour Plaster of Paris into brick mold, loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, or ice cube trays to make bricks * use digger toys to move sand, dirt, mud, or rocks in the backyard

Trash Collector/Janitor Dress up * Melissa and Doug costume OR * cut sleeves off and cut down the center of an yellow or green shirt and put two stripes of reflective duct tape horizontally around body * black, blue, or green wide legged pants * green hat Activities * go outside or crumple junk mail and scatter around house and use a grabber to pick up the trash * go around house and empty garbage cans into a large garbage bag and bring to garbage can outside * fill bucket with water and small amount of vinegar and have child mop the floor (janitor) * set up a chair in front of a large box (simulating garbage truck) and have child “drive” the truck, stop to pick up a trash can and dump it into the “truck” (box)

Veterinarian Dress up * Melissa and Doug costume OR * white long sleeve collared shirt * play stethoscope, brush, syringe, thermometer, etc Activit ies * set up examining table (dining room table, play table, or folding table) * line up stuffed animals in the “waiting room” * give animals a check-up and fix their “boo-boos” * put leash around stuffed dog’s neck and walk it around the house * set up boxes on sides for cages

Baker Dress up * Melissa and Doug costume OR * white long sleeve collared shirt * white pants * homemade chef’s hat – cut two 3-inch strips of white cardstock and staple together to fit child’s head, take a whole sheet of white tissue paper and tape it along the inside of the cardstock brim allowing it to puff up on top Activ it ies * work at play kitchen * take orders from “guests” and prepare food * cut out white cardstock circles and allow child to decorate the “cookies” * bake a real cake or cookies in the kitchen together * use play dough to create baked goodies

Doctor/Nurse Dress up * Melissa and Doug costume OR * white or blue wide legged pants * white or blue large V-neck shirt * white long sleeve collared shirt * doctor’s kit Activit ies * lay white sheet over a couch or pillows * bring out scale to weigh “patients” * line up baby dolls or action figures in “waiting room” * come up with ailments for each doll or sibling patient * give check-ups and fix boo-boos

Farmer Dress up * jeans or overalls & plaid shirt * wide brimmed hat * boots Activit ies * water plants in yard with a watering can * bring out all play vegetables and fruits and sort into baskets for a “Farmer’s Market” * fill a tray or bin with corn kernels and use play tractors and Little People farm equipment to move the corn * fill tray or bin with mud or chocolate pudding and play with plastic farm animal toys, then fill a different bin with soapy water for an animal washing station after muddy play is over * fill a plastic glove with half milk and half water and pierce two fingers with a tack, allow child to squeeze the fingers (simulating milking a cow) * tie a small rope into a lasso, set up stuffed animals on the floor, have child get on a barstool and “ride the horse and lasso the animals”

Librarian Dress up * play glasses? Activities * line up shoe boxes or plastic shoe box bins and place sticky notes on the fronts with alphabetical labels, eg. A B C, D E F, etc. Bring out books from around the house and have child sort books into correct bins according to the first letter of the title * give child something that looks like a book scanner and allow him/her to scan the books you’d like to “check out” * have child “read” one of their favorite books aloud to stuffed animals like story time

Teacher Dress up * play glasses? Activit ies * place dolls, action figures, and stuffed animals in rows * “read” books to the “class” * give child pointer and have him/her use the whiteboard to write letters and numbers * take attendance * give out “jobs” * mend “boo-boos”

Mail Carrier Dress up * blue shirt and pants * messenger bag * hat Activ it ies * save junk mail, old envelopes, and small package boxes for a short time, print out small pictures of family and friends, glue them onto the envelopes, and write the person’s first name. Have child sort the mail to each person * use the same envelopes made in the previous activity and label shoe box bins alphabetically (A B C, D E F, G H I, etc.) and have child sort envelopes according to first name * set up a mailbox (shoe box) and write letters to your child – even better if you use words they know how to read! * make cards/pictures for friendly neighbors and use bike or scooter to “deliver the mail” to their front porch