Mess for Less

  • Crafts
    • Art
    • Winter Activities
    • Spring Activities
    • Summer Activities
    • Fall Recipes and Activities
  • Kids Activities
    • Baby and Toddler Activities
    • Preschool Activities
    • Sensory Activities
    • Fine Motor Skills Activities
    • Learning Activities
      • Science Activities
  • Family
    • Pets
    • Parenting
  • Shop
  • Breakfast Recipes
  • Lunch Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • Snack Recipes
  • Appetizers
  • Crock Pot Recipes
  • Cooking with Kids
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Spring Activities
  • Kids
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Spring Activities
    • Kids
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
  • ×
    Home » Play and Fun

    30+ Pretend Play Ideas

    Modified: Jun 20, 2022 · Published: Jul 11, 2016 by Vicky · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    620 shares
    • 1

    Do your kids love to pretend and make believe? When I taught Kindergarten, the dramatic play center was on of the most popular parts of the classroom and with good reasons. Kids could go in there and transform into a fire fighter, teacher, builder or anything they could dream up. Pretend play ideas help kids develop social and emotional skills and language skills. Best of all, they get to use their imagination while doing so. Setting up a pretend play activity can be intimidating, but it doesn't need to be. Here are some easy pretend play ideas to try with your child.

    This is the best list of pretend play ideas I have found. I used them for kids activities at home but they would also be great for a dramatic play area.


    Pretend Play Ideas - Cooking and Food

    Birthday Party Playdough from Mess for Less

    Pretend Cooking with Real Food Scraps from Learn Play Imagine

    Coffee Shop Pretend Play from Happy Hooligans

    Ice Cream Pretend Play from Adventures of Adam at Frogs, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

    Picnic Pretend Play from Uno Zwei Tutu

    Pretend Play Tea Parties from Housing a Forest

    Pretend Play Grocery Shopping from Darcy and Brian

    Pretend Play Ideas - Sensory

    Penguin Sensory Bin and Small World Play from Learn Play Imagine

    Pretend Play Perfume Factory from Happy Hooligans

    Giant Frog Pond World from Fun at Home with Kids

    Under the Sea Pretend Play from Powerful Mothering

    Outdoors Small World Pretend Play from Sugar Aunts

    Pretend Play Ideas  - Professions

    Vet's Office with Free Printable from Mess for Less

    Astronaut Pretend Play and Study of the Moon from Train up a Child

    Hair and Beauty Salon Pretend Play from Imagination Soup

    Library Pretend Play from The Pleasantest Thing

    Dentist Play Dough Pretend Play from Fantastic Fun and Learning

    Pretend Play Toy Store form No Time for Flashcards

    Astronaut Pretend Play from My Mundane and Miraculous Life

    Pretend Play Hair Salon from Childhood 101

    Archaeologist Pretend Play from Happy Brown House

    Post Office Dramatic Play from Buggy and Buddy

    Space Pretend Play from You Clever Monkey

    Pretend Play Ideas - Life Experiences

    Pretend Elevator from Housing a Forest

    Zoo Keeper Pretend Play from 123 Homeschool for Me

    Pretend Play Dog Park from A Mom with a Lesson Plan

    Movie Theater Pretend Play from Research Parent

    Laundry Day Pretend Play from Happy Hooligans

    Road Construction Pretend Play from Still Playing School

    Birthday Party Pretend Play from Kids Activities Blog

    Camping Pretend Play from Where Imagination Grows

    Pretend Play Garden from Pre-K Pages

    Bird Bath Pretend Play from My Nearest and Dearest

    As you can see, creating pretend play opportunities for kids can be pretty simple and fun!

    If you enjoyed these activities be sure to check out these fun ways to play with kids:

    Outdoor Math Game

    Ice Play Activities

    Ideas for Repurposing Items for Play

    More Play and Fun

    • 10 Best Loved Toddler Activities
      10 Best Loved Toddler Activities
    • rainbow painted handprint
      Rainbow Activities for Kids
    • 10 Shaving Cream Activities for Kids
    • Halloween Game - Ghost Toss

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Elizabeth Rodriguez says

      May 09, 2020 at 7:23 pm

      I think this is great, but it needs more ideas that can appeal to children's needs.

      Reply
    Vicky from Mess for Less

    I'm Vicky, the founder of Mess For Less, which I started in 2011 to share easy, family-friendly recipes. With over a decade of experience as a home chef and recipe developer, I love creating meals that bring people together. I also design play and learning activities for kids, using my background as a former teacher with a Master’s degree in education. Learn more about me.

    Spring

    • SPRING FINE MOTOR SKILLS FOR PRESCHOOLERS
      Spring Fine Motor Activities For Preschoolers

    • Spring Movement Cards

    • spring activity book printable
      Kids Spring Activity Book Printable

    • Rainbow Hand Print Flower Pot
      Rainbow Hand Print Flower Pot

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy and Disclosure
    • Recipe and Safety Disclaimers
    • About Me
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for our newsletter

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Advertise

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 MessForLess