The children in the Explorers classroom were in the free indoor play time.

SA ( 2 years and 7

months) went to the kitchen and looked in one of the baskets that contained food. He looked

through the pretend food and got a piece of bread. He put in on a plate. He placed two cups

on the table and got a deep pan and a spoon. He began to move the spoon around the pan.

Then he tilted the pan in each cup. He placed the deep pan on the stove. Then he picked it up

and put it on the table. He said, It is hot, A. AG (2 years and 7 months) just got to the kitchen,

grabbed one of the cups, looked at it, and nodded. SA began to stir in the pan again. AG got

a plate and put some cooked eggs on it. She sat down and pretended to eat the eggs.

Meanwhile, SA opened the pantry and looked at it. He grabbed a milk gallon and pretended to

pour milk in the same deep pan. He stopped and walked to the sensory table which had

different kinds of small pumpkins. SA grabbed a small orange pumpkin and took it to the table.

He put the small pumpkin in the pan, grabbed the pan and put it in the oven. He looked at AG

and asked, A. Are you hungry? Ag answered, Yes. SA opened the oven and took the pan

out with the pumpkin inside. SA said, Look A. I cooked a pumpkin pie. AG looked at the pan

and reached for the pumpkin. SA said in a higher tone of voice, Careful A! It's hot. AG

looked at SA and waited. SA grabbed a rag from the stove, and with it in his hand grabbed

the pumpkin from its stem. SA placed the pumpkin on A's plate and said, Try it. A.

A said, Its hot! Then she pretended to bite the pumpkin smiled at SA and said, I like it. SA

smiled at AG.

Dramatic play box theme: Bake shop

El Buen Pastor Early Childhood Development Center

6
 Explorers Classroom

2-3 years old.

3. My goal is for children to use the different props needed in a bakery to interpret and imitate

the role of a baker. A concept to learn with this theme is to know about the different kinds of

products that they can cook with the same props. (Cookies, cakes, pies, and donuts). A skill

that the children can learn is to take turns to use the materials.

This activity is appropriate for children ages two to three years because they are using their

large motor muscles such as arms and legs to stir in the bowls and carry the trays. Children in

the Explorers classroom are interested in classmates birthdays and sweets due to the

holidays.

4. a. 3 Child size aprons

3 Real oven mitts

3 Real cupcake trays

2 Large spoons

3 Pie trays

2 Real cake pans

6
 Cupcake papers

3 Hand mixers

Real spice bottles

2 Mixing bowls

2 Bakers hats

b. Child size kitchen furniture (stove, refrigerator, sink, table, chairs).

c. I made some pretend cookies and cupcakes for the children to play with, and to help

them know they can make them with these materials. Some of the materials, such as the flour

shakers, the pie trays, and the aprons I bought in the dollar store. I found the rest of the

materials at my house after the holiday dinners of this season. In total I spent 10 dollars with

added taxes in this prop box.

I think children would be attracted to these materials because they are big and real. I would

place the materials in a basket with a label and picture. These baskets go in a shelf in the

dramatic play center, so the children can use them freely.

5. During circle time, I would read the Mr. Cookie Baker book to the children, so they can see

the different utensils used for baking. After finishing circle time, I would show the props to the

children, I would name each of them, and I would model briefly how to use them.

6
After that, I would explain the rules to play with these materials. Only three children would be

allowed in the dramatic play center. Children would need to share some of the materials if

needed, and they would need to keep the materials in the kitchen.

The transition activity would be one that I often used in the classroom. After finishing the circle

time, Id ask the children with a specific color T-shirt where he/she wants to play. For example,

Children with a green t-shirt, where do you want to play? and they would choose a center. If

the center is already full, I would remind the children of the different props available in the

other centers.

I usually do not time the children when they are playing in the centers. Their attention span is

not too long, so they leave the center by themselves; but if I needed to use a transition to

leave the center, I would warn the children about their classmates waiting for a turn to play. I

would say, AM is the next in the kitchen after one of you is finished. After 15 min, I would

announce, There are 5 minutes left to play with the toys. Then I would ask the children to

share the toys with their classmates. That would be the first day of the materials in the

dramatic play center, because I planned to leave them during the week or more depending on

the interests of the children.

I would keep in the learning centers that are next to the dramatic play center to see if the

children are using some of the materials in the correct way. The materials are easy to use

and cannot do harm, but the spoons are long and can be easily used to hit each other.

6
I would be a stage manager and be responsible for having enough and adequate materials. I

would be a participant if the children invite me to try their creations. I would make positive

statements and open ended questions if I play with them. I would be a mediator if conflicts

arise, but the most important role to me is to be an observer. I would observe the childrens

exploration and responses to the materials, their vocabulary, and their creativity when using

them. That would help me to know their developmental level and their needs, and plan future

themes in this area.

6. Divergent/open ended questions: How did you make this cake?

Child possible answer: I put it on the oven.

Possible question a child may ask you: What is this? (Referring to a hand mixer).

Possible answer to the child's question: It is a mixer. You can mix flour, eggs, and milk with it.

Like this.

Possible suggestion/comment to enhance children's play: What do you mix to make this

cupcake?

6
Growth mindset praise: LC. These cookies are delicious. I wonder if you could make some

more to take home.

Safety issues to consider:

I would make sure the foil sheets are not bent to avoid any sharp edges. I would check that

the spice containers have secure lids so the children do not put them in their mouths to avoid

choking.

8. I would make sure that the aprons are not gender-defined colors. I would ask all the

parents in the classroom what they cook with bakery materials and the name of the breads or

pastry they make. I would make sure to read a variety of books to show male and female

cooks or use the props.

6
6