play food

This simple and pretty Valentine's Day pretend play tablescape is filled with hearts and red and white loose parts.

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Early learners absolutely love dramatic play and eagerly embrace new seasonal accessories in a play kitchen. Here’s a heart-filled Valentine’s Day Pretend Play tablescape your little charges will be excited to explore.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies Collected

Lots of hearts and red and white loose parts make this Valentine's Day pretend play tablescape fun to play in.

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The following economical supplies were gathered for this seasonal play tablescape:

valentine-themed cups and disposable plates
heart-shaped measuring spoons, serving plate, and silicone mold
heart-themed ice cube tray, spatula, canister, and a small tin
cookie pan and valentine’s muffin tin
purple, red, and magenta craft foam hearts
red, white, and black stuffed felt hearts
large red and white pompom balls
valentine erasers
red gem hearts
white pearl beads
metallic red beads
vase with red hearts and white flowers
white tablecloth

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The Valentine’s Day Pretend Play Tablescape

A super fun Valentine's Day pretend play tablescape with lots of heart-themed accessories.

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Dollar stores are a handy place to find many of the supplies featured in this tablescape.

Foam craft hearts and stuffed felt hearts make great “cookies.”

Loose parts such as valentine erasers, gem hearts, and pearl and metallic beads allow early learners to exercise their imagination.

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These Valentine’s Day-themed supplies can be set up as a tablescape or spread around play kitchen appliances and shelves.

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More Valentine’s Day Play Tablescape Ideas

Heart-themed accessories take center stage in this Valentine's Day dramatic play invitation.

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In this next Valentine’s Day tablescape, heart-themed plates, bowls. and cookie cutters are included, as well as sunglasses and a purse.

Heart-shaped reusable ice cubes, a Valentine’s-themed tea towel and oven mitt, and cupcake play food would also make great additions to a Valentine’s Day pretend play tablescape.

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This simple and pretty Valentine's Day dramatic play tablescape is filled with hearts and red and white loose parts.

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Related:

Valentine’s Day Store

Valentine’s Day Treasure Blocks

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[Read more…]

Hands down this dessert bar play center is one of my preschooler’s favorites. It was available for a month this past March/April and played in every single school day.

Your little learners will love playing in this tasty dessert bar dramatic play center with a coffee brewing station.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

No store is off-limits when gathering supplies for this tasty dramatic play center. Since it’s easy to find play food and kitchenware sets, the center is pretty effortless to put together.

Items in this dessert bar are:

a variety of cupcakes and cookies
brownie set
muffins
pie
cake slice
disposable plates
cutlery
cups and saucers
food trays
coffee brewing set
cash register
play money
vase with flowers

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The Dessert Bar Play Center

A shelving unit showcases the desserts beautifully.

Delectable dessert bar play food displayed on a shelf with see-through cubicles.

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A table and chair set make a cozy area to “eat” dessert. A mammoth mom and baby joined in this setup!

A dessert bar tablescape ready to be enjoyed by little learners.

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A play coffee brewing set is nice to have. Mine came from a discount store, and the children loved making and serving coffee with it.

A coffee brewing station is a fun addition to a dessert bar dramatic play center.

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This elegant little tray was a happy find at a dollar store, and I snapped up a few. They weren’t available long, so I’m sure other people realized how special they were too. The shiny trays showcase the desserts well.

A shiny play tray to add elegance to a dessert bar play center.

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A sign and menu posted on a wall indicate the type of restaurant and what is served. Pictures of desserts accompanied by captions help create an ambiance.

Add ambiance to a dessert bar play center with a sign, menu, and pictorial quotes.

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The menu is helpful to check prices and see how much to pay for orders. When the food is laid out like a chart, it makes it easy for preschoolers to add up how much an order costs.

Make a graph with play food to show how much a dessert bar order costs.

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Benefits Of The Dessert Bar Center

Aside from counting and addition opportunities, this center allows children to make choices by selecting desserts. And they can practice turn-taking and role-playing by being the server and the customer.

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Enhancing The Dessert Bar

After a few days, setting out a new dessert such as a play cake set would help keep children’s interest in the center going. And pictorial signs attached to shelving cubicles would enhance the literacy component and give opportunities for sorting and matching desserts. Can you think of anything else to add?

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Your little learners will love playing in this tasty dessert bar pretend play center with a coffee brewing station.

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This dessert bar play center is bound to be a hit with your little learners. Just a few supplies provide many opportunities for vibrant learning through play. Start out with economical play food, such as dollar store cupcake and cake sets. The selection of desserts need not be elaborate…children will love the center no matter how big or small it is.

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Related: Winter Wonderland Tablescape

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