BGPF074 | 1+ Pretend play Santa workshop
By Dr. Rajeev Tamhankar
This activity is a Santa and Christmas-themed pretend play designed to engage children in a multisensory and multi-intelligence experience. It encourages creativity, imaginative play, and hands-on crafting while celebrating the festive season. Children can build, decorate, pack gifts, and role-play as Santa and elves, making it a fun, educational, and interactive activity.
- Setup:
- Arrange a play area with a table or space for crafting and pretend play.
- Provide festive decorations, paper, and other materials to create props like hats and small accessories.
- Props and Materials:
- Use soft toys as elves and recipients of gifts.
- Incorporate blocks or stackable cups to pretend-build toys.
- Use bags, pillowcases, or small boxes to “deliver” the gifts.
- Steps for Engagement:
- Allow children to craft hats or decorations if they enjoy DIY activities.
- Pretend to build and paint toys using brushes or stackable items.
- Role-play as Santa by packing the toys and pretending to deliver them.
- Encourage the child to distribute toys (soft toys or props) to other “kids” or family members.
- Interactive Components:
- Sing Christmas jingles like “Jingle Bells” while packing and delivering gifts.
- Create a playful obstacle like a “stuck toy machine” for problem-solving.
- Celebrate completion with hugs and dancing.
- Cognitive Development: Enhances problem-solving and decision-making.
- Creative Expression: Boosts creativity through crafting and imaginative role-play.
- Motor Skills: Improves fine motor skills with crafting and packing activities.
- Festive Spirit: Cultivates a sense of joy, sharing, and community.
- Adjust the complexity of the tasks based on the child’s age and interest.
- If the child prefers not to craft, focus on the role-playing and gift-packing segments.
- Add more props like Santa hats or reindeer antlers to make it immersive.
- Use simple language and gestures to guide younger children.
- Soft toys and stackable blocks or cups.
- Art supplies (paper, brushes, crayons, scissors).
- Bags, pillowcases, or small boxes for packing.
- Festive decorations like ribbons or stickers.
- Optional: Christmas jingles or festive background music.
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