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Play to Learn

A delightful preschool experience

Airport Dramatic Play

         
Let’s take a trip! This Airport dramatic play center is a hit with preschoolers.  Early learners practice their skills when they make tickets, enact roles, and stamp their passports. It is also beneficial for students that might be nervous about taking their very first airplane ride. This little airport helps them understand what will happen when they do it “for real.”  Thankfully, no long lines at this airport, and no canceled flights!

Materials Needed:

This center is easily adaptable for most dramatic play centers with a few additions!

  • Airport Dramatic Play printables on Teachers Pay Teachers
  • Child-sized chairs
  • Maps
  • A large box
  • A roll (or two) of Duct Tape
  • Old phones, computers, or any other fun looking defunct technology
  • 2-3 small tables and counters for different areas.
  • A counter or sturdy furniture like the Create-It-Station by Constructive Playthings.

Taking It Up to New Heights!

To really invest in making a jaw-dropping dramatic play space, consider adding the following:

  • PVC pipe frame security checkpoint
  • Pilot control panel
  • Control “Tower” complete with safety vests and cardboard signal wands)
  • Baggage area
  • Flight Attendant station/cart

Introducing the Airport Dramatic Play Center

Introduce the center by taking a poll to see how many students have flown on an airplane. Discuss what is needed to pack to go on a trip, and where the students would like to go. Using a pocket chart helps give the children good practice graphing information, and they can easily see if more friends have gone on an airplane or not!

A great way to use environmental print and avoid arguments is to use a nametag station. Here, every role in the center is assigned a nametag, and students select which they would like to use. The nametags help students both by supplying them with names and pictures of the important people in an airport and helping them identify who has which part to play.

At times, certain roles are more popular than others, and having a “waiting list” helps students take turns more patiently. It also sneaks in a little extra name-writing practice!

Planning the Adventure

Before passengers can get on the plane, they need to stop at the reservations desk to purchase a ticket. The computer monitor, keyboard, and telephone make this area have a waiting list all morning long!  Pretending to do “grown-up” things like working at a computer and using a phone are always very attractive to young children. They love to emulate the adults in their lives!

The travel agent writes out the information on the ticket, which is excellent practice for early literacy skills!  A bin with name cards and numbers for reference are good to keep handy at the table. Add a giant world map so that the travelers can choose their destination. There is also a basket of travel brochures and catalogs. Most travel agencies and AAA will gladly supply these if asked.

Security Please!

Every airport has a metal detector checkpoint. It is easy to create very economically by using PVC pipe and connectors. Adding a few police costumes encourages students to take on this role.

Traveling with Baggage

A baggage x-ray machine for the security checkpoint is easy to create with a large roll of duct tape and a big cardboard box.
X-ray images are readily available online, but it can be challenging to locate an image of a “safe” bag. There are many contraband pictures, so be careful if you decide to print one. Taping white silhouettes of objects on black paper makes a workable substitute.
Small suitcases found at Goodwill or yard sales are great for filling out the baggage area. Even backpacks and lunchboxes can “suit” the role, and if parents are willing, students can bring their own! A packing list with words and pictures located near the suitcases helps build early word recognition skills.

Ready for Take-Off!

The ground crew is in charge of directing the plane on the tarmac. The crew member wears an orange vest, soundproof headphones, and goggles. Homemade wands created from a big wrapping paper tube and two colors of duct tape are great for guiding the plane.

At Play to Learn Preschool, there is a fantastic control panel created by a lovely volunteer. Constructed from particleboard, with dials made from stickers, buttons from an old telephone, breaker switches and buttons from the hardware store, and an intercom system made from an old hairdryer, it is always a favorite! However, more simple controls, even just a steering wheel and a calculator can suffice with a little imagination.

If you’re looking for some ideas about how to make a dashboard for your classroom airport dramatic play center, try these:
Car Dashboard – And Next Comes L
Activity Dashboard – Lalymom

Have a Nice Flight!

Highly skilled flight attendants make sure every passenger is safe and comfortable. Providing them with a variety of snacks and drinks helps add to the role.

Adding Supporting Materials

While the dramatic play area is exciting, adding supporting materials at other centers will help reinforce the vocabulary, provide students with more ways to explore the idea, and give children a way to practice the concept of an airport in several different settings.

Adding airplane themed books to the reading center is a fantastic way to build on the topic. A word wall added to the literacy center helps reinforce the vocabulary. Airplane toys added to the block center, and a sensory table with cloud dough are excellent additions as well.

All of the signs, tickets, name tags, and passport printables are available in this Airport Dramatic Play Set.
Looking to do a whole unit on Transportation?  Here is one right here! 

Find additional Dramatic Play inspiration and ideas HERE:Dramatic Play Ideas for Preschool Classroom

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. nadia says

    this is so adorable! Looking at the pics makes me wish I was a kid so that i could experience it. I hope to do this someday for my kids

  4. Jessica says

    Do you have an Instagram? I would love to tag you in my picture. I bought your dramatic play from teachers pay teachers

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