Pizza Parlor Dramatic Play

This Pizza Parlor Dramatic Play is the perfect recipe for fun and learning! Changing the dramatic play area regularly from the basic Home Living center to other scenarios allows students to take on different roles. Children love to copy what their grown-ups do. Set the dramatic play center up as something fun and very familiar to the students, and watch them interact and grow while they play and learn!

Materials Needed for a Pizza Parlor Dramatic Play Center

• toy pizzas (like this amazing set from Melissa & Doug)
• pizza seasoning set (also from Melissa & Doug, or make one with dollar store items!)
• red and white checkered tablecloths from a party store or dollar store
• clipboards
• order forms
• pencils
• flame free candles
• baking rack
• brick printed wrapping paper
• A sturdy box (for the oven)
• the Create-It-Station from Constructive Playthings or similar furniture

The Felt Food Pizza Set from Melissa & Doug and the corresponding Pizza Seasoning Set are fantastic! The pizza pieces, pan, and box are sturdy and colorful. The seasonings have picture labels and the sprinkles on the inside match the colors of the real seasonings.

Presenting a New Pizza Parlor!

A sign announces to the students that something special is happening and puts additional environmental print for them to practice reading!

The hostess station holds menus, pencils, order forms, and clipboards. It also sports some more environmental print with an open/closed sign! Even the youngest students quickly start to “read” the sign and might not play at the center until someone flips the sign to “Open!” Signs and menus like these are important because it reinforces the idea that print has meaning.

Choosing a Role at the Pizza Parlor Dramatic Play Center

Name tags help students identify which roles they play. Simply print out the name tags, punch two holes in the top, and string through a generous length of yarn. And yes, it’s more environmental print!

The Pizza Oven

One easy way to inspire the children’s imagination is to include at least one “showstopper” prop in the dramatic play center. It gives that little extra pop of wonder and excitement. But it doesn’t have to break the bank.

The pizza oven pictured was created with an existing piece of furniture (the very versatile Create-It-Station by Constructive Playthings), a cardboard box, some brick wrapping paper, and items from the dollar store. It also helps to have an extraordinarily crafty co-teacher, but that can be hard to find.

What’s Cooking at the Pizza Parlor Dramatic Play? LEARNING of course!

In the kitchen, the chefs can work on filling pizza orders. This counter has pizza crusts, homemade tomato sauce, and fresh mozzarella cheese.

The pizza parlor also offers a variety of healthy toppings, including olives, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, and mushrooms. Containers with labels on the inside match the ingredients. A label on the counter assists independent sorting.

All of the toppings are labeled so that kitchen staff can find what they need and return it to the correct place for the next pizza order. Well, most of the time. The seasonings came in a Melissa & Doug set, but it would be simple to create with items from the dollar store as well.

Setting the Atmosphere

Small details don’t have to be expensive either. Simple things like tablecloths and artificial flowers make the whole pizza parlor dramatic play center more “real” for the children. Artificial flowers (repurposed from the Flower Shop!) and flickering (LED no-flame) candles create a fancy dining atmosphere.

Pizza To Go

No self-respecting pizza shop would be without a steady stream of delivery and take-out orders! Simply place an old phone near the hostess stand area, and students can pretend to take orders from customers.

The sturdy pizza boxes are the perfect size for little hands. If the Melissa & Doug set isn’t available, most local pizza shops are happy to donate a few unused pizza boxes. It might even be a great way to support a local business by ordering some REAL pizza for a pizza party as well!

Honestly, it does not get any better than this! The students are enthusiastic and engaged in this center. They practiced their reading skills with the picture menus and their writing skills with the order forms. Students work on verbal skills by answering the phone and waiting on customers. It’s even an opportunity to practice restaurant manners. It is the perfect introduction to different dramatic play scenarios!