Pretend Play Workshop for Kids: A Year of DIY Craft Projects and Open-Ended Screen-Free Learning for Kids Ages 3-7

Discover simple ways to create rich, imaginative play experiences for your child using things you already have on hand.

What makes childhood feel magical? One simple word: PLAY! Play is crucial for children--it is fun, allows them to work through complex ideas and emotions, leads to a sense of mastery, and is also a key way kids learn. Regrettably, the technology and busyness of our modern lives leave little room for this fundamental and important part of childhood. Pretend Play Workshop for Kids offers a remedy with hours of dramatic play scenarios paired with simple crafts and fun activities--a rich resource for easy, ready-to-go alternatives to screentime.

Along the way, you will learn the benefits of these experiences, including the social and emotional learning taking place, the fine and gross motor practice, the language development, the mathematical thinking, and the scientific thinking. This allows you to set the scene for your little one, but also tailor it to their strengths and opportunities for growth.

Each chapter focuses on a different imaginative play setup, including:

• Detective Office
• Post Office
• Spaceship
• Coffee Shop
• Art Museum
• Laundromat
• Ice Cream Shop
• Doctor’s Office
• Hair Salon
• Car Wash
• Train Station
• Toy Store

Within each chapter, find ideas for how to set the scene, instructions for crafting props, and activities that you can set up for your child. You’ll also discover time-saving tips, ways to extend the play, how to adapt activities for different age groups, and how engaging in the play and activities benefits your child.

Pretend Play Workshop for Kids will inspire you and deepen your understanding so that you can support your child in their play for years to come.

Caitlin Kruse has been a content creator working in various roles in the industry for the last decade. Prior to co-founding Magic Playbook, Caitlin focused on her website The Mama Notes where she shares activity ideas for kids. She previously served as the Editorial and Partnerships Director for lifestyle website, Glitter Guide, where she led a team of contributors, produced photo shoots and worked with notable brand partners. Caitlin holds a bachelor’s degree in Apparel Merchandising and a Minor in Business from East Carolina University. Caitlin is based in Annapolis, Maryland, where she resides with her husband and three daughters. You can find Caitlin online at @TheMamaNotes.

Mandy Roberson is the Co-Founder of Magic Playbook, a brand inspiring parents of young children to bring the magic back to childhood through their line of pretend-play products and their monthly digital activity subscription. Her work has been featured by Parents Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Buzzfeed, Daily Mom, and more. When she isn’t coming up with ideas for kids’ activities on Magic Playbook, she can be found helping thousands of parents with young children discover easy ways to bring family traditions and fun into their homes over on her personal account @MommaSociety. Mandy calls Greenville, South Carolina, home, where she lives with her husband, JD, and her three children, Brody, Isla, and Luca.

Emma Johnson is an early childhood educator with a master’s degree in early childhood education from Portland State University. She has taught a variety of ages, from three-year-olds to kindergartners for ten years and has a passion for facilitating imaginative play. Emma is currently taking a break from the classroom so she can stay home with her young daughter and take on the role as the Early Childhood Expert at Magic Playbook. With the creation of monthly kids activities for Magic Playbook, Emma is able to share her years of teaching experience by helping to create the foundations of early learning for thousands of families across the globe. One of the most rewarding aspects of her job is seeing how parents and caregivers take the ideas from Magic Playbook and make them their own, she loves how a simple starting framework can evolve in so many different ways. She hopes this book inspires you and your little ones to have fun playing!