Dramatic Play Day ideas for OSHC
63 DIY activities for a dramatic play day at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around Book Week (August) or 31 October. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Big Top Show
Groups rehearse and perform a short circus act, from juggling and balancing to clowning, for the whole room.
Book Week · Superhero Day · Fairy Tale Day +2Book Character Parade
Children dress up as a favourite book character and parade for each other, celebrating stories and reading.
Jungle Safari · Cardboard Box Day · Planes, Trains and Automobiles +2Cardboard Safari Jeep
Children build a jeep from large boxes and use it for safari role-play.
Medieval Times · Knights and Fairies · Mythical Creatures +3Castles, Dragons and Stories
Children build cardboard castles and make sock dragon puppets, then stage their own adventure story for an audience.
Talent Show Day · Music and Dance Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Centre Talent Show
Children sign up to sing, dance, tell a joke, show a trick, read a story or share news during afternoon group time, building confidence in front of a friendly audience.
Wheels Day · Chalk Festival · Planes, Trains and Automobiles +1Chalk Road Town
Children draw roads, roundabouts and crossings in chalk, then take turns acting as cars, pedestrians and traffic lights.
Fairy Tale Day · Book Week · Dramatic Play Day +1Character Charades
Children act out a story character without words while their team races to guess who it is.
Fairy Tale Day · Book Week · Dramatic Play Day +1Character Dress-Up Parade
Children dress as a favourite story character and walk a red carpet while others guess who they are.
Café Day · Cooking Day · Market Day +3Children's Café
Children plan, prepare and serve simple snacks in their own pop-up café, taking turns as chefs, wait staff and customers.
Circus Day · Crazy Hair Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Clown Face Painting
Educators and older children paint simple clown faces using face paint and sponges.
Halloween · Dramatic Play Day · Superhero Day +1Costume Parade
Children dress up in spooky or silly costumes and walk a parade route while everyone cheers.
Crazy Hair Day · Dramatic Play Day · Fashion Day +1Crazy Hair Salon
Educators run a pretend salon creating crazy hairdos with clips, ties and coloured hairspray.
Mad Hatter's Tea Party · Crazy Hat Day · Fairy Tale Day +2Crazy Hat Tea Party Parade
Children design and build wild, whimsical hats from card and craft scraps, then show them off in a tea party parade and picnic.
What I Want to Be Day · Careers Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Dress for Your Future
Children dress up as the job they'd like to do one day and share what they would do at work.
Talent Show Day · Staff Skills Day · Dramatic Play DayEducators' Talent Show
Educators take the stage with songs, skits, tricks or silly acts while the children cheer them on, modelling having a go and laughing at yourself.
Superhero Day · Dramatic Play Day · Op Shop Day +1Fabric Superhero Capes
Children cut capes from old pillowcases or felt and add their own emblem with fabric paint.
Fairy Tale Day · Dramatic Play Day · Book Week +2Fairy Tale Retelling
Small groups choose a well-known fairy tale and act it out with props, adding their own twist to the ending.
R U OK Day · Mental Health Month · Dramatic Play Day +2Feelings Charades
Children act out emotions for others to guess. Builds emotional vocabulary in a playful way.
Christmas · Christmas in July · Dramatic Play Day +1Festive Charades
Children act out festive words and phrases without speaking while their team guesses.
Cardboard Box Day · Cubby Day · Maker Day +3Giant Box Creations
Children turn large appliance boxes into cubbies, cars or castles with paint, tape and old sheets.
Teddy Bears' Picnic · Dramatic Play Day · Book Week +1Going on a Bear Hunt
Children act out a bear hunt adventure, moving through pretend long grass, sticky mud, a river and a dark cave before racing home.
At the Building Site · Dramatic Play Day · Careers Day +2Hard Hat Construction Crew
Children dress in hard hats and vests to act as a building crew, working together to complete a pretend construction job.
Halloween · Dramatic Play Day · Escape Room Day +2Haunted House Role-Play
Children design a spooky room with sheets, torches and props, then guide small groups through it as tour guides.
Superhero Day · Crazy Hat Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Hero Mask Making
Children design and decorate their own hero masks from card, choosing colours and shapes to suit their character.
Superhero Day · Knights and Fairies · Fairy Tale Day +2Heroes and Fairies Dress-Up Day
Younger children come dressed as heroes or fairies and spend the day designing capes and wands, then celebrate with a parade.
Careers Day · What I Want to Be Day · Dramatic Play Day +2Job Role-Play Stations
Children rotate through pretend workplaces such as a hospital, café, building site and post office.
Talent Show Day · Dramatic Play Day · Silly Stories Day +1Joke and Skit Stage
Small groups invent a two-minute skit or joke routine using a box of props and perform it for an audience.
Knights and Fairies · Medieval Times · Dramatic Play Day +1Knight Helmets
Children make knight helmets from card and foil to wear in medieval play.
Around the World Day · Holidays and Travel Week · Photography Day +1Landmark Photo Booth
Educators draw a famous world landmark on the whiteboard and children pose in front of it as if on holiday, sparking talk about travel and places.
Magic Day · Talent Show Day · Circus Day +1Magic Show Performance
Children rehearse their best tricks, plan a running order and put on a magic show for an audience of friends and educators.
Mythical Creatures · Puppet Day · Fairy Tale Day +2Magical Puppet Show
Children use puppets to plan and perform a magical story with creatures, quests and surprises.
Movie Day · Film Club Day · Dramatic Play Day +2Make Your Own Movie
Groups write and rehearse a short skit, then film it on a tablet to watch back together.
Movie Day · Film Club Day · Cardboard Box Day +1Movie Prop Making
Children make clapperboards and cardboard cameras to use in film play.
Greek Myths Day · Dramatic Play Day · Book Week +1Myth Retelling Play
Children read an ancient Greek myth in small groups and act it out with simple props for an audience.
Ninja Obstacle Day · Craft Day · Superhero Day +1Ninja Headbands
Children decorate fabric strips into their own ninja headbands with symbols, names or patterns. A quick craft that sets the mood for an action-packed day.
Op Shop Day · Fashion Day · Fashion Design Day +2Op Shop Fashion Show
Children style outfits from donated or second-hand clothes and walk the runway. A creative look at fashion and reusing clothing.
Opposites Day · Dramatic Play Day · Games Day +1Opposites Charades
Children act out a word while others guess it and its opposite, such as hot and cold or happy and sad. Builds vocabulary through play.
Backyard Play Day · Pet Day · Animal Theme +2Paper Plate Puppy Masks
Younger children make cartoon puppy masks from paper plates, then use them for dog-themed backyard pretend play.
Pirate Day · Silly Stories Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Pirate Name Generator
Children roll dice to build a silly pirate name, then introduce themselves in their best pirate voice. Instant laughs and storytelling.
Pirate Day · Treasure Hunters Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Pirate Party Day
A whole day of pirate dress-up, treasure hunts, games and crafts. Children set sail on a full adventure from morning to afternoon.
Space Disco · Space Explorers · Science and Space +1Planet Costumes
Children choose a planet, research a fact and make a simple costume to wear in a solar system parade.
Holidays and Travel Week · Dramatic Play Day · Planes, Trains and Automobiles +2Pretend Airport
Children role-play travelling through an airport, from check-in and security to boarding and the flight.
Dramatic Play Day · Café Day · Market Day +1Pretend Shop or Café
Children set up and run a pretend supermarket or café with menus, empty packets and play money.
Money Day · Market Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Pretend Shop Play
Children run a pretend shop with play money, taking turns as shopkeeper and customer.
Pet Day · Dramatic Play Day · Careers Day +3Pretend Vet Clinic
Children run a vet clinic for soft toys, taking turns as vets, nurses and pet owners. Rich role-play about caring for animals.
Puppet Day · Dramatic Play Day · Book Week +2Puppet Show
Children write and perform a short puppet show behind a puppet theatre. Builds storytelling and confidence.
Movie Day · Film Club Day · Fashion Day +2Red Carpet Arrivals
Children dress up and walk a red carpet while friends play photographers, enjoying a glamorous moment in the spotlight.
Emergency Services Day · Dramatic Play Day · Careers Day +1Rescue Role-Play
Children act out emergency scenarios as firefighters, paramedics, police and callers, practising calm and helpful responses.
Movie Day · Film Club Day · Book Week +2Rewrite the Ending
After a movie, groups rewrite or act out a new ending or retell the story from another character's view.
Time Travellers Day · Dramatic Play Day · Musical Theatre Day +1Roaring Twenties Skits
Children create and perform short skits set in the 1920s or another era, using props and costumes to bring the past to life.
Fantasy Quest Club · Mythical Creatures · Dramatic Play Day +1Role-Play Quest Adventure
An educator guides children through a simple dice-based role-play quest, where they solve problems together as a party of heroes.
Seasons Day · Weather Watchers · Dramatic Play DaySeasonal Clothing Sort
Younger children sort a pile of clothes into the season they suit, talking about weather and what we wear.
Puppet Day · Science Week · Dramatic Play Day +2Shadow Puppet Theatre
Children cut card shadow puppets and perform with torches against a wall or sheet. Simple science and storytelling.
Musical Theatre Day · Dramatic Play Day · Book Week +1Short Scene Script Reading
Children read short scripts in small groups, choose roles and act out the scenes with expression.
Musical Theatre Day · Art Attack Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Stage Backdrop Painting
Children work together to paint large backdrops that set the scene for a show or performance.
Detective Day · Dramatic Play Day · Spy SchoolSuspect Line-Up
Educators dress up as suspects and children question them, listen for inconsistencies and vote on who did it.
Talent Show Day · Musical Theatre Day · Music and Dance Day +1Talent Showcase Finale
Children present their rehearsed acts in a final showcase with a stage, lights and an audience, celebrating the effort they put into practising.
Teddy Bears' Picnic · Dramatic Play Day · What I Want to Be Day +1Teddy Bear Hospital
Children run a pretend teddy hospital, checking soft toys in at reception, giving checkups and wrapping bandages, building care and empathy.
Camp Out Day · Puppet Day · Full Moon Night +3Torchlight Shadow Stories
Children use torches and their hands to create shadow puppets and tell stories in a darkened room.
Halloween · Treasure Hunters Day · Dramatic Play DayTrick-or-Treat Trail
Children travel around decorated doors and stations within the service, collecting a treat or token at each stop.
Café Day · Dramatic Play Day · Careers Day +1Waiter Role-Play
Children take turns as wait staff and customers, taking orders on notepads and carrying trays, practising manners and communication.
Weather Watchers · Film Club Day · Dramatic Play Day +1Weather Reporter
Children research today's weather and present a weather report in front of a map, filmed on a device or performed live.
Careers Day · What I Want to Be Day · Dramatic Play Day +1When I Grow Up Dress-Up
Children dress as a career they'd like to have one day and explain to the group what the job involves.