Pretend play and imagination
Students step into make-believe roles like a chef, a doctor, or a puppy. They use their own experiences to invent characters and small stories during play.
What does a student learn in
This is the year pretending becomes the first taste of theatre. Students step into characters during make-believe play, using their voices, faces, and bodies to act out simple stories. They watch classmates perform and talk about what they liked or what the story meant. By spring, students can play a role in a short class story and share one thing they noticed about a friend's performance.
- Pretend play
- Acting out stories
- Using voice and body
- Watching performances
- Talking about plays
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Building stories together
Students start shaping their pretend play into short scenes with a beginning, middle, and end. They add props, costumes, and ideas from classmates to grow the story.
- 3
Sharing scenes with others
Students rehearse short skits and perform them for friends or family. They practice using their voice and body so an audience can follow what is happening.
- 4
Watching and talking about plays
Students watch puppet shows, classmates' skits, or short performances and talk about what they noticed. They share what they liked and what the story meant to them.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Pre-Kindergarten.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students use something they've seen, felt, or done in real life as the spark for a pretend-play scene or a simple performance.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students connect what happens in a story or play to their own life and the world around them.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students use something they've seen, felt, or done in real life as the spark for a pretend-play scene or a simple performance. | TH:Cn10.pk |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students connect what happens in a story or play to their own life and the world around them. | TH:Cn11.pk |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students make up characters, stories, and scenes through imaginative play. This is where creative ideas in theatre begin.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students act out simple stories and ideas through pretend play, choosing what their characters do and say.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students finish a short pretend scene or puppet play, making small changes until it feels right.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students make up characters, stories, and scenes through imaginative play. This is where creative ideas in theatre begin. | TH:Cr1.pk |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students act out simple stories and ideas through pretend play, choosing what their characters do and say. | TH:Cr2.pk |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students finish a short pretend scene or puppet play, making small changes until it feels right. | TH:Cr3.pk |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students pick a character or moment to act out and decide how to show it to others through movement, voice, or expression.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice how to move, speak, and show feelings while acting out a story or character. Repeating scenes and trying new choices helps them get better before sharing their work with others.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students act out a simple character or story in front of others, using their voice, face, and body to show what is happening.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students pick a character or moment to act out and decide how to show it to others through movement, voice, or expression. | TH:Pr4.pk |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice how to move, speak, and show feelings while acting out a story or character. Repeating scenes and trying new choices helps them get better before sharing their work with others. | TH:Pr5.pk |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students act out a simple character or story in front of others, using their voice, face, and body to show what is happening. | TH:Pr6.pk |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students look at a short play or puppet show and talk about what they noticed, like a funny moment or a surprising costume.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a drawing, a puppet, or a short play and say what they think it means or how it makes them feel. There is no single right answer.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students say what they like about a performance and explain why. They start to notice what works in a show and put their feelings into words.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students look at a short play or puppet show and talk about what they noticed, like a funny moment or a surprising costume. | TH:Re7.pk |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a drawing, a puppet, or a short play and say what they think it means or how it makes them feel. There is no single right answer. | TH:Re8.pk |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students say what they like about a performance and explain why. They start to notice what works in a show and put their feelings into words. | TH:Re9.pk |
Common Questions
What does theatre look like at this age?
Most of the work happens through pretend play. Students act out stories, take on characters like a firefighter or a bear, use their bodies and voices to show feelings, and make up little scenes with classmates. It looks a lot like play because at this age, play is the work.
How can I support theatre at home in a few minutes a day?
Act out a favorite picture book together. Take turns being different characters and use silly voices. Ask what the character is feeling and why. Five minutes of pretend play after reading does more than any worksheet at this age.
Does my child need to memorize lines or perform on a stage?
No. At this age, theatre is about pretending, not performing for an audience. Memorizing a script is not the point. The goal is for students to try on characters, use their imagination, and feel comfortable speaking and moving in front of others.
How do I plan theatre across the year when students cannot read yet?
Build everything around stories students already know. Start with simple character work in the fall, like moving and speaking as an animal. Move into acting out familiar tales together by winter. By spring, students can make up short scenes in small groups with a clear beginning and end.
What if my child is too shy to act things out?
That is completely normal. Shy students often start by watching, then join in with a puppet or a mask before acting as themselves. Pretending at home with stuffed animals or in the bathtub is a good warm-up. Pushing for a performance tends to backfire.
Which skills usually need the most practice in the classroom?
Two things. First, staying in a character instead of breaking into giggles or running off. Second, listening and responding to a partner in a scene instead of talking over them. Both come with repeated low-stakes practice in pairs and small groups.
How do students respond to theatre they watch?
Students learn to talk about what they saw and how it made them feel. After a story or a classmate's scene, they might say who the character was, what happened, and what they liked. Simple questions like "how did that part make you feel?" go a long way.
How do I know students are ready for the next year?
By spring, students can take on a character with voice and body, act out a short familiar story with a small group, and talk about a scene they watched using feeling words. They do not need polish. They need confidence and imagination.