Dramatic Play as a Science Representation

When we think about science representations in the early grades, we often picture drawings, models, graphs, or writing. My advisor, Meredith Park Rogers, has written extensively about the importance of science representations in helping children make sense of their observations and ideas (see Learning to Teach with Science Representations). But one form that sometimes slips under the radar is dramatic play.

In preschool through first grade, dramatic play is not just a way to keep children engaged—it can actually be a powerful mode of representation. Through role play, storytelling, and imaginative reenactments, children externalize their thinking. They create a shared world where scientific concepts become tangible and embodied, even before they have the vocabulary or formal tools to explain them.

Science Representations Beyond Paper and Pencil

Science representations are about translating ideas into a form that can be revisited, questioned, and refined. A drawing of a plant, a clay model of a volcano, or a bar graph of weather patterns all serve this purpose. But in the early grades, children’s ideas are often too big, too dynamic, or too rooted in story to be confined to paper. Dramatic play allows them to take on roles—scientist, animal, or even a natural force—and act out the relationships they’re coming to understand.

GEMS: Tree Homes

When I was teaching, I leaned heavily on the GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) guides from the Lawrence Hall of Science. One of my favorites was Tree Homes. In this unit, we made a "tree" from cardboard boxes, paint, and paper towel tubes. One day, they discovered a teddy bear tucked into a “tree hole.” Suddenly, science was no longer abstract—it was a mystery, a story, a drama unfolding in real time! This activity helped to explain that bears hibernate. The children checked in on it, wondering what was happening inside the hole. Eventually, the bear “woke up”—this time with a baby bear in tow. It was so fun! After I presented the story to the kids in class, they "replayed" it over and over during free time. They couldn't wait to see how new stuffie animals were coming to the tree each day. The cool thins is that the kids weren’t just hearing facts about hibernation—they were representing the concept through play. They were living inside the story of science!

Other GEMS units follow a similar structure—Ant Homes and Butterflies also invite kids to create and inhabit miniature worlds where scientific ideas came alive. (You can see an example here: Tree Homes Lesson.) These experiences taught me that dramatic play can be as legitimate and rigorous a science representation as a labeled diagram or a journal entry.

Why Dramatic Play Matters in Science

Dramatic play lets children try out scientific ideas with their whole bodies and emotions. It allows for multiple entry points: a shy child might quietly “feed” the teddy bear, while another child narrates what is happening to the group. Together, they build shared meaning.

For young learners, this form of representation can be especially powerful because it:

• Bridges story and science: Children naturally think in stories, and dramatic play weaves scientific phenomena into narratives that feel familiar and exciting.

• Encourages embodied learning: Concepts like hibernation, metamorphosis, or ant colonies are acted out, giving children a sensory and physical connection to abstract ideas.

• Fosters collaboration: Representations don’t have to be solitary; dramatic play invites collective sense-making and negotiation of meaning.

Closing Thoughts

As educators, we sometimes rush toward more “formal” science representations—drawings, charts, or written explanations—thinking those are the real evidence of learning. But if we pause to notice, dramatic play is already doing that work in a form that makes sense for young children. It is children’s way of representing science before they have the conventional tools.

So the next time you see your students acting out a butterfly’s metamorphosis or pretending to be scientists building a habitat, pause and recognize it: they are representing science.