Pretend Play
The Living Room Post Office
Make a post office with drawings and things you already have. Your child decides who gets the next delivery.
Ages 3 to 8
20 minutes
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Get ready
3 minutes. Place the open box on the floor and put paper and crayons beside it.
What you’ll need
Paper, crayons and a clean, open cardboard box. Optional: envelopes.
Let’s play
1. Make two delivery spots on the floor. Draw a simple symbol for each, such as a sun and a tree.
2. Invite your child to draw a message for a pretend recipient. A picture counts as a letter.
3. Be the customer: “My dragon needs a birthday invitation. Where should it go?” Let your child decide.
4. Deliver the message together, then swap roles. Ask the recipient what happened next in the story.
Your part in the adventure
Be the customer with an amusing delivery problem, then let your child be the expert.
What they’re discovering
Drawing a message for someone and choosing where it goes gives early writing and storytelling a real job to do.
Before you begin
Use a box with no staples or sharp edges. Keep the floor clear so nobody trips, and keep the addresses made up.
Keep the idea going
Ages 6 to 8 can draw a made up street map and plan a delivery route. Younger kids can be the mail carrier while you write. If interest drops, a stuffed animal becomes the next customer with an urgent parcel.
Every child is different. Adjust activities for their age and abilities, and stay close by. These are play ideas, not medical or developmental advice.