I am still working on a few items for the Boston Pizza Restaurant in my kindergarten classroom, but it is already up and running. I will add the extra items as I find and finish them. I really tried to make this fun and a great learning opportunity as well. Play is such an important part of learning and should never be considered meaningless or a waste of time. Here are just a few of the concepts I tried to incorporate to make the play area not only fun, but educational as well:

• size comparison (small, medium and large ~ pizzas and drinks)
• play money (opportunities to use play money for the exchange of goods and begin to learn the monetary value of the coins and bills as well as their names)
• writing (orders can be taken or for those not yet ready, I created a “write and wipe” order sheet that is laminated)
• reading (the signs in and around the restaurant as well as the menus)
• math (number recognition, simple addition for those that pursue it, money concepts and even fractions)
• how to set the table properly (use the placemats to properly set the table for customers)
• learn about the different roles of the people who work in the restaurant (Chef, server, dish washer, host, etc)
• fractions ~ we talked about how if one person likes a topping and the other doesn’t, you could order your pizza with a topping on only 1/2 of the pizza
• manners and customer service
• phone etiquette
• taking turns (only 5 children allowed in the center at one time and deciding who will work in the restaurant and who the customers will be)
• vocabulary development
• the opportunities for learning really are endless and something that is so engaging also makes a great springboard for other learning activities in the classroom

*Be sure to click on the first image. It will take you to the enlarged slide show and reveal the captions.

Welcome to Boston Pizza!

This bucket is on the floor beside the “Daily Special” sign. It contains two purses and two wallets with play money and credit cards for our customers.

Another shot of our “hostess” area complete with a white board for the kids to write down the “daily specials”.

Behind the hostess desk and welcome sign are our cash register, phone, cups, salt and pepper and cheese shaker.

You can see that I kept most of my house center appliances for the restaurant. There is a pocket chart on the back wall with applicable vocabulary.

Here is a shot of the restaurant from another angle. The long prep counter is actually a closet from my house center that I flipped on its side. The red tubs below contain the serving trays, placemats, aprons, pizza boxes, menus and order clip boards.

I made these menus specifically for our restaurant. They are laminated, so that they’ll be more durable.

Here is an inside shot of the menu. You can see that it is quite simple for the kids to read. The dessert menu is on the back.

Here are shots of both types of our order forms.

The placemats are out and the table is ready to be set.

The pizza crusts and sauce sit on the end of the prep counter.

The toppings sit along the back of the prep counter.

Here is a shot of our three pizza boxes.

A small pizza ready to be served.

The parmesan cheese was made with shredded yellow paper and the inside of the lid was taped off so nothing will actually shake out.

Some of these concepts are definitely more applicable to a classroom or day care setting, but setting up a similar play area for your little ones can foster the same great learning opportunities at home. Let me know if this sparks some creative play ideas in your home, classroom or day care!

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