Prepare your little learners for take-off with this airport dramatic play. Each activity mimics the reality of airports and airplanes – complete with checking in, scanning your bags at security, in-flight entertainment, and ordering snacks. If you’re ready, buckle up and read more about our transportation dramatic play.
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Transportation Lesson Plans
Airport Dramatic Play
Ideas for Set-Up
There are things about traveling in an airport that you can always count on. Things like checking in, checking your bags, and of course, the dreaded security lines.
Then there are things you can’t always count on… like which group you will board in and if your flight will arrive and take off on time.
One thing you can count on with our dramatic play set-up? Your little learners will love learning through play!
Print out the large plane, airport sign, lettered tickets, and luggage scanner. Set up the plane on posterboard and create your luggage scanner with a cardboard box and duct tape.
Just like that, your airport is ready for eager (preschool) passengers to arrive!
Materials:
Airport Check-in gate
Transportation Dramatic Play
Ever missed a flight?
We almost did.
The only reason we didn’t miss our flight was that our newborn daughter woke in the middle of the night, and I abruptly realized we had slept through our alarm clocks. Our family arrived 30 minutes before takeoff and somehow made it on the plane to South Carolina with 2 minutes to spare.
Talk about cutting it close.
But your preschoolers won’t have to worry about missing their flight in the airport dramatic play center.
Just get your tickets (with letters for alphabet practice) from the check-in agent and calmly proceed to the security check.
Materials:
- old laptop
- lanyards
airplane dramatic play
Security Check
What kind of TSA agents will your toddlers be?
Will they have each other take off their shoes as they pass through the checkpoint? Or simply just scan each other’s bags?
Either way, this airport dramatic play security check is ready for passengers to arrive.
Create a pretend scanner with a cardboard box and duct tape. Add our printable labels, and you’ll have a realistic scanner that’s ready to scan the passengers’ luggage (printouts or backpacks)!
Materials:
- cardboard box
- duct tape
- linking chains (for luggage tags)
- backpacks
Airport Dramatic Play
Passengers
Paging all passengers to the pretend play airport waiting area!
Each passenger will get their printable name tag while they wait in the designated waiting area.
Once on the flight, your preschool passengers will be thrilled to see that there is in-flight entertainment!
The entertainment options can be taped to the back of classroom chairs to create a realistic feel as the wheels go up and the airplane is off to its final destination.
Don’t you wish entertaining toddlers on flights was that easy?!
Materials:
- chairs
Snack Cart
Flight Attendants
I’ll admit, I am guilty of bored eating all too often. It’s easy to do at home, but it’s also easy to do in an airport!
Even when I’m not hungry, food just sounds like a good idea. On the airplane is no exception, either. When the snack cart comes rolling by, I just can’t turn down the pretzels they have to offer. And I don’t even like pretzels.
For this activity, your preschoolers will pretend to be the flight attendants serving snacks to passengers.
The printable snack menu lets the passengers know their options and what they can order.
A cookie and a soda for me, please!
Materials:
- small shopping cart
- felt sandwich kit
- small drink containers (bubbles from Dollar Tree)
Customs
Pretend Passports
I’ll admit, I am guilty of bored eating all too often. It’s easy to do at home, but it’s also easy to do in an airport!
Even when I’m not hungry, food just sounds like a good idea. On the airplane is no exception, either. When the snack cart comes rolling by, I just can’t turn down the pretzels they have to offer. And I don’t even like pretzels.
For this activity, your preschoolers will pretend to be the flight attendants serving snacks to passengers.
The printable snack menu lets the passengers know their options and what they can order.
A cookie and a soda for me, please!
Materials:
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MORE Transportation Activities for Preschoolers
As we reach our final destination (the end of our activities), thank you for choosing Turner Tots for all of your dramatic play needs. I do not doubt that each of our airport dramatic play center activities will have your little ones’ imaginations ready for take-off!
