How to Play School

Find an open area where you can set up the classroom and leave it intact for several days or until your children tire of the activity. Although you won't need desks, allow room for a few "students" to sit on the ground along with space up front for the teacher.

Decorate the room with posters you'd see in a grade school classroom like charts featuring the alphabet, numbers to 100, months and days of the week, holidays, U.S. presidents and money values.

Buy a chalkboard or white board for the teacher to write on. Consider an easel style that you can fold and store easily or turn into an art center once your kids are no longer playing school. (See Resources)

Gather other accessories to help your child feel like a real teacher. Print worksheets featuring math, spelling, grammar and reading comprehension lessons from the Internet or buy workbooks at a local bookstore. Some play packs include documents like report cards, sticker charts, hall passes and even a grade book. (See Resources)

Sit in as a student from time to time and ask your "teacher" for help on concepts that she's currently learning in school. Allowing her to explain them to you or go over spelling, vocabulary or a story she's reading is a great way to reinforce the ideas.

Set up a play area in the backyard for recess, including a sandbox and small picnic table for snack time and lunch.