Post Office Play -- From Carolina

I found this idea online, and my students really love it so I wanted to share it. As a part of my community helpers theme, I created a post office at my desk.  I introduced this after learning about how the mail works, and discussing that you need to buy stamps and put them on envelopes before the mail man can take them. I posted the prices for envelopes and stamps at the front of my desk, creating the “Post Office.” There is a jar of pennies on my desk as well. When the students want to write a letter to a friend or their parents they have to buy it from me. They get the jar and count out the right amount of pennies they need to buy the materials they want.  The stamps are a verity of cheap stickers I bought at wal-mart, and I just got the envelopes at the dollar store. Once they have the stamp and the envelope they write a letter, fold it up and seal the envelope. To deliver their mail they sometimes use mail carrier bags I have in the dramatic play area or the mail man hat. They can either put their letter in a friend’s cubby or in their backpack if it is going home. I just really liked this activity because it was easy to do and incorporates counting, writing, and social studies all in one. Once we do this for a bit longer I am thinking about expanding by having the students earn the pennies and also make their own mailboxes for people to leave notes in. I hope this can work in some of your classrooms!