Coffee Shop Dramatic Play for Preschool, Pre-k, and Kindergarten

A coffee shop is bursting with learning opportunities, so why not bring one into the classroom? You can add in so much math, literacy, and science while students play. Plus, they can develop social and life skills as they interact with their peers, place orders, create drinks, and be customers.

Grab the Coffee Shop Printables here!

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Coffee Shop Dramatic Play

Coffee Shop Counter! Welcome to the coffee shop! This shelf has everything the barista needs to fulfill orders. There are lots of options on the shelf, but I would not put this many items out to start the center, or if students are dumping supplies. Depending on my students, I may start with 3-4 options and add to keep their interest.

Barista Station! I like to put out different sizes of cups and lids so that students work on identifying sizes. Add tongs to your ice machine so students can grab out the cotton balls (ice cubes). I love to save real containers to use in my dramatic play area. Wash out the containers and then add paint inside of them to make them look full. All the labels are included in the unit.

Cash Register! The checkout stand is all set up with a number line, cash register, menus, and order forms. Students will be developing their math, literacy, and fine motor skills with the menus, money, and order forms.

Coffee Shop Seating! I have a small table for customers to sit and enjoy their treats & drinks. There is a menu on the table so they can order and tell the server what they would like. I also keep a high chair, babies, and baby accessories for students to play with if they would like.

Coffee Order! If no one wants to be the customer, the cashier can take to-go orders from other centers. Then use the delivery truck to deliver their drinks & treats. Go to your local coffee shop and see if they will donate cups, lids, drink carriers, etc., for your coffee shop dramatic play center.

Specials Board! Having a specials board allows the students to practice reading and writing skills and gives them a choice in their own coffee shop. I set out food cards so they have something to look at for spelling and letter formation. Remember, even scribbles are writing in a preschool dramatic play center.

Coffee Punch Cards! Students can practice counting to 10 with the coffee punch cards. Plus, using the hole punch is great for hand strength.

DIY Coffee Shop Props

Syrup Options! The syrups are empty hand sanitizer pump bottles that I put paint into to make them look full. I just squirt a little inside and then swirl it all over the sides. Let the paint dry and hot glue the lid back on. There are printable labels included in the unit. The small drizzle bottles are squirt bottles that I also painted the inside of.

Tea Options! If coffee isn’t your drink, I also let students have a tea option. The tea bags are 2 pieces of felt glued around a piece of yarn. The unit includes colored printables to label the tea bags. This way, students are practicing color sorting while they play. Add a tea kettle and a honey bear for even more fun.

Sugar Packet! Sweeten your drink with a variety of sugar packets. This gives students an opportunity to practice sorting and color identification. Grab some from restaurants or gas stations, or use the printable sugar packets included in the unit.

Coffee Bean Options! You can have a variety of coffee bean options to deepen play, but if that is too much for your students, just have one container of coffee out for play. These are cereal storage bins from the dollar store. I only filled the containers a quarter full of various-sized brown pom poms.

Coffee Machine! This box can be found at a grocery store (ex: Aldi’s, Sam’s, Costco). It has two openings in the front. Use two juice containers to create the coffee ground containers. Cut the bottom off the containers and cover any sharp edges with tape. Cut two holes in the top of the box and place the containers in the holes. Paint the box and glue the printable buttons to it.

Students place a cup in the coffee maker and scoop the coffee beans (pom poms) into the top of the coffee machine. The coffee will go into the cup!

DIY Sponge Cake! Cut the corners of a sponge to make the edges round. Use white paint for icing at the top. Now you have lemon and blueberry loaf!

DIY Cake Pops! To make the cake pops, hot glue a foam ball on a sucker stick. Then paint and glitter the ball. So easy, and you can make different colors to match the season, holidays, or your classroom theme!

DIY Muffins! These DIY muffins are so simple, too! Hot glue a foam ball to the inside of a silicone cupcake liner, then hot glue brown felt over the top. Cut and glue small pieces of felt to the top for the fruit pieces. Again, you can make all different flavors to match your theme or the seasons/holidays.

DIY Cookies! Let your students help you make these cookie props. Use air-dry clay to create the cookies. Roll or mold to the desired shape. Once completely dry, paint with washable paint (optional). You can also add glitter for a touch of flair!

Seasonal coffee shop additions

Fall Treats & Mix-Ins! To make a fall-themed coffee shop, I used pumpkin muffins and pumpkin-shaped cookies for the treats. Students had the option of fall colored sprinkles, caramel, mocha, cinnamon, and pumpkin mix-ins. To make the spice/sprinkle containers, I used some cleaned-out spice containers and filled them with a variety of items to match the label. Hot glue the lid on and fill the holes with hot glue so nothing can come out.

Winter Treats & Mix-Ins! For the winter, you could have snowflake cookies, blueberry muffins, and blueberry sponge cake for the treats. Some winter sprinkles, peppermint, cinnamon, cocoa, and caramel are the mix-ins I set out. I love using the real item in the spice containers, if I can. The students can smell the ingredients, but none can come out since the holes are hot-glued closed.

Holiday Treats & Mix-Ins! For the holidays, we used the Melissa & Doug holiday cookie set, strawberry muffins, Christmas cookies, gingerbread men, and green cake pops. We definitely needed some holiday sprinkles to go along with peppermint, caramel, cinnamon, and cocoa mix-ins.

Valentine Treats & Mix-Ins! Students could purchase rainbow muffins, heart cookies, and pink cake pops for their Valentine’s treat. Cookie, sugar cookie, mocha, strawberry, and pretty sprinkles were the mix-ins I put out in February.

A coffee shop dramatic play could be used anytime throughout the year, but it definitely lends itself best to the winter season. Students will be practicing so many math, literacy, science, and social skills while they play! That’s a win for me! Grab the Coffee Shop Printables below.

Here are some more dramatic play ideas!

Check out the coffee shop in action for even more tips & tricks!

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