У статті виявлено потенційні можливості театрально-ігрової діяльності щодо розвитку творчості дітей дошкільного віку. Уточнено сутність поняття “театрально-ігрова діяльність дошкільників”, що є важливим та ефективним засобом розвитку мовлення, оскільки сприяє розвиткові образного літературного мовлення, що дозволяє дитині самостійно будувати зв'язне висловлювання, забезпечує усвідомлення змісту, ідеї художнього твору через сприймання театральної вистави.
The necessity to enrich senior preschool children’s vocabulary is promoted by the need of communication and cooperation with other children. Theatrical-playing activity is an effective means of enrichment and activation of preschoolers’ vocabulary, development of their expressive speech. Theatrical-playing activity is represented as a game (for a child), as a kind of activity and as a spectacle (for others). Being a game theatrical-playing activity causes the activation of using words; as an activity it enriches preschoolers’ vocabulary by new words; during the spectacle it forms emotionally coloured layer of vocabulary. The need to use game methods and techniques of teaching is proved by the fact that playing activity is considered to be a leading one in preschoolers’ psychological development. One of the effective means of enriching senior preschool children’s vocabulary is theatrical-playing activity, which is natural for a child; and children like it. The process of formation of child's personality takes place in game activity; preschoolers interact with other people through game. The article reveals the potential of the theatre as an activity to enrich the vocabulary of preschool children. The author gives the essence of the concept «theatrical-playing activity of preschool children» as an important and effective means of speech development, as it promotes the development of imaginative literary speech, which allows the child to construct coherent statements, understand the meaning and ideas of the fiction through the perception of the theatrical performance. Theatrical activity in its various manifestations has a great potential for solving the problems of preschoolers’ speech development. Each type of theatrical activity allows to solve specific tasks, while providing a huge positive effect on preschool children’s speech development.